Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

241
book-keeping and sales. 125 Regardless of the area of training and/or employment,
most found such experiences useful.
Non-Zionist and Zionist perspectives affected attitudes to emigration and
particularly in the case of youth, the priority for their unaccompanied emigration.
Youth from a non-Zionist background did not leave as early as youth who came
from a Zionist family. Whilst this differentiates the two groups, their common bid
to provide practical training and safe countries of refuge for young Jews united
them. Whilst attempts to equip Jewish youth with life skills thought to be useful in
their new homes-to-be were undertaken, the reality was that these young Jews did
not know what to expect. The majority knew very little, if anything, about their
destinations and what situations would greet them and what they could expect.
Given the uniqueness of the situation, there was also little that could be done to
prepare both themselves and their families psychologically for that moment of
physical separation, when the day finally arrived.
Children and Youth Leaving Home
For those children and youth who left Magdeburg prior to the pogrom of
November 1938, departure was well organised and executed. Precious belongings
were packed and on a number of occasions farewell presentations were made by
religious communities. This was generally not the case for those whose emigration
had been organised prior to the pogrom, but delayed by its occurrence. When their
departure took place in the wake of the Reichskristallnacht it was enveloped by
125
Offene Praktikanten- u. Lehrstellen, 8. März 1935, Bestand 2A2, Signatur Nr.
1315, CJA, op. cit., p. 118.