“I read from your books every day. It is the one way I have to remember you.”
Hilde Beer to Rolf Ascher
Hilde Frieda Beer
was 15 years old when she and her family were deported to the Litzmannstadt Ghetto in 1941. Hilde had attended the Israelitische Töchterschule, but as a Jew she was unable to find an apprenticeship. Instead, she worked as an assistant.
From the ghetto, Hilde wrote at least two postcards to Hamburg, but they never arrived and remained in the post office. She addressed both cards to friends: one of them was directed to Rolf Ascher. Hilde's positive tone barely hints at the constant hunger in the ghetto, the catastrophic sanitary conditions, the crowding in the accommodations, and the bitter cold of winter.
Hilde, her parents and three siblings were murdered at Kulmhof extermination camp. Only her brother Moritz, who had been deported for forced labor to another camp, survived.
Hilde's postcards were just discovered by young people from Hamburg in 2019. Her story could only be uncovered in cooperation with the Hamburg Stolperstein Initiative.
Postcard transcription:
Sender:
Hilde Beer
Litzmannstadt-Getto
Hausiererstr. 1, Apartment 1 a
Mr. Rolf Ascher
Hamburg
Bei der Friedenseiche 1 III
Dear Rolf!
Only now have I found the time to write you a few lines. I am in good health, thank goodness, and I hope you are too. What are your parents doing? Are you still working there? I hope that you will get this card soon. Have you already had the film developed? Would you be able to send me the pictures immediately, since I have no photograph either of you or of me. Did you give Gertrud a picture of me? I read from your books every day. It is the one way I have to remember you. It is already fairly cold here. Have you already been to Sophie’s? You can also write to Moritz. The address is:
Moritz Beer
Jewish working camp 13, Posen
an den Bleichen […]
Eichwaldstr.
I hope to hear from you soon, and give you my best regards,
Your Hilde
Please give my regards to your parents for me.
Thank you for the trousers, I wear them every day and they are lovely and warm.
My parents and siblings also send their regards.
I visit Aunt Anne regularly.
Litzmannstadt d. 5/12 41.
*For the benefit of readability, amendments were made in transcription
Further research options:
TikTok Video on this postcard: Hilde´s postcard
Johannes Grossmann talks about this postcard (German language): Video
TikTok Video über diese Karte: Video
Research tool: https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/