A postcard sent from Theresienstadt by political prisoner Karl Polášek

A postcard by “Karl Polášek”, a political prisoner detained at the Theresienstadt concentration camp. The postcard was apparently written to his children, and addressed to “Marie Polášková” in “Chotzen” (Choceň), a town in the Czech Republic.

In this brief message, Karl bravely states that he is “perfectly healthy” (“vollständig gesund”), presumably a stark contrast to his circumstances. He goes on to list a few items he needs, including a shirt, noting that while food isn’t lacking, sugar is scarce. He closes with the poignant words: “Ich denke stäts an Euch und auf Wiedersehen. Es küsst und grüsst Euch Väterchen”.

The front of the post card includes a printed excerpt of the prison rules, which states, among other things, that each prison can receive and send one letter or post card per month. It further states that Polášek was held in the “Kleine Festung” (“Small fortress”), in cell 37.