„Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika
Between 1938 and 1945, approximately 2.200 Austrians could flee from nationalsocialist persecution to Argentina. This article presents and analyses testimonies acquired through an oral history research project in Buenos Aires, with a focus on role and meaning of the passage and the sea voyage in the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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Karl Franzens-Universität Graz
2015-09-01
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| Series: | Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://unipub.uni-graz.at/mcsj/periodical/pageview/792080 |
| _version_ | 1819231321777504256 |
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| author | Philipp Mettauer |
| author_facet | Philipp Mettauer |
| author_sort | Philipp Mettauer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Between 1938 and 1945, approximately 2.200 Austrians could flee from nationalsocialist persecution to Argentina. This article presents and analyses testimonies acquired through an oral history research project in Buenos Aires, with a focus on role and meaning of the passage and the sea voyage in these life stories. After time-consuming preparations, economic and bureaucratic struggles, violent persecution and nearly complete deprivation, the departure from Vienna and the separation from their former “Heimat” confirmed for these Austrian Jews a definite breach with their previous lives and the beginning of a stage of uncertainty and insecurity, in anxiety for the relatives they left behind. The transatlantic journey itself symbolizes a world in-between. On the one hand all emigrants had to pass through this transition under similar circumstances, but on the other hand the testimonies show a wide variety of experiences, depending on the individual situation, on the experiences made since the “Anschluss”, on the moment of escape and on the accommodation on board. The prospect of having to start from zero in a new country, without knowledge of the language, without housing and income, characterises the atmosphere of the testimonies, torn between the relief of escape from state repression and the uncertainty of the future. The “leisure time” during the journey which lasted three to four weeks offered an opportunity to look ahead and make plans for the future, but also to look back to the past and to consider the memoirs of a former existence. At the same time, some felt the need to enjoy the voyage and to try and forget their sorrows in this short period between departure and arrival. The interviewed persons were children, teenagers, or young adults when they were expelled. In order to give an insight into the experiences of the elder generations as well, I will quote from a private correspondence between family members written on the ship between Hamburg and Santa Fé. This essay also considers the Argentinian policies regarding immigration during the 1930s and 1940s, the different routes and embarking ports of escape, and finally reports about the arrival and the first impressions of the city of Buenos Aires. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:43:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5cfb10dec8844408bf41ed881a2aae94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2413-9181 2413-9181 |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T11:43:07Z |
| publishDate | 2015-09-01 |
| publisher | Karl Franzens-Universität Graz |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-5cfb10dec8844408bf41ed881a2aae942022-12-21T17:48:25ZdeuKarl Franzens-Universität GrazMobile Culture Studies. The Journal2413-91812413-91812015-09-011167180„Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach SüdamerikaPhilipp MettauerBetween 1938 and 1945, approximately 2.200 Austrians could flee from nationalsocialist persecution to Argentina. This article presents and analyses testimonies acquired through an oral history research project in Buenos Aires, with a focus on role and meaning of the passage and the sea voyage in these life stories. After time-consuming preparations, economic and bureaucratic struggles, violent persecution and nearly complete deprivation, the departure from Vienna and the separation from their former “Heimat” confirmed for these Austrian Jews a definite breach with their previous lives and the beginning of a stage of uncertainty and insecurity, in anxiety for the relatives they left behind. The transatlantic journey itself symbolizes a world in-between. On the one hand all emigrants had to pass through this transition under similar circumstances, but on the other hand the testimonies show a wide variety of experiences, depending on the individual situation, on the experiences made since the “Anschluss”, on the moment of escape and on the accommodation on board. The prospect of having to start from zero in a new country, without knowledge of the language, without housing and income, characterises the atmosphere of the testimonies, torn between the relief of escape from state repression and the uncertainty of the future. The “leisure time” during the journey which lasted three to four weeks offered an opportunity to look ahead and make plans for the future, but also to look back to the past and to consider the memoirs of a former existence. At the same time, some felt the need to enjoy the voyage and to try and forget their sorrows in this short period between departure and arrival. The interviewed persons were children, teenagers, or young adults when they were expelled. In order to give an insight into the experiences of the elder generations as well, I will quote from a private correspondence between family members written on the ship between Hamburg and Santa Fé. This essay also considers the Argentinian policies regarding immigration during the 1930s and 1940s, the different routes and embarking ports of escape, and finally reports about the arrival and the first impressions of the city of Buenos Aires.http://unipub.uni-graz.at/mcsj/periodical/pageview/792080sea voyagetravel bureaucracyarrivalAustrian JewsArgentina |
| spellingShingle | Philipp Mettauer „Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika Mobile Culture Studies. The Journal sea voyage travel bureaucracy arrival Austrian Jews Argentina |
| title | „Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika |
| title_full | „Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika |
| title_fullStr | „Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika |
| title_full_unstemmed | „Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika |
| title_short | „Die Schiffsreise war für mich eine Mischung aus Nostalgie, Melancholie, Unsicherheit“ - Die Überfahrt österreichischer Jüdinnen und Juden nach Südamerika |
| title_sort | die schiffsreise war fur mich eine mischung aus nostalgie melancholie unsicherheit die uberfahrt osterreichischer judinnen und juden nach sudamerika |
| topic | sea voyage travel bureaucracy arrival Austrian Jews Argentina |
| url | http://unipub.uni-graz.at/mcsj/periodical/pageview/792080 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT philippmettauer dieschiffsreisewarfurmicheinemischungausnostalgiemelancholieunsicherheitdieuberfahrtosterreichischerjudinnenundjudennachsudamerika |