Unsere Reise Nach Mauritius, Nach eigenen Tagebuchern verfasst von Ing. Emil Rainer [our journey to Mauritius, after diaries written by Ing. Emil Rainer]. [No indication of location or date; late 1940s?]. German.
Rich and detailed diary entries in seven chapters, based on diaries written by Eng. Emil Rainer, one of the refugees aboard the SS Atlantic, deported to Island of Mauritius. The diary entries describe all the stages of the journey - from sailing from Tulcea in Romania until the illegal immigrants arrived in Mauritius.
The ship Atlantic was part of the private illegal immigration enterprise of Berthold Storfer, an Austrian who endeavored to save Jews through cooperation with the Nazis. Atlantic sailed from the port of Tulcea in Romania at the end of September 1940, passed through Istanbul and stopped in Crete to acquire coal for the remainder of the trip. In Crete, the Greek crew refused to continue sailing and the immigrants occupied the ship. After many hardships, towing the ship to Cyprus and its arrival in Haifa, some of its illegal immigrants were transferred (together with immigrants of the ships Milos and Pacific) to the deportation ship Patria which, as is well known, was bombed and drowned by the Haganah. Survivors of Patria and the remaining immigrants from the Atlantic were deported to the Island of Mauritius on December 9, 1940, where they were detained for five years. In the book "The Mauritian Shekel, The Story of the Jewish Detainees in Mauritius, 1940-1945" by Geneviève Pitot (published by Editions Zivavi, Port Louis, Mauritius, ca. 1998), the name of Ing. Emil Rainer is mentioned several times, among others, as the author of an essay titled "Von Wien Nach Mauritius" (From Vienna to Mauritius).
[1], 21 leaves, 26 cm. Good condition. Stains. Slight tears and creases at margins. The leaves are connected at the top (writing pad), cover is reinforced with adhesive tape. Creases to cover.