by Mischka's War- A Story of Survival from War-Torn Europe to New York (epub)
Interviews
Riga
Balva Berke (nee Eglitis), Jan’s first wife (Smarde, Riga, 7 September 2006).
Arpad Danos (Riga, 11 September 2006).
Jan Danos (Riga, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 September 2006).
Georgs Jankowskis (Jurmala, Riga, 8 September 2006).
United States
Mrs Wally Ayers (telephone, 23 February 2008).
Helga Danos (Ellicott City, MD, 22 and 23 November 2007).
Victoria Danos (telephone conversation, 15 October 2006).
Helen Machen (Downers Grove, IL, 2 February 2007 and 23 February 2008).
Dailonis Stauvers (telephone, 10, 14 and 21 April 2007).
Australia
Andrejs Bičevskis (Brisbane, 30 July and 1 August 2007).
All the above interviews were done by me. In addition, I have used a taped interview with Helga and Mechthild Heimers by Tamara Danos (Helga’s younger daughter) (Carmel, CA, 21 December 1993), which is particularly useful on the question of BDM membership. Thanks to Johanna Danos for giving me access to this.
Miscellaneous documents
Emails
Livija Baumane-Andrejevska, author of essay on Olga Danos (May, June and July 2015, and January and April 2016).
Kata Bohus, researcher in Hungarian archives (28 October and 19 December 2008, and 20 April 2009).
Barry Mirkin, son of Simon Mirkin (22 and 26 April 2009).
Margers Vestermanis, director of Jewish Museum, Riga (16 August, 29 September and 21 October 2015).
Andris Zelenkovs, Latvian sports researcher (31 August 2015).
From Jan Danos’s collection
Arpad Danos’s school records, 1894 and 1897.
Letter from Arpad Danos to his brother Jan about the Deutsch/Danos family in Hungary, undated.
Letter from Ivan Danos, Budapest, to his nephew Jan, 13 March 1961.
From ITS (International Tracing Service) files
Files accessed online at Holocaust Museum, Washington DC, 2009 for:
•
Michael Danos (includes listing in Liste B zur Ausländerzählung, Judische Gemeinde, Frankfurt on Main)
•
Olga Danos
•
Boris Mirkin
•
Simon Mirkin
•
Mary Sakss.
From Hungarian archives
Name change of Arpad Danos (formerly Deutsch) and his brothers, 1898, from Magyar Orszagoseveltar Repertoriuma K150/6162. csomag/1898.ev (supplied by Kata Bohus).
From UNRRA archives, United Nations archive, New York
Documents cited separately in the Notes.
Unpublished memoirs
Andrejs Bičevskis, ‘Bičevskis Family History’ (email, 1 May 2008).
Berthold Stech, ‘J.H.D. Jensen: Personal Recollection’ (www.thphys.uni-heidelberg.de/home/info/historie_dir/jensen_stech.html, accessed 17 May 2016).
Letters
Helga Danos to parents, 9 November 1951, long letter with Mischka’s postscript. Thanks to Helga for giving me a copy of this letter.
Paul Sakss to Tadasu Okada, 12 February 1957, asking for Mary’s effects (in Olga’s possession) to be sent to Ariadna in Riga.
Arpad Danos Jr to Tadasu Okada, undated [after 1956], enquiring about disposition of her estate.
Other documents
German ID [1945?] of Merija Sakks, born 1908.
Waldtraut Herrnberger, ‘Verpflichtung’, Berlin, 13 May 1944.
Photographs
From Johanna Danos, Jan Danos and my personal collection.
Published writing on Michael and Olga Danos
Līvija Baumane, ‘A Local “Fashion Empire” and Its Collapse: The Fashion Designer Olga Danoss’, in Līvija Baumane (ed.), Kādas sievetes portrets: no jūgenda laikmeta lidz Latvijas brīvvalsts gadiem/A Portrait of a Woman: From the Jugendstil Era to Latvia’s Independence (Riga: Jūgendstila paviljons, 2015), pp. 79–101.
