Catalogue description Letter from Erich Katz to Kathe, dated April 15 1950, sent from Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York and written in German. Erich had married a Christian girl in Germany, she left him during World War 2, keeping their son in Germany whilst he escaped to England with their daughter. In this letter he writes that he had been a music teacher at Freiburg University and organist in Freiburg Cathedral prior to the War. He was arrested after a short time in hiding and put in Dachau. As it was before the outbreak of war, he was allowed to leave for England; here he remarried whilst he was interned with guards as witnesses. After the bombing, he became a fireman on the roof of a factory at night, by day he gave organ concerts in old London churches - as long as they were standing. For two years he was a music teacher in a boarding school. In the middle of the war he gained permission to journey to the U.S.A.; they went via Canada and arrived with 3 dollars in their pockets and without even night attire. He copied music, his wife became a night nurse and his daughter painted vases. They worked their way up and by 1950 he was again a well-known musician (founded American Recorder Society in New York) and wrote music. His daughter married and worked in Puerto Rico, his wife became a state Pediatrician in Cornwall-on-Hudson, c.1946 he had a child by his second wife (see 1444/8). He maintains contact with his first wife, who lives in the Black Forest and their son who works in Freiburg. "It is a terrible pulling apart". This letter was sent to Kathe at Sanatorium, "Alumim", Aviv Street 27, Mt. Carmel, Haifa.