Letter of Reference

Held by

Montreal Holocaust Museum via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)

Dates

December 07, 1939 (indexed as 1939)

Level

item

Extent

Letter of Reference : Paper : Copy : Ink : Beige, grey ; Ht: 25 cm x W: 20 cm

Scope & content

Page with two holes punched on left edge, creased horizontally and vertically. Copy of a letter from H. Towells to Isaac Isselbaecher. This letter was provided by Mr. Towells for Herbert Isselbächer to take to the Aliens Act tribunal to determine his status as a friendly or enemy alien. 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). Upon learning of his brother’s survival, Isaac 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.

Location

No place found in this description yet.

Locate this photo

Genre / form

textual record

Format

Document

In the picture

DocumentHandwrittenImmigrationLetterSignatureTypewrittenTagged automatically by a vision model; may contain mistakes.

Text in the image

COPYDecember 7th 19397, Buxton Road.Chingford.E. 4TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.I have known Isak Herbert Isselbacher since Sept 1939 and have always found him to be hard working and reliable and has given me no trouble whatever while under my charge.FACTORY FOREMAN.Signed......... HERBERT TOWELSRead automatically; may contain mistakes.

Language

English

Harvested

2026-10-19T03:21:16Z · source datestamp n/a · andornot

Digital objects at the source

• imageOpen original at source ↗1999_1_1032.jpg