Sheila Fitzpatrick, ‘“Determined to Get On”: Some Displaced Persons on the Way to a Future’, History Australia, vol. 12, no. 2, 2015, pp. 102–23. This is in a special issue on Second World War DPs, mainly with reference to resettlement in Australia, edited by me and Mark Edele.
Sheila Fitzpatrick, ‘A World War II Odyssey: Michael Danos, En Route from Riga to New York’, in Desley Deacon, Penny Russell and Angela Woollacott (eds), Transnational Lives: Biographies of Global Modernity, 1700-Present, (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), pp.252–62.
Walter Greiner (ed.), Proceedings of the Symposium on Fundamental Issues in Elementary Matter, 25–29 September 2000, Bad Honnef, Germany: In Honor and Memory of Michael Danos (Debrecen: EP Systema, 2001). Includes recollections of Michael Danos by Walter Greiner, Jan Rafelski, Max Huber, Vincent Gillet, Evans Hayward, Jan Danos and Sheila Fitzpatrick.
Miami Herald, ‘Miami Sculptor Operated Underground in Latvia’, 27 June 1954, p. 12F.
Spokane Daily Chronicle, 1 November 1950. Report of Mirkin’s meeting of Olga on her arrival in New York.
Documents of Michael and Olga Danos used in the text
Cited by date and catalogue number (folder/file), followed in brackets by topics (italics) and the chapters in which they are used.
Michael Danos: diaries
Five small notebooks with entries from various years, 1939–48 (1a, 1/2, 1/6, 1/7, 1/9).
24 October 1939, 1/7 (Olga quoted on Arpad Sr’s talents—ch. 2).
Undated (after 13 November 1939), pp. 12–16, 1/7 (German school, expulsion—ch. 2).
10 and 11 July [1940], 1/9 (farm work, 1940—ch. 3).
14 March 1945, 1a (travels—ch. 5; ‘life is still beautiful’—ch. 7).
27 March 1945 (Hamburg—ch. 7).
28, 29 March 1945, 1a (hospital in Flensburg—ch. 7).
30 March 1945, 1a (missing Easter—ch. 7).
2 April 1945, 1/2 (his father—ch. 5; philosophy—ch. 7).
13 April 1945, 1/2 (Dresden bombing—ch. 6).
15 April 1945, 1/2 (Dresden bombing—ch. 6).
18 April 1945, 1/2 (Dresden bombing—ch. 6).
20 April 1945, 1/2 (Dresden bombing—ch. 6).
22 April 1945, 1/2 (Dresden bombing—ch. 6).
1 May 1945, 1a (physics—ch. 7).
2 May 1945, 1/2 (philosophy—ch. 7).
5 May 1945, 1/2 (girlfriends—ch. 7).
9 May 1945, 1/2 (physics—ch. 7).
2 July 1945, 1/2 (physics—ch. 7).
25 July 1945, 1/2 (piano listener;girlfriends—ch. 7).
10 August 1945, 1/2 (lack of stamina; Estonian nurse—ch. 7).
2 November 1945, 1a (Munich 1945—ch. 7).
3 November 1945, 1a (meeting with girl on train—ch. 7).
23 April 1946, 1/6 (mother love—ch. 8).
14 July 1946, 1/2 (sex and marriage—ch. 9).
23 July 1946, 1/2 (sex and marriage—ch. 9).
13 October 1946, 1/6 (Nanni—ch. 9).
2 February 1947, 1/2 (dreams of family in Riga—ch. 8).
24 July 1947, 1/2 (physics epiphany—ch. 9).
9 August 1947, 1/2 (worry about concentration—ch. 9).
18 November 1947, 1/2 (improved memory and concentration—ch. 9).
4 January 1948, 1/2 (improved memory and concentration; ‘geschlossen—’ ch. 9).
5 June 1948, 1/2 (father’s death—ch. 8).
6 June 1948, 1/2 (father’s death—ch. 8).
Michael Danos: documents
Birth certificate, 2/17 (ch. 1).
