By staff
Title: Charles Millett (Karl Sinai) Papers, 1930-1982
Predominant Dates:1930 -- 1945
ID: RG-37/RG-37
Primary Creator: Sinai family (1930 -- 1982)
Extent: 0.0
Arrangement: Materials are arranged by subject/creator, then by identifier, as assigned by the processor.
Subjects: Chinese civilian authorities, Shanghai, Emigration from Nazi-annexed Austria, Immigration to Shanghai, China, Japanese military and civilian authorities, China, Shanghai (China: Ghetto), survival tactics
Karl Sinai (Millett) was born in Austria on 27 November 1937. The Sinai family owned steel foundries, which manufactured steam engines. The plant was located in Vienna. During the November Pogrom (Kristallnacht) the plant was vandalized and soon after aryanized (expropriated) by Nazi-Austrian authorities. Feeling unsecure, the family decided to flee Austria.
They managed to escape Austria and after travelling through the USSR they arrived in Shanghai. This part of China was occupied by Japan.
The documents presented in this collection reflect a mundane life in the so-called Jewish ghetto. It was not a ghetto in a German sense. The Hongkew district of Shanghai was an area of restrictive housing for foreign Jews. The Japanese authority did not follow the Nazi schemes with regard to the Jews. There were no actions or liquidation of this ghetto.
The documents of this record group also illustrate the family history in the postwar years, namely emigration to Australia and United states.
RG-37.01, Sinai family papers
RG-37.01.01, Karl Sinai, Birth Certificate
Issued by: Matrikelamt der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde in Wien (Registry Office of the Israeli Cultural Community of Vienna)
Dated: 3 January 1938
Certificate documents the birth of Karl Sinai, son of Ernst and Grete Sinai, on the 27th of November 1937. Signed by Maximilian Spritz, presiding director of the Registry Office
RG-37.01.02, Grete Sinai (Reiss), Certificate of Achievement
Issued by: Das Gremium der Wiener Kaufmannschaft (Commerce Board of Vienna)
Dated: 15 September 1932
Awards Grete Reiss the status of Business Assistant upon the successful completion of her two-year-long apprenticeship at the firm Gebrüder Reiss (Brothers Rice). Signed by the vice president and secretary of the Commerce Board, as well as Grete’s teacher
RG-37.01.03, Notice for Compensation Applications
Issued by: Amt der Wiener Landesregierung (State Government of Vienna)
Dated: Not Dated (Postwar)
The flyer contains information about eligibility for reparation payments from the Austrian government, as well as the procedures for filing claims. Attached are two papers granting power of attorney to Dr. Heinrich Gmoser, a lawyer in Vienna
RG-37.01.04, Divorce Settlement Papers, German translation
Issued by: First Special District Court Shanghai
Dated: 25 March 1945
Verifies the divorce between Ernst and Grete Sinai and lays out an agreement concerning children and possessions to which the two will adhere in the future
RG-37.01.05, Teaching Contract
Issued by: Gremium der Wiener Kaufmannschaft (Commerce Board of Vienna)
Dated: 16 September 1930
Lays out a teaching agreement whereby Grete Reis will do an internship at the Gebrüder Reis firm for two years (to be completed on 15 September 1932). It is signed by Sigismund Reis
RG-37.01.06, Grete Sinai (Margaret Eva Millett), death certificate
Issued by: Melbourne, State of Victoria
Registration No.: 13331/82
Dated: 14 June 1982
Issued by the city of Melbourne to confirm and record the death of Margaret Eva Millet at the age of 66. Her occupation is listed as housewife and her place of death is noted as the town of Fitzroy
RG-37.01.07, Air Passage Receipt
Dated: 27 October 1946
A receipt issued by a travel agent indicating that a sum of $400 dollars has been paid by Grete Sinai for airfare between Manila and Sydney
RG-37.01.08, Grete Sinai, Passenger Receipt
Dated: 26 October 1946
Issued by: Philippine Air Lines, Inc.
A receipt issued by the airline showing that $225 dollars have been paid by Grete Sinai and her child for a flight from Hong Kong to Manila
RG-37.01.09, Karl Sinai, application for non-immigrant visa to U.S.
