Archive Record
Images
Additional Images [17]
Metadata
Object Identification Number |
2011.013.038 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Donor |
Snow, Carey |
Scope / Description |
Set of 22 documents which are all either letters or enclosures to letters. All the documents deal with either the transportation of 17 boxes of personal belongings of the Clement family from Japan to Denmark, or with Aage Clement's claim against the Imperial Japanese Government regarding his internment in 1941-1942, or with both these cases. All the letters are written on a typewriter in black. Letter 1 (enclosure 1): This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date along the top edge of the paper. Below the sender's information it says "TO / The Royal Swedish legation, / TOKYO", with the last word underlined. The letter is signed "ajc" in black ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. At the bottom of the page to the viewer's left it is noted that the letter has one enclosure. There are watermarks at the top and bottom corner of the page near the edge to the viewer's left. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in English. The letter is from Aage Clement who informs the Royal Swedish Legation about his arrangements with his attorney to take care of the property that he leaves behind in Japan. The letter is dated March 14, 1946. 8 1/2 x 12. Enclosure 1 (letter 1): This letter has "ADDRESS IN DENMARK" underlined at the top corner to the viewer's left side and below this it has the sender's name and address. The place and date is written along the top edge of the paper. Between the sender's information and the date it says "Copy" written in pencil and underlined. Below the sender's information it says "Mr. Y. Yamamoto, / 6, Naka 12, Marunouchi, / TOKYO", with the last word underlined. The letter is signed "ajc" in black ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. At the bottom of the page to the viewer's left it says "C/C The Royal Swedish Legation, Tokyo". There are watermarks at both top corners of the page. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in English. Aage Clement and his family are leaving Japan, and Aage writes to his attorney to instruct him how to take care of the belongings that the Clement family is leaving behind. The letter is dated March 14, 1946. 8 1/2 x 12. Letter 2: This letter has "SWEDISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION" and a reference number at the top corner of the page to the viewer's left. To the viewer's right the place and date is printed. The letter is signed in blue ink and has an additional greeting in blue ink below the typed and handwritten signature. The recipient's address is written at the lower part of the page to the viewer's left. The word "BOND" is impressed into the paper in more places. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in English. The letter is an acknowledgement from the Swedish Diplomatic Mission that it has received the letter from Aage Clement regarding his belongings in Japan (letter 1). The letter is dated March 15, 1946. 9 x 11 1/2. Letter 3 (enclosure 2): This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date along the top edge of the paper. The letter is signed "ajc" in black ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. At the bottom of the page to the viewer's left it is noted that the letter has one enclosure. Below this it says "Til / Det Kgl. Danske Udenrigsministerium, / KØBENHAVN" with the last word underlined. There is a watermark at the middle of the page where the main body of text is. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in Danish. The letter is from Aage Clement to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning his claim against the Japanese government due to an undeserved arrest during the war. In the letter he mentions that he left it to the Swedish Diplomatic Mission in Japan to take care of his claim and that he also send the American Headquarters there a copy of the claim with a request that they would help speed up the process. With the letter he sends a copy of the claim and asks the Ministry to pass it along to the relevant Danish authorities. At the end of the letter he mentions that the Minister Lars Tillitse has been made aware of the claim and that he also knows about it from his time in Japan. The letter is dated August 19, 1946. 8 1/4 x 11 1/4. Enclosure 2 (letter 3): This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date along the top edge of the paper. Between the sender's information and the date it says "COPY" written by typewriter and underlined. Below the sender's information it says "The Royal Swedish legation, / TOKYO", with the last word underlined. The letter is signed "A. J. Clement" in black ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. There are two watermarks on the upper half of the page, one to the viewer's left and one to the viewer's right. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in English. In the letter Aage Clement describes how he was arrested by the Japanese government in August 1941 and again in December 1941 and describes how he was grilled and threatened by the Japanese authorities. In the letter he requests the Royal Swedish Legation to place his claim for compensation before the appropriate Japanese authorities. The letter is dated November 13, 1945. 8 1/2 x 11 3/4. Letter 4: The letter has "UDENRIGSMINISTERIET." in bold letters at the top of the page to the viewer's left. Below this it has the place and the date, and to the viewer's right it has the file number of the correspondence. The letter is signed by hand in dark ink. At the bottom of the page it has the recipient's name and address. The back side of the page is blank. The letter is in Danish. The letter is a reply from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to a letter send by Aage Clement on August 19, 1946 (letter 3). In the letter the Ministry informs Aage Clement that the Ministry is ready to take up his case with the appropriate authorities whenever it becomes possible. It is further noted that no guidelines for settling such claims have yet been laid down. At the end of the letter it is promised that the Ministry will contact Aage Clement whenever it will become possible to further the case. The letter is dated October 15, 1946. 