DP index card, undated, Mikelis Danos, 2/4.
DP index card from Allied Expeditionary Forces, undated, Michael Danos, 2/9.
Undated CV, 2/37 (drafted to work as radio technician 1943—ch. 4).
Gymnasium grades, 4th class, Riga, 3 September 1937, 2/16.
Letter from VEF, 18 February 1942, attesting that Michael Danos worked there from 14 December 1940 to 18 December 1941, 2/7.
University of Riga, student record 1943–44, 2/51.<
br />
University of Riga grades, 11 March 1944, 2/27.
German-Foreign Student’s Club, Vienna, card for Michael Danos, 4 May 1944, 2/15 (ch. 5).
Studienbuch, 10 June 1944, Dresden TH, 2/3.
Enrolment as student at Dresden TH, 12 June 1944, signed by Rector, 2/6.
Heinrich Barkhausen, recommendations for Michael Danos, 17 August 1944, 2/12 and 2/43.
‘On the Invention of Student Mischka Danos’, letter from head of development group, Ministry of Armaments and War Production, to Dr H. Boening, president of regional labour department, Reichenberg, 16 October 1944, 2/13.
Permission to study in Dresden extended until end of summer semester 1945, from Reichsminister für Wissenschaft, Erziehung und Volksbildung, Berlin, 11 December 1944, 2/5.
DP index card from Allied Expeditionary Forces, 1 August 1945 (renewed 5 September 1945, 17 November 1945, 3 February 1946), 2/25.
Baltic Sports Society of Flensburg, diplomas for wins in athletics, 15 September 1945, 2/67.
Certification of residence at Zeilsheim Assembly Center/Sidney Flatow, UNRRA Team 503, endorsed 15 October 1945 and 31 December 1946, 2/10.
Studienbuch, [1946], Hannover TH, 2/2 (ch. 9).
Student ID card, Hanover TH, 12 January 1946, 2/20.
Hanover TH grades, 12 November 1946, 2/22 (ch. 9).
Hanover TH, engineering degree, 12 May 1948, 2/33.
Hanover TH, final exam result (‘ziemlich gut’), 12 May 1948, 2/34.
Hanover TH, appointment as Leiter in theoretical physics on 10 September 1948, 2/41.
Statement from Hans Jensen, 21 December 1948, that Michael Danos is doing doctorate under his supervision; requests permission to take him to University of Heidelberg when he moves, 2/54.
Lebenslauf (CV), 5 January 1949, 2/46 (ch. 2).
Discharge on German economy of Mikelis Danoss, Hanover, 2 May 1949, 2/31.
Marriage certificate of Michael Danos and Helga Heimers, 4 August 1949, 2/4.
Undated CV [1950s], 4/1 (VEF dates—ch. 4).
Lebenslauf, 1 February 1951, 2/37 (ch. 2).
University of Heidelberg, PhD (‘magna cum laude’), 28 February 1951, 2/35.
IRO resettlement letter in United States for Michael and Helga Danos, 27 March 1951, 2/18.
Certification that Michael Danos has been issued a visa and is ready to go on next transport, signed Ruth Adams, US Processing Officer, 12 October 1951, 2/47.
INS certificate of admittance to the United States as a displaced person, 13 November 1951, 4/9.
Application for federal employment, undated draft [1954?], 4/4 (Afterword).
Application to file petition for naturalisation, Michael and Helga Danos [draft, dated in hand 11 June 1957], 4/11.
Letters from Michael Danos to Olga Danos
13 May 1944, 8/83 (arrival in Germany; sport—ch. 5).
16 June 1944, 8/65 (philosophy; sport—ch. 5).
21 July 1944, 8/76 (Barkhausen; philosophy—ch. 5).
28 July 1944 (but from content actually 28 August), 9/54 (ch. 5).
3 September 1944, 8/93 (Barkhausen; Kriegseinsatz; Jan and Latvian Legion; Olga’s departure plans—ch. 5). Undated [December 1944], 8/59 (studies at Dresden; father—ch. 5).
