Magdalena Jonas

Manchester has lost an exceptionally gifted and successful teacher in Magdalena Jonas, who died last week in the Royal Infirmary (writes a friend). Over the past 20 years she had worked with passion and patience of true devotion, and with great courage as a woman largely single-handed, to restore in Manchester its old tradition of commercial and (in the best sense) amateur Russian language studies.

Students of Russian and Polish (for she was, in fact, bilingual) will remember her at the university, the College of Commerce, and recently also at Manchester High School for Girls[1], as a teacher of highly professional yet quite unpedantic standards, with a sharp but never discouraging tongue, and a disconcerting accuracy in assessing the examination prospects of the over and under-confident pupil alike.

But although she was keen for every pupil to show his true capability, she never used examination results as such to measure her own effectiveness; she saw the splendid Russian language simply as a key to a splendid culture, which she hoped her pupils would want to share with her. Her love of Russia transcended history and politics and was a throughly civilised expression of a broad humanity from which she drew the power to communicate vitally in any of her adopted countries: England (her last and perhaps her favourite), Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.

Our dearly beloved mother, our dearest "Granny", my kind, joy-giving sister

Magdalena Jonas-Baumgarten

licensiée es lettres, old lecturer at the University and High School of Languages in Manchester

passed away unexpectedly on October 22nd after a serious illness in her adopted home.

Bern, 27 October 1964
Thunstrasse 35

Janine and Dr. Henry Sibermann-Jonas
with Ralph, Shirley, and Eleanor, Washington
Franziska Tramer-Baumgarten, Bern

I do not know if the address is correct. 

Paris,  27 - X - 64

Dear Jani. This instant, I receive the terrible news, which Franka has announced to me. I am devastated and I cannot say anything to console you. The only thing that is a chance that you have, was near your road. Did she surrender to her condition? Did she suffer a lot? For me she was the most faithful friend, to whom I could say everything and who understood me. At the moment, my meme, don't feel quite well. Yes born do the Ectrocardiogram and I go to the doctor. I think with pain of poor Franka - or will she find the strength to endure this terrible blow. I hope, that you found in good health your small family which was happy to see you again. My affections, kisses and good thoughts and friendships to your husband

Tiofe

I have just written to Pola Jonas, that Magda has been operated on, I do not have the courage to tell her all of a sudden what has happened. Pola wanted to make arrangements to visit her sister-in-law and friend this winter - what a blow it will be for her too!

[See next page for trickiness about where her will should be probated!]

My Will (made on the 28th of September, 1964)

All my money including  shares should be divided between my daughter Mrs. Janina Silberman, 3707 Isbell Str Wheaton, Maryland and her children in this proportion:

My daughter receives 50% of the money.