Emil and Erich Beamt letters
Extent and Medium
folder
1
Creator(s)
- Erich Beamt
Biographical History
Emil Beamt was born on 12 Dec. 1898 and served as the president of the Jewish community of Prostějov, Czechoslovakia, until his deportation to Theresienstadt in 1942. He was transported to Auschwitz on 28 Sept. 1944 and never returned. Erich Beamt is presumably the brother of Emil Beamt.
Archival History
Leo Baeck Archives
Acquisition
Cite Leo Baeck Institute as holder of originals
The letters were written by Emil Beamt, uncle of the donor, during his service as president of the Jewish community of Prostějov, Czechoslovakia. The letters were exchanged with Greta Copito's family who lived in Ecuador at the time. The letters eventually became the property of Greta Copito. Copito presented the original letters to Elie Wiesel in July 1981. At that time, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum did not have a developed program of collection; therefore, the originals were deposited in the Leo Baeck Institute in New York.
Scope and Content
Consists of copies of letters written by Erich Beamt and his brother, Emil Beamt, president of the Jewish community of Prostějov, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), during the period from 1939 to 1942. The letters describe the sorrows and anxiety felt by the Beamt family members as they witnessed the Nazi advance during the early years of World War II and the family's strong desire to emigrate to Canada, the United States, or South America before their deportation.
System of Arrangement
Arrangement is chronological
People
- Beamt, Erich.
- Beamt, Emil.
- Beamt, Irene.
Subjects
- Jews--Czech Republic--Prostějov.
- Jewish way of life.
- Olomouc (Czech Republic)
- Prostějov (Czech Republic)
- Ecuador--Emigration and immigration--History--20th century.
Genre
- Letters.
- Document
Copies
-
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum holds copies of Holocaust-relevant archives from Leo Baeck Archives