Dr. Marie Jonas to Fanny David

Dr. Marie Jonas

was a doctor and lived for many years with her family in Hamburg-Eppendorf. After the National Socialists seized power she was no longer able to practice her profession. She therefore worked as a nurse and taught at the Israelitischen Töchterschuler where her husband Alberto Jonas was the school director. The couple had a daughter, Esther.

On 19 July 1942, the family was deported by the Hamburg Gestapo from the Hannoverscher Bahnhof to the Theresienstadt Ghetto. Alberto Jonas died only a few weeks after arrival as a result of forced labour. In autumn 1944, the SS deported Marie Jonas to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where she died.

20-year old Esther Jonas was also sent to Auschwitz Birkenau. She was then made to do difficult work in further concentration camps. She was liberated in Mauthausen concentration camp. After a short return to Hamburg she emigrated to the USA. She lived there until her death in 2016.

Postcard transcription:

Sender:
Dr. Marie Jonas
Widow
Theresienstadt
Q 313

Miss Fanny David
Hamburg 13
Beneckestr. 2

Dear Fanny,

Recently I received several greetings from you. Thank you very much. My daughter and I are  doing well. We both work and are happy. I work as a doctor and Esther is in a law firm. We live together in Q 313 and we have been waiting a long time for news from you. After all, we are interested in everything. Look after yourself and we hope to hear from you directly very soon. I remain with best regards 

Your Dr. Marie Jonas
 

Further research options:

Stolperstein initiative: https://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de
Gedenk- und Bildungsstätte Israelitische Töchterschule: https://gedenkstaetten-in-hamburg.de/gedenkstaetten
Anna von Villiez talks about this postcard (German language): Video