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zieds1mazs.gif (257 bytes) Postcards from Posen 1939-1940

17 Names: Brackmann, Dibrovs (Dübrow), Fedorovs, Grēviņš, Hermanis (Hermann), Hībners (Hübner), Koziņenko (Kosinenko), Krūmiņš, Leiland, Lukats, Matsons, Meiers, Roters, Rotkājs, Rumševics (Rumschewitz), Volkovs, Wulfs (Wulff)

 

In this Page some postcards are presented that were sent by Germans who emigrated from Latvia at the end of 1939 and lived mainly in the region of Posen now Poznan. The emigration (resettlement) is described with a lot of details in another Page of the Site.

 

6 cards

Brakmann
1. Name. Family of Mr. Brakmann, Ad. Hitler (now Brīvības) str. 110. Riga, Ostland
4. Dates. S - 17-Dec-??
6. Sender. Family Leiland from Heilbronn a/N
8. Language. German
9. Text. In German. Abs.: M.Leiland, Heilbronn a/N Umsiedlungslager 19.
u. Neujahrswuensche sendet Ihren u. Ihrer Familie Familie Leiland.
Wir sind alle gesund u. arbeiten: mein Mann in der Stadtverw. u. ich - Handwerksk. Die Kinder sind sehr gewachsen, besonders Zilla (Gilla?). Alle beide besuchen die Schule. Wer lebt jetzt in unserer Wohn.? Huebners sind b. Dresden. Es geht ihnen gut. Es gruesst sie alle, alle, auch die nachbaren, herzlich. M.Leiland.

My translation: Sender: M.Leiland, Heilbronn upon Neisse, Camp of resettlers N 19. Best New Year wishes to your family from family Leiland. We all are healthy and are working: my husband in the City municipality and me in the office of artisans. The children have grown greatly especially Cilla. Both go to school. Who are living now in our apartment? Huebners now are near Dresden. They are O.K. Best regards to all, all of you also to the neighbours, cordially. M.Leiland.
10. Picture. Christmas card.
11. Comments. Obviously the card was send by a German resettler family. It was written at the end of 1941, 1942 or 1943, when A.Hitler's street existed in Riga. Presumably it was the end of 1941 because later the resettler camps should have been closed. Cilla could be a nickname for Cecilia.
The name Leiland was not found on the list if resettlers, however. May be this family emigrated at the beginning of 1941.

 

Kosinenko
1. Name. Unknown
4. Dates. Unknown
6. Sender. Oleg Kosinenko
8. Language German
9. Text.

My translation:
Dear grandpa and grandma
I write a card you write that I am a nice soldier. Oh yes, one hit and 10 Englishmen fall. Oleg Kosinenko.

10. Picture Posen. Messehalle (supermarket)
11. Comments.

The name of Oleg Koziņenko was found on the list of resettlers:
Oļegs Koziņenko b. on April 19, 1934 in Rīga lived in Brīvības gatve 76, apt. 9.
At the same adress the following persons also lived:
Koziņenko Vladimirs b. on May 7, 1897 in Rīga
Koziņenko b. Fedorovs Marija b. in 1902 in Rīga
Koziņenko Ludmila b. on April 19, 1934 in Rīga
I conclude that Oleg lived there together with his parents and his twin sister.

The age of Oleg - 6-7 years explains why the text is written in a funny German spelling.

 

Fedorovs
1. Name. V. Fedorovs, Rīga Merķeļa str.5
4. Dates. S - Feb. 9, 1940
6. Sender. M.V. from Lodz (Poland)
7. Language Russian
9. Text. My translation:
Our dear golden grandad and god-daughter Ļeļa!
When we shall receive at last a message from you? Already for a long time we do not know anything about you, are you alive, healthy? We from Lodz send now the third or fourth (postcard? B.M.) and have sent an enveloped letter but nothing have received from you. For God's sake, write soon we are worrying about you. We all here, thanks God, are alive and healthy but we miss you awfully. You are living there better, we think, because you are with people all day along but we are alone. We cry frequently, very frequently, especially Ļeļa. She has turned a sort of weeper and keep speaking she wished to the granddad. Oleg is busy with his soldiers. Please, write more frequently, do not spare on stamps. Kiss you M.V.O.L
10. Picture Lodsch (now Lodz), Hindenburg Platz
11. Comments. I think, that the author of this letter is the mother (Marija) of Oleg from the previous letter. Ļeļa fits quite well for a nickname for Ludmila and the initials this letter was signed correspond to the members of Koziņenko family.

 

Grēviņš
1. Name. K.Grēviņš, Bīskapa ielā 8 (veikalā)
4. Dates. S - Dec. 12, 1939
6. Sender. family Wulff
9. Text.

Sūtam daudz sveicienus no Baabe. Baabē mēs paliksim tik ilgi kamēr dabūsim dzivokli Pozenā. Lidz šim mums iet ļoti labi un ēšana ir arī ļoti laba. Mēs līdz šim nemaz nenožēlojam ka esmam braukuši. Posenā laikam būsim tikai pēc svētkiem, bet mūsu sarkanās rozes gan nožēlojam kas palika dzīvoklī. Vēstule sekos.
Sirsnīgus sveicienus visiem ģim. Wulff.