3 January 1945, 8/68 (trip to Munich—ch. 5).
15 February 1945, 8/66 (leaving Dresden—ch. 5).
26 February 1945, 8/81 (telegram on bombing—ch. 5).
25 March 1945, 8/73 (letter in pencil from hospital—ch. 7). 6 April 1945, 8/67 (two postcards from hospital—ch. 7).
26 October 1945, 8/80 (university tour—ch. 7).
14 November 1945, 8/92 (enrolment at Brunswick TH—ch. 7).
14 November 1945, 8/74 (Brunswick—ch. 7). 1 December 1945, 3/24 (Brunswick—ch. 7).
15 January 1946, 8/84 (admitted to Hanover TH—ch. 7).
23 January 1946, 8/84 (working hard in Hanover—ch. 7).
24 January 1946, 8/70 (more information on Hanover—ch. 7). 9 May 1946. 8/85 (Hanover TH; attitude to study—ch. 9).
27 May 1946, 8/47 (Heisenberg; sports—ch. 9).
26 June 1946, 8/53 (physicists; concentration problems—ch. 9).
26 July 1946, 8/86 (‘experienced woman’—ch. 9).
26 October 1946, 8/88 (cold—ch. 8; German types—ch. 9).
4 November 1946, 8/78 (Bogdanovs’s exploits—ch. 9).
Undated [1946], 8/75 (Nanni—ch. 9).
19 January 1947, 8/44 (business advice on Olga’s sculpture—ch. 8).
28 February 1947, 8/71 (his progress in physics—ch. 9).
19 March 1947, 8/43 (relationship with Olga—ch. 8; his progress in physics (including quotation)—ch. 9).
9 May 1947, 8/50 (concentration problems, exams—ch. 9).
22 May 1947 (postmark), 8/52 (Mirkin—ch. 8; grades conflict—ch. 9; ‘German physics’—ch. 10).
17 October 1947, 8/56 (exams; Sennheiser; Germans—ch. 9).
25 October 1947, 8/57 (exams; colloquium paper; progress in physics; improvement in memory—ch. 9).
15 November 1949 (postmark), 9/34 (mothers and married sons; married life; departure plans—ch. 12).
Undated [after 4 February 1948], 8/98 (Arpad’s letter—ch. 8; Marjorie Broadhurst’s letter—ch. 9).
Undated [spring 1948], 8/92 (departure of friend Pablo to Canada—ch. 11).
Undated [before 20 June 1948], 8/100 (work as Assistent; Helga—ch. 9).
Undated [mid-1948], 8/42 (Arpad’s letter—ch. 8).
13 July 1948, 8/99 (Sennheiser; Jensen—ch. 9).
Undated [before 2 August 1948), 8/106a (German types—ch. 9).
2 August 1948, 8/103 ( against Hamburg radio job; sports; progress in physics—ch. 9; job for Mischka in New York—Afterword). Undated [autumn 1948?], 8/39 (Helga—ch. 10).
Undated [August–September 1948?], 8/106p (Nanni—ch. 10; friends’ departures—ch. 11).
14 January 1949, 8/106g (Helga—ch. 10).
Undated [September 1948], 8/106j (his progress in physics—ch. 9).
Undated [early 1949], 8/95 (Helga—ch. 10; destinations discussion— ch. 11).
Undated [April–May 1949], 8/106 (Helga—ch. 10).
Undated [before 1 May 1949], 8/39 (move to Heidelberg—ch. 9; Olga’s DP status; life in Heidelberg; Jensen and Nazis—ch. 10).
Undated [May 1949], 8/54 (Heidelberg move; ‘1.5 Frauen’;Helga; Jensen— ch. 10; Ami families—ch. 12).
Undated [May 1949], 8/30 (Jensen—ch. 10).