Dated: 24 October 1946
Issued by: American Foreign Service
This document lists the date and place of Karl Sinai’s birth and states that Karl’s stay in the U.S. is limited to a few hours as he makes his way to Australia. It is noted that Karl is travelling with his mother, Grete Sinai. Grete signs for Karl
RG-37.01.10, Grete Sinai, dictated will, Shanghai
Dated: 6 September 1944
Drafted by: Hans Ledien
Grete’s will makes provisions for Karl’s future in the event of her death. She forbids her former husband, Ernst Sinai, from having custody of Karl and claims that he is a drug addict. Instead, she appoints Mrs. Valerie Sinai (nee Mayer) of Shanghai as the guardian
RG-37.01.11, Grete Sinai, O.R.T. certificate
Issued by: Society for the Promotion of Handicrafts and Agriculture for Jews in the Far East
Dated: 3 June 1945
This certificate documents Grete Sinai’s successful completion of a six-month machine knitting course
RG-37.01.12, Instrument Publishing Change of Name for Grete Sinai and her son
Dated: 18 December 1947
Issued by: Office of the Registrar General at Sydney in the State of New South Wales
This Certified Copy Order No. 17676 documents Grete Sinai’s and her son’s, Karl Sinai’s, official name change. Grete Sinai adopted the Christian names of Margaret Eva and adopted the Christian names of Charles Harry for her son. She also adopted the substituted surname of Simpson for herself and her son. The document was received into the Office of the Registrar General 18 December 1947
RG-37.01.13, Anna Reiss (Grete Sinai), Australia, Department of Immigration, Official Correspondence
Dated: 9 April 1962
Issued by: Department of Immigration, Australia
This official correspondence asks for Anna Reiss (Grete Sinai) to send a photograph to the Commonwealth Migration Office to comply fully with the laws of the Aliens Act 1947-1959
RG-37.01.14, Grete Sinai, Application for US Nonimmigrant Visa
Dated: 24 October 1946
Issued by: American Foreign Service, Hong Kong
This document lists the date and place of Grete Sinai’s birth and states that Grete’s stay in the US is limited to a few hours as she and her son make their way to Australia
RG-37.01.15, Letter to Federal Ministry for Property of Austria, 1947
Dated: 18 January 1947
Issued by: Federal Ministry for Property Control and Economic Planning, Vienna, Austria
Document in German
RG-37.01.16, Charles Millet, Biography
RG-37.01.17, Grete Sinai, Gebrueder Reiss firm, job verification (copy)
Dated: 15 September 1932
Issued by: Gebrueder Reiss firm
This certificate verifies Grete Sinai’s employment at Gebrueder Reiss in Vienna, Austria from September 15, 1930 to September 15, 1932 and describes her as a hard worker. The letter is in German
RG-37.02, Japanese and Chinese official documents
RG-37.02.01, Ernst Sinai, Census Form, Shanghai
Issued by: Navy Pao Chia Office, Shanghai Municipal Police
This Pao Chia Census Form documents Ernst Sinai’s date of arrival in Shanghai, his residence, and the relationship, sex, age, nationality, passport information, occupation, marital status, and length of residence of each of his family members. It lists Ernst Sinai; his mother, Valerie Sinai; his wife, Grete Sinai; and his son, Karl Sinai. The document is in English and Chinese
RG-37.02.02, Karl Sinai Resident Certificate
This certificate lists Karl Sinai as an Austrian refugee and contains his photograph and thumb prints. The certificate is in Chinese and English
RG-37.02.03, Grete Sinai, Certificate of Residence, Shanghai
Dated: 6 July
This Certificate of Residence for Shanghai contains Grete Sinai’s photograph and is written in English, Japanese, and Russian
RG-37.02.04, Grete Sinai, Registration of Foreigners
Dated: 18 July 1942
Issued by: Shanghai French Concession Police
This document registers Grete Sinai as a foreigner in the Shanghai French Concession. It is written in both French and English
RG-37.02.05, Grade Reports for Karl Sinai Issued by Shanghai Jewish Youth Association School
Dated: 25 December 1942 – 25 December 1945
Grade reports written by Karl’s instructors at the school. He receives high marks in almost all classes and is described as intelligent and willing to learn. One report mentions that Karl is clever but needs to behave better
RG-37.02.06, LA Times Article about the Shanghai Ghetto
Dated: 15 July 1997
By: Henry Chu, LA Times Staff Writer
This article details the hardships faced by Jews who lived under Japanese rule in the Shanghai Ghetto and their guilt about having escaped the atrocities being committed in Europe
RG-37.02.07, Ernst Sinai Eyeglasses Prescription
