The biggest population of Jews in the lands conquered by Germany in the second world war was in Poland. It is well known that they were killed in their millions but this did not happen straight away. Before that, Jews were confined to limited areas of towns and cities that were called ghettos.
This letter was sent by Josef Fraenkel who was in the ghetto in a small town called Frysztak in Southern Poland. Jews from other parts of Poland were brought to this ghetto. They suffered terrible hunger and disease. Then they were deported.
The first Jews to be deported were murdered in the Warzyce Forest in 1942. The Germans shot 800 people into three graves. Those who had not been killed right away were buried alive. The ghetto was liquidated on August 18 the same year. The remaining Jews were taken to Jasło ghetto and from there were sent a few days later to the Belzec extermination camp.
This is the letter Josef Fraenkel wrote:
Rosa Ulanenik
722 E. 9th Street
New York City, USA
Dear Rosa,
I have already written you several postcards. Perhaps you received some of them, perhaps not, so I am writing again.
If it is possible, please send me a parcel with old clothes, linen, shoes, a bedcover, and any other old items.
I assume you may not have these things, but I kindly ask you, if you can, to send me something.
No one remembers the two children Aunt Hinde had — they were not Uncle Majer’s.
If you can, please write to Salomon Silber — he surely knew about them.
If sending a parcel is not possible, I would be grateful even for better food. There is a real shortage.
Our goal is lost, and we are supposed to… [corner of letter torn]
Josef Fränkel
Frysztak near Jasło
General Government [German–occupied Poland]
A heartfelt greeting to the dear children, as well as to dear Anna and dear Rosa and family
Josef
Frysztak, 10 February
If you see any errors in the translation of this postcard/letter, please let us know at contact@historyoftotalitarianism.com.
This is one of a number of artefacts we have acquired to help bring to life the history of totalitarianism.
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