8 1/4 x 11. Letter 5 (enclosure 3 and 4): This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date along the top edge of the paper. The letter is signed "ajc" in blue ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. At the bottom of the page to the viewer's left it is noted that the letter has two enclosures. Below this it says "Til / Herr Minister Lars Tillitse, / KØBENHAVN" with the last word underlined. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in Danish. In the letter Aage writes that since the Minister will be leaving for Japan soon, and since he might be presented with letters concerning Aage's property there, which was left behind when the family traveled to Denmark, Aage takes the liberty to send the Minister two copies of letters, one that Aage has sent to his attorney in Japan, and one that he has received from the Swedish Diplomatic mission there (these letters are identical to enclosure 2 and letter 2 respectively). Hopes that the Minister will kindly work to accelerate the shipment of the boxes with the family's possessions. He also mentions his claim against the Japanese government and expresses his hopes that the Minister will also work to further the case, should he be presented with it. Aage then writes that he unfortunately hasn't been able to find employment in Denmark, that his hopes about a position in Shanghai, which he had previously mentioned to the Minister, have also failed, and that there generally doesn't seem to be any prospects of getting a job anytime soon. He ends the letter by sending the best of wishes for the future from his wife and himself. The letter is dated November 12, 1946. 8 1/2 x 13 1/4. Enclosure 3 (letter 5): This is a copy of enclosure 2, which was itself a copy of a letter that Aage Clement sent to his attorney in Japan. This letter has "KOPI" underlined at the top center. The place and date is written along the top edge of the paper. Above the main body of text it says "Mr. Y. Yamamoto, / 6, Naka 12, Marunouchi, / TOKYO", with the last word underlined. The letter is signed "A. J. Clement" by typewriter at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. At the bottom of the page to the viewer's left it says "C/C The Royal Swedish Legation, Tokyo". Some numbers have been written in pencil in the lower corner to the viewer's right. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in English. The content of the letter is identical to that of enclosure 2. 8 1/2 x 13 1/4. Enclosure 4 (letter 5): This is a copy of letter 2. The letter has "KOPI" underlined at the top center. Below this to the viewer's left it says "SWEDISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION", and there is a reference number, both at the top corner of the page to the viewer's left. To the viewer's right the place and date is printed. The name of the signer has been written by typewriter as has an additional greeting that was added to the original letter in handwriting. The recipient's address is written at the lower part of the page to the viewer's left. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in English. The content of the letter is identical to that of letter 2. 8 1/2 x 13 1/4. Letter 6 (enclosure 5): At the top corner to the viewer's left the letter has "Danish Diplomatic Representative" in italic, a few lines written by typewriter, and the place and date. At the top of the page to the viewer's right it has the file number of the communication and there is a note that there is one enclosure. The letter is signed in blue ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right, and to the viewer's left is the address of the recipient. The back side of the page is blank. The letter is in Danish. This letter from Minister Lars Tillitse is a reply to Aage Clement's letter of November 12, 1946 (letter 5). The Minister reports that Aage's boxes are all still safe and intact in Karuizawa. He also writes that Aage's attorney in Japan has extended the insurance for the items in the boxes for a year. The Minister mentions a possibility of sending the boxes with a Swedish ship, but otherwise the prospects for shipment aren't good. The Minister advises against shipment on an American ship, partly because of the cost, and partly because of the risk of more transshipments. He then promises to write whenever there is a development in the case. The Minister notes that the Swedish diplomat Ripa has filed a claim against the Japanese government on Aage's behalf, and enclosed with the letter is a copy of a receipt from the General Headquarters regarding the claim. At the end of the letter the Minister writes that the circumstances in Japan are very different from what they used to be, and that it may take a while for things to go back to normal, but that the interest in getting the trade going again is growing stronger. He then sends his greetings to Aage's family. The letter is dated May 26, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Enclosure 5 (letter 6): At the top center of the page it says "AFSKRIFT" in purple. Below this is a line of letters and numbers. The headline is "MEMORANDUM TO: Swedish Diplomatic Representative, Tokyo, Japan." The page is signed "FOR THE SUPREME COMMANDER: / JOHN B. COOLEY / Colonel AGD. / Adjutant General" by typewriter. The back side of the page is blank. The memorandum is in English. This is a copy of a receipt from the General Headquarters regarding Aage Clement's claim against the Japanese government. The memorandum is dated August 30, 1946. 