German Soldier Feldpost Letter Written to his Family in Munich Accompanied by Photo of Arrested Jews

Authors

Object ID

2019.2.86abc

Object Name

Correspondence

Date

6-20-1943

Files

Content Warning

The Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection consists of images, documents, and artifacts related to the Holocaust. The collection contains materials that depict a number of topics that may be difficult for viewers to engage with, including: antisemitic descriptions, caricatures, and representation of Jewish people; Nazi imagery and ideology; descriptions and images of German ghettos; graphic images of the violence of the Holocaust; and the creation of the State of Israel. For more information, see our policy page.

Description

a: Green envelope addressed to "Paul Gruber," gray, torn postage stamp of Hitler in upper right corner. b: Two- sided, typed letter, front includes "Reichshof/Krakau 18.June 1943" in upper right side. Back includes "II" in the center at the top of the page. c: Black and white photo of a soldier standing in front of a large group of people standing in three lines with their arms up.

Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:

The soldier, Sergeant Oskar Gruber, writes that he has just arrived in Krakow, and that he is currently being accommodated at a reserve hospital in a protected area, and that the zone is happily “free of Jews” (Judenfrei). Referring to a photo accompanying the letter, he reports that the last “pest” has been expelled. He hopes for his family’s sake that the British and Americans will leave them (his family) alone. He references his experience in Russia seeing many thousands dying there and that he is happy just to have survived. He goes on to say that what the Fuhrer (Hitler) has described about Jews is “far too harmless,” and that as far as he and his comrades are concerned, “the Jew is the most miserable (race) on this earth…when everything is over, and when we emerge victorious from this war, then the world will understand everything about this uncultivated race.” On the reverse of the photo is a note “Jews 17.6, please keep safe, Oskar.”

Dimensions

a: 4 1/2 x 6 1/2" b: 5 3/4 x 7 1/4" c: 2 1/4 x 3 1/4"

Keywords

Judenfrei, Krakow, Cracow

Subcollection

Bullets

Recommended Citation

"German Soldier Feldpost Letter Written to his Family in Munich Accompanied by Photo of Arrested Jews" (1943). Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection. 2019.2.86abc.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/bulmash/1462