II. Letters from and about Wilhelminenhöhe

(see: M. Gillis-Carlebach, Jedes Kind ist mein Einziges: Lotte Carlebach-Preuss – Antlitz einer Mutter und Rabbiner-Frau, Hamburg 2000)

…I was the first one who decided to go to the Land of Israel. My plans were practical. I wanted to continue my studies at school until I received the certificate and use the summer holidays of 1938 for preparation at the summer camp at Wilhelminenhöhe.

From the early 1930s Wilhelminenhöhe was used as training center for Jewish youth who learned gardening, housekeeping and – according to possibility – also agriculture.

The summer camp at Wilhelminenhöhe almost caused us to forget the outside world. Working in the garden and in the big kitchen, the communal living – everybody was nearly about the same age – and especially the intensive study of Hebrew and Judaism came first while Hamburg of 1938 and what was happening “outside” was kept more in the background, although disturbing and menacing – like an ongoing nightmare. There was only one question which everybody at Wilhelminenhöhe asked himself or herself: Will I be good enough to get the certificate to go to the Land of Israel?

This was not a matter of prestige: The certificate meant life. Arriving home for the Bar Mitzvah of my younger brother, I came almost as an emigrant – my certificate had been granted.

From Lotte Carlebach’s letter about the Bar Mitzvah, August 1938:

 

…On Friday morning Miriam came home after she finished her training at Wilhelminenhöhe and was granted two free days. In the meantime she received her certificate and it seems she will immigrate to Israel in the coming winter.

This is how Wilhelminenhöhe saved my life…

B”H My dear Oma, (2nd March, 1939)

Last Shabbat we were at Wilhelminenhöhe and it was simply wonderful. After everything which happened in Hamburg, Jo felt that he was in need of some rest.

So we went on Wednesday, he and I. But on Thursday we were back in Hamburg for several hours because of some “matters” he had to settle. Later we returned to Wilhelminenhöhe and on Friday afternoon the three youngest girls and Shlomo-Peter arrived. Esther was in Berlin and Eva was asked at the last moment again to assist in directing a camp for children. The weather was wonderful and we had some marvelous days – only time was too short. Maybe we can do it soon again.

Tomorrow we have to hand over our silver; in any case it is not much. Yours Lotte

*****************

My dear Oma (8th August 1939),

I know I am terribly bad because I did not write for so long – but it is really impossible! I simply have no time to sit down and write. I would like so much for Jo to go and have another rest for a few days. He cannot decide himself and really one does not know where to go. Maybe there will be place at Wilhelminenhöhe but it is no pleasure being there. There are too many people (at the moment there are always some 70 children there plus summer guests) and the beds are terrible. I see that I am getting older because this disturbs me so much. But on the other hand it really is beautiful out there, the air, food etc. 

Shlomo was there for three weeks, as well as Baby (Sara), each one with their class. And this week Ruth and Noemi will probably go there …
Love to all of you, Yours Lotte

At Wilhelminenhöhe it was the last time my parents had some rest and recreation.

To Eva Carlebach, England (21th August 1939)

B”H Dearest Eva Loj”t

First of all 1000 thanks for your postcard. I like it all right here (at Wilhelminenhöhe). I shall describe to you our daily routine. We must get up at 7 o’clock. We do not wash but have to line up in our gym-dress. We run in the woods and do some exercises; after this routine we have to wash and do our beds. Then we drink coffee.

Then we romp and play ball, Mikado and so on. We have lunch at 2 o’clock. After lunch we are free to do what we like. We drink coffee at 5.30, bread and butter and marmalade with coffee or orangeade. We have supper at 8 and have to go to bed at 9 o’clock. We are about 70-80 children here …

1000 regards and kisses. Yours Ruth – always thinking of you.

P.S. Today we went swimming, it was wonderful. First we were running in the wet sand. But I do not like so much to be here. (The censor crossed out two lines). Two of the boys sleep in our room, one of them because he was naughty, and hence he had to sleep in our room for a whole week. And another one for the whole holiday!

Again many 10000 greetings and kisses. Yours Ruth

At Wilhelminenhöhe the younger Carlebach children spent their last holidays before the deportation.

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