Dated: 5 October 1942
Issued by: Dr. W. Bender
RG-37.02.08, Grete Sinai, Job Verification and Reference
Dated: 19 February 1946
Issued by: Wembley Knitwear, J. Spalter
This letter by the Wembley Knitwear manager verifies Grete Sinai’s employment from July 1945-February 1946 in Shanghai and describes her as an excellent employee
RG-37.02.09, Grete Sinai, Job Reference as a Chief Manager
Dated 30 June 1946
Issued by: Queen Models
This letter verifies Grete Sinai’s employment as a chief manager at Queen Models from February 21, 1946-June 30, 1946 and describes her as an honest and reliable person. The letter states that Grete Sinai is leaving the position to go to Australia
RG-37.02.10, Karl Sinai, Letter in Chinese
Dated: 28 February 1942
Document in Chinese
RG-37.02.11, Grete Sinai, Document in Chinese
Document in Chinese
RG-37.02.12, Ordinance of Japanese Military Authorities in Shanghai on the introduction of a ghetto regime in the Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees. Issued 17 February 1943
RG-37.02.13, Permit for Sojourn in the Kwantung Province
Document in Chinese
RG-37.03, Family photographs
RG-37.03.01, Karl Sinai, Album 1
Tan photo album with a picture of a youth with landscape
Dates: 1937-1938
The early life of Grete’s son Karl is documented through photographs. Nearly all of the photographs feature him in some way—occasionally with his grandmother, occasionally with his mother. The second photograph is of an unidentified cathedral, with caption “Wachau 1937”
RG-37.03.02, Karl Sinai, Album 2
Green photo album with stylized golden bird on the cover
Dates: unknown but likely circa 1937
This album documents a trip through Italy. Photographs include Rome, the island of Capri, and the towns of Positano, Florence, and Venice. The family visited landmarks in each city. From Rome there are photographs of the Vatican. From Venice, the Cathedral of St. Mark
RG-37.03.03, Karl Sinai, pages from family album (1)
RG-37.03.04, Karl Sinai, pages from family album (2)
RG-37.03.05, Sinai-Reiss-Simpson-Millet, family photographs 1
RG-37.03.06, Sinai-Reiss-Simpson-Millet, family photographs 2
RG-37.03.07, Sinai-Reiss-Simpson-Millet, family photographs 3
RG-37.03.08, Sinai Family, Album 3
Blue photo album with black trim
A large number of the photographs in this album document Grete’s life as a girl and young woman. The earliest dated photograph is from 1922, although the span of the remaining photographs is wide. Location of the photographs is never noted but is assumed to be Austria. The last several pages contain an unidentified woman sitting by a beach and a man with glasses
RG-37.03.09, Photo Album
Title: “Potsdam” (Name of the ship on which the family travelled)
Dates: 12 September – 9 October 1938
This extensive photo album chronicles the voyage from Genoa, Italy to Shanghai. Means of entertainment along the course of the voyage – music and golf on the deck – are photographed. The first mentioned port of call is Belawan, Indonesia. Pictures of the dock are shown. From Belawan, the family visits the town of Medan, only several miles away. It is clear that a car was used for the journey. The boat then departs for Singapore. Pictures of Singapore’s harbor accompany this note. Next is the town of Jahore Baru in Malaysia. Included are photos of locals and a group of small monkeys. The last stop noted is Hong Kong
Chinese civilian authorities, Shanghai
Emigration from Nazi-annexed Austria
Immigration to Shanghai, China
Japanese military and civilian authorities, China
Shanghai (China: Ghetto)
survival tactics
Repository: Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust
Access Restrictions:
No restrictions
Copyrighted materials, credits to and references to the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust are required
Digital copies might be available upon request
Use Restrictions: Copyrighted materials
The Sinai family belonged to the upper middle class of Austrian society in the interwar period.
After the November Pogrom (November 1938), the family fled Austria for Shanghai, China.
The Japanese authorities allowed Jewish immigrants from Europe to settle in the district of Shanghai. It was the area of restrictive Jewish housing. The Jewish refugees had to be in compliance with the numerous rules and regulations issued by the Japanese military and civilian authority, as well as with the provisions issued by the local Chinese municipal authorities.
This collections contains documents reflecting the family life in the interwar Austria and largely they focus on the Shanghai period (the wartime period).
