Marianne & Jane: A Pen Pal’s Story

Marianne Winter from Vienna and Jane Bomberger from Pennsylvania had been pen pals for several years when the Nazis took control of Austria in 1938. Marianne’s family wanted to immigrate to the United States, but they needed an American to sponsor them financially. Marianne asked Jane if she knew anyone who could provide the financial support. Jane’s response came as a total surprise.

Learn More:

• Personal Story: Marianne Winter

• Artifact: Marianne Winter Letters to Jane Bomberger

• Article: What Refugees Needed to Obtain a US Visa

• Article: The German Annexation of Austria

• Online Exhibition: Americans and the Holocaust

This page is also available in Spanish.