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Letter
Montreal Holocaust Museum · small copy hosted here (www.cjhn.ca blocks its images elsewhere)
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Letter

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Held by
Montreal Holocaust Museum via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
Dates
December 24, 1943 (indexed as 1943)
Level
item
Scope & content
Creased twice horizontally, two holes punch on left edge, reverse side is written upside down, Department of Mines and Resources letterhead with Canadian coat of arms. Letter from the Immigration Branch informing Isaac about modifications to the legal regulations for released Enemy Aliens. Narrative: Isaac Herbert Isselbacher was born 1919-11-20 in Isselbach, Germany. His brother was Helmut Isselbacher, born 1921-12-20. Their father was Jacob Isselbacher, born 1883-08-05. They had an uncle and aunt, David and Betty Loewenstein, who lived in New York City with their two children. Isaac left Germany on 1939-07-29, hoping to join his relatives in NYC. He only had the time to get to London, England before the war broke out and started working in a factory. He was arrested at his workplace as an ‘enemy alien’ and sent to Canada for internment in 1940. Isaac was interned in Camp N in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He was drafted into the Works Program Division for woodworking and net-making. In 1940, he received a last letter from his parents which suggested their imminent deportation. After his release, circa November 1942, Isaac worked as a locksmith. He married Fanny Azeff on 1943-12-26 at the Bnai Jacob synagogue in Montreal. Fanny was born on 1921-12-23 in Canada, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Azeff. Isaac was naturalized as a Canadian citizen on 1946-06-08. Fanny was naturalized on 1946-08-30 (she had lost her citizenship by marrying Isaac). Isaac’s brother, Helmut Isselbacher, was deported with Transport XXII A from Dossin casern in Mechelen (Malines), Belgium to Auschwitz Birkenau, Poland on 1943-09-20. Of the 2,450 people on the transport, 100 men were selected to work –including Helmut- and the remaining prisoners were gassed. Helmut was made to work as a welder, and was soon fitting new pipes for the gas chamber. He suffered a nervous breakdown as a result. As he was a valued welder, he was transferred to a labour camp in Upper Silesia (Poland) where he remained for two years. As the Russian army advanced, the 6,000 prisoners of this camp were evacuated by train. Helmut remembered being forced to march as the other prisoners died from exhaustion. When liberation was announced, the survivors travelled by ship from Luebeck, Germany, to Sweden with the aid of the Red Cross. After recovery, Helmut decided to remain in Sweden as a welder. Upon learning of his brother’s survival, Helmut travelled to New York in April 1946 to meet with him and their Loewenstein relatives. Afterwards, Helmut travelled to Canada bringing with him a washing machine and bras as late wedding presents for his brother and Fanny. By 1946-08-12, their parents were presumed dead and the two sons inquired into their estate. They received a deed for the land and travelled to the estate to discover that the current owner of their house was their old maid and her son had become the town mayor. Various disputes arose with the current ‘owners’ who believed the Isselbacher family dead. Isaac wished to discuss a settlement, but the mayor’s mother –not realizing Fanny understood German- called the neighbours at work to warn them not to come home as the Isselbacher sons had resurfaced. Payment for the land had reportedly been sent to Israel, though no documentation could be provided.
In the picture
DocumentGovernmentImmigrationLetterLetterheadMilitaryMonarchyNoticePublic WorksRegulationSealTypewrittenTagged automatically by a vision model; may contain mistakes.
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Extent
Letter : Paper : Typewritten : Ink : Beige, black, purple ; Ht: 27 cm x W: 21 cm
Genre / form
textual record
Format
Document
Text in the image
CANADADEPARTMENTMINES AND RESOURCESOFFICE OF THE DIRECTORIMMIGRATION BRANCHOttawa, December 24, 1943.Dear Sir:Please note carefully the following requirements,-(over)The purpose of this letter is to inform you that in accordance with a recent decision of the Canadian Government, the conditions under which you were granted release in Canada have been modified as indicated hereunder,-1. The period of your release will be immediately extended until December 31, 1944.2. It will not be necessary for you to obtain the consent of the Immigration Service to change your present employment, nor to report periodically to the said Service as called for under the original conditions of your release.3. You will now be subject to the provisions of the National Selective Service Civilian Regulations in the same manner and to the same extent as any other person in Canada.4. You will still be subject to the Defence of Canada Regulations.(a) On receipt of this letter you should immediately forward to the Director of Immigration, Department of Mines and Resources, Ottawa, your Entry Certificate (Form 242A) for cancellation and issuance of Permit in accordance with paragraphRead automatically; may contain mistakes.
Language
English
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2026-10-19T03:21:16Z · source datestamp n/a · andornot

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