Undated [May-June 1949], 8/32 (Heidelberg salary, conditions; Jensen— ch. 10).
27August 1951, 8/4 (Bothe celebration—ch. 10). Undated [June 1949], 8/31 (panic attack—ch. 10). Undated [mid-1949], 8/33 (nerves—ch. 10).
Undated [autumn 1949], 8/34 (Gieseking—ch. 11).
Undated [late 1949?], 8/36 (Nanni—ch. 10; married life—ch. 12).
27 February 1950, 8/2 (Gieseking—ch. 11; married life—ch. 12).
Undated [February 1950?], 8/106 (married life—ch. 12).
Undated [mid-1950], 8/37 (‘Germanen’—ch. 11).
Undated [June–July 1950], 8/104 (politics—ch. 12).
Undated [August 1950], 8/104 (departure plans—ch. 12).
Undated 8/101 [September 1950] (Gieseking; Bach-Hindemith—ch. 11).
Undated [late 1950], 8/106l (friend Mārtiņ Kregŝde in New York—ch. 11).
Undated [late 1950], 8/24 (Sommerfeld; Helga and BDM [quotation]— ch. 12).
Undated [late 1950], 8/101 (Helga and BDM—ch. 12).
Undated [January 1951], 8/5a (Kolz on Russians; politics—ch. 12).
Undated [January 1951?], 8/5s (politics; Helga and BDM—ch. 12).
Undated [December 1950], 8/106 (America—ch. 12).
Undated [early 1951], 8/5g (friend Ilo Kurlis in Boston—ch. 11).
Undated [early 1951], 8/5d (finishing the dissertation—ch. 12).
Undated [early 1951], 8/5g (‘Germanium’—ch. 11; Olga’s financial affairs; departure—ch. 12). 1 February 1951, 8/5e (job in Ne
w Jersey—Afterword). 7 March 1951, 8/5a (finishing the dissertation; departure plans—ch. 12). Undated [March 1951], 8/5c (PhD defence—ch. 12).
15 March 1951, 9/58 (Helga and BDM—ch. 12). 4 April 1951, 8/58 (departure plans—ch. 12).
25 April 1951, 8/4a (departure—ch. 12).
16 May 1951, 8/4d (politics—ch. 12).
16 July 1951, 8/4e (Helga’s work in Heidelberg—ch. 12).
18 July 1951, 8/4b (Olga’s financial affairs; departure—ch. 12).
27 August 1951 (postmark), 8/4c (Bothe’s 65th birthday celebration [it was actually his 60th]; departure—ch. 12). Undated [mid-1953], 8/14 (non-intimacy of letter offends Olga—Afterword). Undated [mid-1953], 8/18 (Afterword).
Letters from Olga Danos to Michael Danos
20 May 1944, 9/40 (preparations for departure—ch. 5).
9 July 1944, 9/45 (plans for Arpad; Mauserl; her illness—ch. 5).
15 July 1944, 9/45 (departure plans—ch. 5).
28 August 1944, 9/54a (departure plans—ch. 5).
14 October 1944, 9/44 (Jan and Arpad’s attempt to leave Riga, 1944; Olga’s trip to Germany—ch. 5).
2 October 1944, 9/42 (news from Sudetenland—ch. 5).
8 November 1944, 5/79 (news from Sudetenland—ch. 5).
18 November 1944. 9/43 (workshop problems—ch. 5).
11 December 1944, 9/44 (ch. 5).
5 January 1946, 9/57 (Mischka’s antisocial behaviour—ch. 7; plan to go to Riga—ch. 8).
1 March 1946, 9/57m (business—ch. 8).
12 March 1946, 9/57 (‘money no obstacle’; English admirer—ch. 8).
22 March 1946, 9/57 (her six languages—ch. 8).
24 March 1946, 9/57n (‘lazybones’; plan to go to Riga—ch. 8).
29 May 1946, 9/57a (business—ch. 8).
14 July 1946, 9/57 (Seeliger—ch. 8).
