Handwritten letter

Handwritten letter from Arthur Baer to Mina Kaufmann (page 1 of 2), on "Arthu...

1940 [Rotterdam, Netherlands, despite Mannheim letterhead] Julius Oppenheimer , Elsa Oppenheimer , Max Oppenheimer , Frida Oppenheimer , Mina Oppenheimer , Dr. Rosenthal , Bernhard Göschel , Mrs. Gundersheimer 2 pages

ARTHUR BAER
MANNHEIM.

Sheet    to the letter of        to        April 1, 1940

Dear Mina! As I already wrote to you,
the Munich people sent 5 suitcases and 4 crates here,
and through my good connections with the Holland America Line
I managed to have these things shipped
to N.Y. at a reduced freight rate.
However, I had to name a former passenger
of this company as the recipient — I specifically
named Max O. I am now sending you
enclosed the inventory lists sent to me from Munich,
so that you are at least somewhat
informed. Have Max authorize you
to receive the suitcases and crates
on his behalf, and
he can declare everything as his own property
so that customs duty etc. is avoided.
You will just have to see where
you store the things — perhaps
the local aid society has
a storage room, so that there is no or
only minimal storage fee.

It concerns 5 suitcases J.O. 1, 10, 12, 14, 15
and 4 crates     6963  Couch [and] blankets, bedding etc.
                  6964  Household goods
                  6965       "
                  0066  Kitchen items etc.
Suitcase 1 contains clothes and shoes
         10    "         "    linens etc.
         12    "         "       "
         14    }  Family pictures, dishes etc.
         15    }

ARTHUR BAER
MANNHEIM.

Blatt    zum Briefe vom        an        1. 4. 40

L. Mina! Wie Dir bereits geschrieben haben
die Münchener 5 Koffer u 4 Kisten hier-
geschickt und habe ich auf meinen guten
Beziehungen zur Holland America Linie
es fertiggebracht, daß diese Sachen zu
ermäßigter Fracht nach N.Y. verschafft
werden, allerdings mußte ich einem
früheren Passagier dieser Gesellschaft als
Empfänger ausgeben, genas habe
die Max O. genannt. Ich übersende
Dir nun anbei die mir von München
zugesandten [Inhalt?] Verzeichnisse
damit Ihr wenigstens einigermaßen
im Bilde seid. Laß Dir von Max
bevollmächtigen die Koffer u. Kisten
für ihn in Empfang zu nehmen u.
kann er ja all sein Eigentum
deklarieren, damit Zoll etc. erspart
bleibt. Du mußt eben sehen, wo
du die Sachen aufbewahrest, vielleicht
hat das dortige Hilfsverein einen
Lagerraum, damit es nicht oder
nur wenig Lagergebühr kostet.

Es handelt sich um 5 Koffer J.O. 1, 10, 12, 14, 15
und 4 Kisten    6963  Couch [u.] Decken Betten etc
                6964  Haushaltungsgegenstände
                6965       "
                0066  Küche etc
Koffer 1 enthält Kleider u. Schuhe
   10    "         "     Wäsche etc
   12    "         "        "
   14    }  Familienbilder Geschirr etc
   15    }

This letter reveals the logistical complexity of rescuing not just people but their possessions from Nazi Germany. Arthur Baer, writing from Rotterdam on old Mannheim letterhead (he had himself fled Germany), coordinated the shipment of the Oppenheimers' belongings — 5 suitcases and 4 crates — from Munich to New York via the Holland America Line. He used his personal connections to secure reduced freight rates, and employed a subterfuge: listing a former passenger named "Max O." as the recipient to avoid customs duties, essentially declaring the goods as personal property rather than an immigrant shipment. The detailed inventory (bedding, household goods, kitchen items, clothes, family photographs, dishes) represents the material remnants of a lifetime being shipped across the Atlantic. The mention of the "Hilfsverein" (Jewish aid society) for possible storage space in New York shows the ongoing reliance on community organizations. Baer's role as an intermediary in Rotterdam — the last major Dutch port before the German invasion of May 1940 — adds urgency to the timeline.