In Volary on October 20th, 1945
Dr. Erich Nasch
Prague XVIII
Cukrovarnická 71
Title
Joint American Distribution Committee,
Preparatory committee, for the attention of Dr. Adolf Beneš,
Prague V.
In re: Health examination of the Jewish patients in the local hospital in Volary
On the day we were liberated by the Americans, there were 160 women and children in Volary who had arrived after being marched here from various concentration camps. Most were sick, and so they were treated at the local hospital. 35 were seriously ill and required a lengthy hospital stay. Two months ago, the head doctor, a German named Dr. Ruge, had sent 35 of the women and children to Switzerland to convalesce. In the meantime, however, more had recovered or decided to go home, or were taken to Bavaria by the Americans (see the appendix), and so there are currently 14 women and children who are still being treated at the hospital here, not counting the five young girls who have been privately released from the hospital in Volary.
I have learned that the patients are generally well taken care of in terms of medical treatments, medication (the only one they don’t have is penicillin, which they had been receiving from the Americans), and food. Although they were admitted to the hospital in a terrible state of malnutrition, they have all recovered well. Two days ago, the hospital was transferred from the Americans to the control of the local civilian authorities, and so the current food rations will likely not be met. None have received proper clothing. They all need underwear, warm clothes, woolen things, coats, hats, socks, stockings, and especially shoes. The local National Committee allegedly has not been giving them any clothing ration cards, or a voucher for clothing and shoes.
These are the patients in question:
Kahlich Lilly, 36 years old, single, Czechoslovakia, imprisoned since 1942. Diagnosis: diarrhea, avitaminosis, malnutrition, rheumatoid arthritis, edema, poor blood circulation. Not yet recovered. She’d like to go to Zurich because she has an uncle there. She would like to spend some time in Switzerland and recuperate there. Medical indication for a change of environment is still relative.
Kartusch Regina, 25 years old, single, Polish, imprisoned since 1942. Diagnosis: a head injury and injury to her left thigh caused by grenade fragments that resulted in paralysis of the left leg muscles. The wound has not yet healed. She needs orthopedic footwear. She wants to go to Palestine with her friend Hochmannova Rosa.
Hochmann Rosa, 30 years old, single. Polish, imprisoned since 1942. Diagnosis: injury to the left shoulder blade caused by grenade fragments, osteomyelitis, malnutrition, avitaminosis, limited mobility of the left shoulder. She has a sister in Bad Gastein (Austria), she wants to go to her and then to Palestine. She needs orthopedic footwear for bunions.
Ebbe Hanni, 24 years old, single, German, imprisoned since 1938. Diagnosis: malnutrition, avitaminosis, diarrhea, first-degree frostbite on both feet. She has recovered. She has friends in Zurich and wants to go there. There is no medical indication for it.
Ebbe Lea, 20 years old, single, German, imprisoned since 1938. Diagnosis: typhus abdominalis, frostbite on her right foot, malnutrition. Needs orthopedic footwear, wants to return to Germany, but doesn’t want to be in a collective camp.
Ebbe Nelly, 23 years old, single, German, imprisoned since 1938. Diagnosis: malnutrition, avitaminosis, has just recovered from a pleural infection, wants to return to Germany with her sister Lea.
Ebbe Dora, 17 years old, single, German, imprisoned since 1938. Diagnosis: active tuberculosis of the lungs, intermittent fever, strong anemia, i.e. unable to be transported. Moving to Switzerland is very desirable, but must be recovered enough to handle the transport.
Ausländer Eva, 15 years old, single, PKR, imprisoned since 1944. Diagnosis: malnutrition, diarrhea, avitaminosis, third-degree frostbite on both feet that led to the amputation of two thirds of her lower leg and all of the toes on her right foot. Her wounds have not healed yet. Her case is all the more tragic due to the girl’s young age. She has a brother in Prague who is a high school student (Tibor Ausländer, Prague XIX, Malířská 1). She needs butter, fruit, chocolate. I recommend, upon agreement with her brother, a two-month stay in Switzerland. She will later need a prosthesis. She has relatives in America.
Gergely Johanna, 19 years old, married, Yugoslavian, Diagnosis: anemia, diarrhea, malnutrition, avitaminosis, paralysis of the left side of the body for unknown reasons. Her illness has a psychological component, she suffers from attacks of the nerves. She wants to join her parents in Budapest.
Hauptmann Bina, 23 years old, Polish, single, imprisoned since 1942. Diagnosis: diarrhea, avitaminosis, malnutrition, third-degree frostbite on both feet, loss of the distal phalanges of all toes on both feet. Needs orthopedic footwear. Want to go to Poland for work.
Herschkop Fely, 21 years old, Polish, single, imprisoned since 1942. Diagnosis: frostbite on both feet and the loss of the pinky toe on the left foot, malnutrition, avitaminosis. Has had hepatitis. After recovery wants to find work in Germany.
Halberstamm Schajna, 20 years old, single, Polish. Diagnosis: frostbite on both feet, diarrhea, avitaminosis, malnutrition. Recovered from an exsudative pleural infection. Has a sister in Český Těšín, wants to go to Germany and then to Palestine.
Friedmann Veronika, 21 years old, single, Polish. Diagnosis: recovered from miliary tuberculosis, Meniére’s disease, loss of appetite. Transfer to Switzerland urgently indicated.
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Reinfeld Paula, 32 years old, married, Belgian, imprisoned since 1942. Diagnosis: recovered from severe malnutrition, a weak cardiac and blood circulation with edema, amenorrhoea. She will return to Belgium where she has a husband.
I propose and prescribe stays in Switzerland for health reasons for the following patients:
Ebbe Dora
Ausländer Eva
Friedmann Veronika.
I furthermore propose that all patients be given clothes, underwear, and shoes, that their nutrition be improved, and that they receive some monetary support. They also need help with their repatriation or moving away.
Upon my return, I will submit more information orally.
Dr. Erich Nasch
19. 10. 1945 Prague – Pilsen – Vimperk – Volary
20. 10. 1945 Volary – Vyšší Brod – Studánky state border – Vyšší Brod
21. 10. 1945 Vyšší Brod – Studánky state border – Urfahr – Mauthausen – Katzdorf
22. 10. 1945 Katzdorf – Urfahr – Linz – Gmunden – Ebensee – Bad Ischl – Ebensee
23. 10. 1945 Ebensee – Bad Ischl
24. 10. 1945 Bad Ischl – Salzburg – state border – Bad Tölz
25. 10. 1945 Bad Tölz
Wallern, 20. 10. 1945
Ortslazarett Wallern
Civil Hospital Volary
To.
Dr. Erich Nasch,
American Joint Distribution Committee,Prague
We communicate with you concerning the 35 young jewish women suffering from several consequences of their tortures in former concentration camps, that following women have been discharged from our hospital. They have been sent to Munich and we do not know anything about their actual state.
Berkowicz, Bluma
Dembska, Netka
Dawidowicz, Lanka
Friescher, Hedwig
Fischl, Hinda
Glücksmann, Rosa
Gross, Zilli
Haber, Ida
Hefter, Fella
Lenzner, Sofia
Liebermann, Reisla
Lichtenstein, Edith
Lichtenstein, Katalin
Menkers, Emilia
Mortkowicz, Renia
Olmer, Sarah
Ptaschnik, Rosa
Vogel, Balla
Wolf, Sala
Zielonedrzero, Hanka
Felsen, Rutka
Götzler, Juditha
Gronner, Anna
Sterner, Zilli
Dr. Ruge