Eduard Elias

Born: Vienna, Austria, 2 June 1905

Profession in country of origin: Wholesale business supplying motor car parts

Arrived in Britain as a refugee from Austria on 24 July 1939

Documents

  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, amtsbestätigung / official confirmation
  • Richborough camp, Eduard Elias
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Vienna magistrate
  • Richborough camp, Eduard Elias, Vollmacht, page 1
  • Richborough camp, Eduard Elias, Vollmacht, page 2
  • Kitchener camp 1939, Eduard Elias, Makkabi book - cover
  • Richborough transit camp 1939, Eduard Elias, Makkabi book
  • Richborough transmigration camp, Eduard Elias, Vienna Police, 14 February 1939, Shanghai
  • Richborough transit camp, Eduard Elias, Vienna Police, 14 February 1939, Shanghai

Documents submitted by Eric Elias for his father Eduard Elias

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Camp / arrival number 2488

Arrived in Britain on 24 July 1939

Interned in Canada, Refugee Camp H

Letters

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Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 18 November 1938

Dachau

18 November 1938

Dear Mother,

I share with you that I am healthy and in good spirit. Hope you are likewise. My address is:- Eduard Elias, Dachau 3k. Born 2-6-1905 Block 24 Bunk 4. For postal sendings , this address must also be on the reverse of the item (Senders address). I can receive money each week. All correspondence should be written in ink. Only sealed envelopes should be used. Card for card. Letter for letter.

Regards, Edi

  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 22 November 1938
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 6 December 1938
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 6 December 1938
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 6 December 1938_002

6 December 1938

Dearest Mother,

I received your card. As I am unabe to undertake the preparations for the journey, please ask dear Uncle to carry these out. Possibly through Dr. Heins.

The documents (birth certificates) are in the safe. Keys [illegible]. Duplicate shoud be in the [illegible]. Write immediately by airmail to Harry, Freddy [illegible]. If you need money, go to the Manager. Did you go to tenant No.25. Call Arpad regarding his matter as we remember. Contact Lily and give her the things. As for the Envelope, the things are equally with H Stein. In my box, tidy up so that there are no problems. My locker had the word ‘Monopol’. You will find details on the statements. Please also have the Uncle, if possible, do something about double use of Room 39. He should ensure my German names are on record. I have money in the Postal Savings book for all current invoices, Lansberger can organise stamps. Does Ms Weiss have everything in order? Deal urgently with out interests. I cannot receive any Christmas packages. Money is contrarywise OK. Regarding the [ilegible] it may be necessary that the Company at Gargart is sent in. Write immediately.

Kisses, Eli

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Dachau. 19 December 1938.

Dearest Mother,

Letter received. Also RM15. Write regard matters to Mathy, Fv jimggrau, Stockl Mahgasten 37 in trying Cuba. Hans Weis will give you [illegible].

If you write to Hans, you can offer a few days rend him seasonal greetings. I am concerned that you have not done anything concrete regarding leaving. Do everything you can urgently and write thoroughly. Thank the Uncle for his efforts. Regards to all.

Kisses from your Edi

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Dachau, 31 December 1938

Dearest Mother,

For the New Year, I wish you and all relatives everything Good and hope that all wishes will be fulfilled.

Have you organised the personal liquidation of your business with all the relevant parties? As the voyage to America will more than likely drag itself out, everything possible shoud be done to make provisional travel plans to other destinations. Who is looking after the visas for London. Find all items from [illegible] Seidengasse including my work coat. You must organise a new Passport. The old one I return. Prior to that you must go to Seidengasse. Write thoroughly.

Kisses, Edi

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Richborough transit camp, Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 5 January 1939
Dachau Concentration Camp Headquarters                  
Dachau 3 K 
5 January 1939

Mrs Bertha Elias

Vienna 11 
Konigsegg Lane

The two powers of attorney and five passport pictures will be handed back after completion of the signature by Eduard Elias. At the same time the Reichspass No. 644533.1 and five interest coupons will be transmitted. In addition, a forwarding authority and five passport pictures will be returned after completion of the signature by Hans Friedrich Elias. An enclosed envelope will be sent. You should accompany this with a cover letter to the authorities in question.