8 1/4 x 11. Letter 7 (enclosure 6 and 7): The letter has "UDENRIGSMINISTERIET." in bold letters at the top of the page to the viewer's left. Below this it has the place and the date, and to the viewer's right it has the file number of the correspondence. Below the place and date it is noted that the letter has six enclosures. The letter is signed by hand in dark ink. At the bottom of the page it has the recipient's name and address. There are watermarks both at the top and at the bottom of the page, both near the edge to the viewer's left. The back side of the page is blank. The letter is in Danish. The letter is a note that the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs passes along the enclosed letter from Minister Tillitse, the Danish Diplomatic Representation in Tokyo, along with its enclosures. The letter from Tillitse is dated July 10, 1947, and it has five enclosures. The letter from the Ministry is dated August 14, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Enclosure 6 (letter 7, enclosure 7): A letter from Minister Lars Tillitse to Aage Clement. At the top corner to the viewer's left it has "Danish Diplomatic Representative" in italic and below that the place and date. At the top of the page to the viewer's right it has the file number of the communication, and there is a note that there are a number of enclosures. Between the place and date and the file number there is a purple stamps with the headline "DANISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION". At the bottom to the viewer's left is the address of the recipient. The letter is signed in black ink at the bottom of the back of the page to the viewer's right. The front page has "- 2 -" at the lower corner to the viewer's right and the same at the top center of the back side of the page. The letter is in Danish. A letter from Minister Lars Tillitse to Aage Clement. In the opening of the letter the Minister writes that he has enclosed a memorandum from the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Civil Property Custodian, dated June 23, 1947 (enclosure 7). The memorandum concerns Aage Clement's claim against the Japanese government. Also enclosed are three copies of the form "Claim for damage" and an instructions guide, both of which are mentioned in the memorandum. The Minister also writes that there has been a lot of claims against the Japanese government and that each claim has to be specified and comprehensively documented. He then mentions that this might be difficult in Aage's case, and writes that in that case an affidavit signed in the presence of a notary public will have to do. The Minister then writes that the claims won't be evaluated before the peace treaty has been signed, as the treaty will most likely lie down guidelines concerning compensation and contain decisions about the appointment of a committee that will then evaluate each individual claim. He also mentions that the American government has decided to compensate their own citizens and then later advance the claims against the Japanese government, but that there have been no such decisions made by any Danish authority. He requests that the filled in forms are to be returned through the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen. Ending the letter he mentions that an export license for the 17 boxes belonging to the Clement family has been obtained. He then promises to send them to Denmark at the first possible time and to write to Aage as soon as there is a development in the case. The letter is dated July 10, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Enclosure 7 (letter 7, enclosure 6): The memorandum (mentioned in enclosure 6) has "AFSKRIFT" at the top center of the page in purple letters. At the top of the page near the edge to the viewer's left there is a purple, oval stamp with the text "DANISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION, TOKYO" and a coat of arms with a crown on top. Below the purple text at the top of the page it says "GENERAL HEADQUARTERS / SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS / CIVIL PROPERTY CUSTODIAN". To the left of the purple text is has a number and a date, some of which is pre-printed in purple ink. A part of a pre-printed word has been crossed out and corrected in pencil. At the bottom of the page it is noted that there are two enclosures, and to the right of this it says "PATRICK H. TANSEY / Brig. Gen. USA / Custodian". The back side of the page is blank. The memorandum is in English. The memorandum concerns the claim of Aage Clement against the Japanese government. It establishes that the claim needs to be specified. It also states that the specified claim will be retained on filed until a procedure for processing such claims has been established. The copy of the memorandum is dated July 10, 1947, and the memorandum itself is dated June 23, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Letter 8 (enclosure 8): This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date and file number along the top edge of the paper. The letter is not signed. At the middle of the page to the viewer's left it is noted that the letter has one letter enclosed. Below this it says "Til / Det Kgl. Danske Udenrigsministerium, / KØBENHAVN" with the last word underlined. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in Danish. In this letter from Aage Clement to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aage Clement acknowledges that he has received the Ministry's letter dated August 14, 1947 (letter 7). With this letter he sends his response to Minister Lars Tillitse, the Danish Diplomatic Representation in Tokyo, who in his last letter (enclosure 6) required that Aage Clement's reply would be sent through the Ministry. The letter to the Ministry is dated August 21, 1947. 