“My last laundry load is in good hands with you.”

Maximilian Nagel to Jing Chin Family

Maximilian Nagel to Chin Jing front side

Maximilian Nagel

owned a clothing shop in Hamburg. In 1938, the National Socialists took away his business. From then on, Maximilian Nagel’s living situation became worse. He had to change his place of residence several times. On 25 October, 1941, the Hamburg Gestapo took the 58-year-old to the Hannoverscher Bahnhof, where he was made to board a deportation train. The destination was the Litzmannstadt Ghetto. He had no family members with him.

He tried to make contact to Hamburg by sending postcards. Some of these cards were never sent from the ghetto. The postal regulations were very strict. Among them was a card to his friend Jing Chin, who ran a laundry in Hamburg together with his wife Emilie. In May 1942, the SS murdered Maximilian Nagel in the Kulmhof extermination camp.

Maximilian Nagel to Chin Jing back side

Postcard transcription:

 

Sender:
Max J. Nagel
Litzmannstadt/ Getto
Hamburgerstr. 6
with J. Kolberg

Family Chin Jing
(Chinese Laundry)
Hamburg 1
Lindestrasse no. 54

Dear Chin Jing family,

Finally you shall hear from me […] I am well. How are […] my dear ones? I hope well too. I think back to you a lot and how we used to chat. What is my dear Werner doing? I would be pleased if you would write to me once in a while and you will get a prompt reply. My last laundry load is in good hands with you. Now you all receive the best from your old and faithful Max Nagel.

10/12 1941 Litzmannstadt/ Getto

*For the benefit of readability, amendments were made in transcription
 

Further research options:

Stolperstein initiative: https://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de
Further research tool: https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/

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