Gerda Philipsborn to Lady Reading,
September 5, 1940

A supplement to the article “A Physicist’s Lost Love: Leo Szilard and Gerda Philipsborn,” by Gene Dannen. Copyright © 2015 Gene Dannen.
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Gerda Philipsborn (in India) to Lady Reading (London), September 5, 1940 (typed copy of original letter), OIOC records, L/P&J/8/68 (part 6), British Library.

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Purandhar Parole Camp,                                   5.ix.40
Fort,
Poona District.

My dear Lady Reading,

I sincerely hope these lines will meet you and your family in
the best of health, in spite of the great trouble you all have
to stand in England - day and night.

For addition to all that, I also come to you today to ask for
your help. I am, together with almost all Jewish refugees in
India, taken to the Purandhar Camp and others to other camps.
We all had offered our services to the Government to do what we
can to help in the war against Hitler, but we have all been
arrested. It is extremely hard for us that, after having left
Germany under the greatest sufferings and difficulties, after
having lost everything we owned and now having built up again a
new life in this country - also under no small difficulties - we
should be now - again - driven out from life and work, without
any fault of ours. We are here many doctors, lawyers, teachers,
&c. all people from good Jewish families.

I need not tell you more - please do help as soon as possible -
with all means at your disposal - to have us released soon. I
am now in India since more than 7 years, as you know: the former
Chief Commissioner of Delhi, Mr. Jenkins, knows me and my work
quite well. Through our being arrested our reputation is
suffering very badly and the restriction of liberty without any
fault of ours is working as a terrible shock to all these honest
people.

My very best wishes for you and your family, and many thanks for
any kind of help you could give.

Yours sincerely,
Gerda Philipsborn