Letter from Bertha Gottlieb to Otto M. Schiff, September 3, 1946

I am taking the liberty of writing to you today for two reasons.

First of all I want to thank you again for the helping hand you extended to me in bringing my two refugee nieces (orphans) Beate and Suse Stern from France to England. At the time I was in London but now am living in America.

Since June 1945 the girls are staying with their uncle, Mr. Siegfried Stern at 3 Bethun Rd., London, 16.

However, according to a recent letter I received from Mrs. Stern, matrimonal differences exist in the Stern family Which I believe, make it very necessary to have the girls, aged eleven and thirteen, removed from such surroundings. Furthermore, Mrs. Stern writes me that her husband cannot support the girls in addition to his own family.

It was the wish of Mr. Moritz Stern, the girls father, in his last letter (photo-copy enclosed) to my sister, Mrs. Flora Schmidt, to have her take care of the children and to bring them to the United States.

Affidavits of support for the children were sent to the Refugee Committee, Bloomsbury House in January 1945.

Five weeks ago I sent to a cable to the above address asking advise on immigration possibilities. Although I paid for an answer up to date i have not heard anything.

Dear Sir, I do not know whom else I could ask to help me in this matter, but since you have helped my nieces before I thought you would be kind enough to help them again by taking a persnal interest in this matter. I would be very grateful to hear from you soon.