My translation:
Many regards from Baabe. We are staying in Baabe till an apartment in Posen is arranged. To this moment everything with us is O.K. and the provision with food is also good. To this moment we do not regret that we have travelled. It seems we should move to Posen after the holidays, but we regret we left the red roses in the flat. A letter will come. Cordial regards to all. Family Wulff.

10. Picture A photograph of passangers on a ship that transported German emigrees to former Poland.
11. Comments. There were several families Wulff that emigrated to Germany and I have no information to choose the one that sent the letter to Rīga.

 

Matson
1. Name. K.Matson, Dārza ielā 28/30 appt. 3
4. Dates. March 3, 1940
6. Sender. A. Matson
7. Language German
9. Text. Abs. A.Matson
Posen, Friedenstr. 10, W 16
Lieber Kirill!
Bin gestern aus dem Lager in die Wohnung umgezogen. Ich habe die Wohnung schon seit dem 7. Febr. bin aber wegen der Kälte noch nicht(?) eingezogen. Im Lager war es manhesmal Mal sogar zu heiß, obgleich ich die Wärme bevorzuge. Warum habe ich keine Nachrichten von Euch? Die letzte Karte, Sammelkarte war von 18. Jan. Seid Ihr alle eingefroren? Wie geht es Nina? Was hat die Kälte aller angerichtet! Wie stark hat es denn in Wirklichkeit gefroren? Trudel u. Wassja sind auch schon in Posen. Ich habe jetzt so wenig Zeit. Hoffentlich komme ich bald zum Briefschreiben. Was macht Minkitz? Herzl. Grüsse u. Küsse allen, allen. Euer Lexy.

My translation:
Dear Kirill! Yesterday I moved in an apartment from the camp. I had already arranged a flat on February 7 but because of the cold weather I had not moved in. In the camp it was warm, even too hot sometimes, though I prefer warm. Why I have no news from you? The last postcard, a collectors card was written on January 18. Have you all frozen up? How Nina lives ? What all the cold has done! How cold it was in reality? Trudel and Wassja are already in Posen. I have now so few time. I hope to begin the letter writing soon. What does Minkitz do? Cordial regards and kisses to all, all of you. Your Lexy.
10. Picture Posen, Rathaus (municipality)
11. Comments. Matson Aleksandra b. on April 8, 1896 in Rīga lived at the address Dārza str. 28/30 apt. 1 that is in the neighborhood of the addressee. Lexy could be a nickname for Aleksandra, I think.
At the same flat also lived:
Matsons b Meiers Marija Ģertrude b. on Febr. 3, 1897 in Berlin and
Matsons Vasilijs b. on Aug. 19, 1888 in Rīga.
The both were mentioned in the text of the postcard. Trudel fits quite well for a nickname of Gertrud, and Wassja is the standard nickname for Wassilij. Quite possible that Vasilijs was a brother of Aleksandra and the husband of Trudel.
I do not know what Minkitz could be. I guess it is a nickname again for a person or may be the name for a cat.
The winter of 1940 really was very cold, one of the coldest in Latvia in the 20th century.

 

Rotkājs
1. Name. F.Rotkājs, cr. Koknesi, Bormaņos, Rīgas apriņķī
4. Dates. January 13, 1940
6. Sender. Otto Hermann, Gnesen Klötze in Warthegau
9. Text.

The text is written in very bad Latvian. I could not even type it in.

The meaning of the letter one can understand, however. Otto wrote that they lived well, that they have moved in a new home and if the addressee in Latvia lived badly they could join the people in Posen. Otto sent his regards to Dübrow, if he was living in Otto's house. The regards gave Otto and Herta, presumably Otto's wife.

10. Picture Posen. Wilhelmstrasse
11. Comments. There emigrated two Oto Hermanis. The best candidate for the author of the letter is Oto Hermanis b. Nov. 12, 1889 in Iršu pag., who lived at farm Balbieri in Kokneses pag.

  

Volkovs
1. Name. Mrs. A.Volkov
4. Dates. March 21, 1940
6. Sender. A.Lukat
7. Language German
9. Text. Liebe Frau Kruming and Frau Volkov.
Wir sind schon in Posen uns geht es gut. Haben noch kein Wohnung wohnen bei Verwandte. Bruder hat nach Ostern eine Wohnung in aussicht. Wie leben Sie sind alle gesund.
Mit herzliche Gruss Ihr A.Lukat. Herzliche Gruss a Stoyka u Sacha. Brief folgt.

My translation:
Dear Mrs Krūmiņš and Mrs. Volkov
We are already in Posen and we are O.K. Still have no apartment and are living at relatives. The brother has the prospect of an apartment after the Easter. How are you living, are you healthy. With cordial regards your A.Lukat. Best regards to Stojka and Saša.
10. Picture Happy Easter!
11. Comments. It is quite possible that the author of the letter was Auguste Lukats b. Jan. 19, 1882 in Riga, who lived at Stabu str. 16, apt. 26. Her maiden name was Rumševics (Rumschewitz), which means that her brother could be Fridrichs Rumševics b. Febr. 1, 1884 in Riga. He lived at Dzirnavu str. 58, apt. 10 together with Rumševics Ingeborga b. Roters in 1893 in Tartu [Dorpat], Erhards Rumševics (1927) and Gerda Rumševics (1915), who could be his wife and children.

 

© Comments, translation. Bruno Martuzāns. 1995-2002