Camp Commandant

Translated by a Kitchener descendant

Richborough camp, Eduard Elias, Reference letter, 14 January 1939
Engineer Otto Altmann
Auto-material

Telephone number U-13-207      
Vienna

14  January 1939
Reisner Street 16

Memo:

Subject:

I hereby confirm that  Mr Eduard Elias was born in Vienna on June 2, 1905, that he has lived in Vienna  and I have known him since his earliest youth. He is the son of the respected merchant, Max Elias, who died five years ago.  After graduating from the Commercial Academy he worked for Alpine Machinery A.G. in Augsburg and then worked with much success in his father’s business.  Mr. Eduard Elias enjoys the best reputation and one can have full confidence in him.

Engineer Otto Altmann

Translated by a Kitchener descendant

Dachau. 15 January 1938.

Dearest Mother,

I just received your dear card which I had urgently awaited so that I could respond. Please reply promptly next time. Please do a photocopy of the business certificate. It is in the cash register. Likewise the other documents. The 1937 tax return is in the cash register or on my writing desk. Obtain also the various other tax papers. Grabuer lives in a single story house on Zollergasse 26. The house management [illegible] strasse/corner Hirschgasse.

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Richborough camp, Eduard Elias, letter, 5 February 1939, Vienna Makkabi

Vienna Makkabi

Jewish Gymnastic and Sport Club

February 5, 1939

We confirm that Eduard Elias, born June 2, 1905, a member of our organization, is currently in protective custody.  For that reason  we strongly urge that he leave for a foreign country with haste.

With greetings of Zion

Makkabi Gymnastic and Sport Club

Translation to English by a Kitchener descendant

  • Richborough camp, Eduard Elias, letter to Dachau, 7 February 1939
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 13 February 1939
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau cover, Letter, 13 February 1939
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 13 February 1939_002
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 13 February 1939_003
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau cover, Letter, 27 February 1939
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 27 February 1939_001
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 27 February 1939_002
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau cover, Letter, 12 March 1939
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 12 March 1939_001
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 12 March 1939_002
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Hut 36/I, Envelope from Budapest
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Richborough transit camp, Eduard Elias, Hut 36/I, Envelope from Cyprus
"The envelope above was sent from a cousin, Alfred Luftschitz, PO Box 61 Nicosia Cyprus, which was another transit camp for those who were part of the Palestine story" 

Editor's note: From Wikipedia - "During World War II and the Holocaust, Cyprus played a major role for the Jewish communities of Europe. After the rise of Nazism in 1933, hundreds of Jews escaped to Cyprus. Following the liquidation of the concentration camps of Europe, the British set up a detention camp in Cyprus for Holocaust survivors illegally trying to enter Palestine. From 1946 until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the British confined 50,000 Jewish refugees on the island. Once the State of Israel was created, most of the refugees moved to Israel. About 2,000 babies were born on the island as they waited to enter Israel."
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Hut 8/II
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Hut 36/I, Envelope from USA, 13 January 1940
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Hut 36/I, Envelope from USA, 6 February 1940
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Envelope from Budapest to Richborough camp
  • Richborough camp, Eduard Elias, Letter from Budapest to Richborough camp
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Bloomsbury House, luggage, 23 April 1940
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Postcard, address, 23 May 1940
  • Eduard Elias, Mooragh Detention camp, Isle of Man, Envelope, 20 July 1940
  • Eduard Elias, Envelope, Switzerland to Canada 1940
  • Kitchener camp, Eduard Elias, Envelope, 21 November 1940, Mooragh, Isle of Man, Canada, Censor
  • Eduard Elias, Envelope, 20 March 1941, Budapest, Canada
  • Eduard Elias, Hans Elias, Jewish Refugees Committee, Letter, 9 April 1941, bicycles, compensation
  • Eduard Elias, number 136, Internment camp 1, Canada, Postcard, 18 May 1941, Address
  • Eduard Elias, number 136, Internment camp 1, Canada, Postcard, 18 May 1941, American Joint Jewish Distribution Committee, Portuguese visa
  • Eduard Elias, Dachau letter, 27 February 1939_002
  • Canada camp, Eduard Elias, Letter 14 March 1942, ORT, Bloomsbury House
  • Eduard Elias, Letter, 14 March 1942, Ill aux Noix, Canada, Richborough, page 1
  • Eduard Elias, Letter, 14 March 1942, Ill aux Noix, Canada, Richborough, page 2
  • Canada camp, Eduard Elias, Letter 20 April 1942, ORT, Bloomsbury House, Camp 41 Ile aux Noix

All items and translations (except where otherwise noted) have been submitted by Eric Elias for his father Eduard Elias.

Photographs

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Eduard Elias’s family would very much like to hear from other descendants whose fathers or other relatives were in Hut 36. Please get in touch.

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