8 1/2 x 13 1/4. Enclosure 8 (letter 8): This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date and file number along the top edge of the paper. The letter is not signed. At the bottom of the page to the viewer's left it is noted that the letter has three enclosures. Below this it says "Hr. Minister Lars Tillitse, / TOKYO" with the last word underlined. The back side of letter is blank. The letter is in Danish. The letter is from Aage Clement to Minister Lars Tillitse and is a reply to the Minister's letter of July 10, 1947 (enclosure 6). In the letter Aage writes that he has filled out the forms mentioned in the Minister's letter and that they have been signed at the American Embassy in Denmark and that they were all stamped there. He then comments that both he and his wife were happy to learn that their boxes will be able to be shipped, and he writes that he has taken put a policy for the items, and that he hopes that his financial means in Japan have been enough to cover the shipping expenses. He writes that the family has not yet found a permanent place to live in Denmark, which is a burden on the family. He then expresses his hopes that the Minister's wife and daughter's ongoing travels will lead then safely to Japan. Ending the letter he asks the minister to greet Mr. and Mrs. Lyster and other common acquaintances in Japan, and he sends his, his wife's, and his daughters's greetings to the Minister himself. The letter is dated August 21, 1947. 8 1/2 x 13 1/4. Letter 9: The letter has "GENPART" at the top center of the page in purple letters. At the top of the page near the edge to the viewer's left there is a purple, oval stamp with the text "DANISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION, TOKYO" and a coat of arms with a crown on top. To the right of the stamp the date is typed. At the top to the viewer's right is a file number and the details of the case. Below the main body of text there is a purple stamp with the text "L. Tillitse". At the bottom of the page it says "Til / Udenrigsministeriet / København." On the back side of the page there is a file number at the top of the page to the viewer's right. There are three lines of text followed by the place, date, and a signature. The recipient's address is underlined in the text. The letter on the back is signed in hand in black ink. Both the front and back side is in Danish. The letter on the front is from Minister Lars Tillitse at the Danish Diplomatic Mission in Tokyo to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is a note that the Diplomatic Mission has received three filled in copies of the forms mentioned in the Minister's letter of July 10, 1947 (enclosure 6) from A.J. Clement. The letter also states that the forms have been passed along to the General Headquarters, the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Civil Property Custodian. This letter is dated September 19, 1947. The letter on the back is a note that the letter is sent to Aage Clement for his information and in relation to previous correspondence, such as his letter of August 21, 1947 (enclosure 8). This letter is dated October 16, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Letter 10: At the top corner to the viewer's left this letter has "Danish Diplomatic Representative" in italic and below that the place and date. At the top of the page to the viewer's right it has the file number of the communication and there is a note that there is one enclosure. Between the place and date and the file number there is a purple stamp with the headline "DANISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION". At the bottom to the viewer's left is the address of the recipient. The letter is signed in blue ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. The back side of the letter is blank. The letter is in Danish. A letter from Minister Lars Tillitse to Aage Clement. The Minister reports that the 17 boxes belonging to the Clement family have been shipped on board the Ø.K. (East Asiatic Company) ship M/S India on August 22, 1947, as requested by Aage in a telegram of August 5, 1947. The Minister reports that he already before he received the telegram had made preparations to have the boxes sent to Yokohama for shipment on the M/S India. He writes that the boxes were sent by train and that Aage's attorney in Japan, Mr. Yamamoto, will be presented with the bill for the shipment. He also writes that the insurance is covered in Copenhagen according to a telegram from the Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs of August 18, 1947. He mentions that he has enclosed a bill of lading for the 17 boxes from Ø.K., and he mentions that a second copy will be send to Aage in the next post, and that the bill of lading says that the shipment fee will be charged when he receives the boxes. He notes that the ship sailed directly from Yokohama to Manila but that it might still take a few months before the boxes reach Copenhagen. Ending the letter he expresses his hope that the boxes will reach their destination safely and intact. The letter is dated August 27, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Letter 11: At the top corner to the viewer's left this letter has "Danish Diplomatic Representative" in italic and below that the place and date is written. At the top of the page to the viewer's right it has the file number of the communication. Between the place and date and the file number there is a purple stamp with the headline "DANISH DIPLOMATIC MISSION". At the bottom to the viewer's left is the address of the recipient. The letter is signed in dark ink at the bottom of the page to the viewer's right. To the viewer's left there is a note that there is one enclosure. The back side of the letter is blank. The letter is in Danish. In the letter the Minister refers to his letter of August 27, 1947 (letter 10) and encloses an original copy of the bill of lading for the shipment of the 17 boxes that the Clement Family left behind when they left Japan. The Minister asks Aage to reply and acknowledge that he has received the two letters and the documents. He then notes that there is a third original copy at the Danish Diplomatic Representation in Tokyo. The letter is dated September 11, 1947. 8 1/4 x 11. Letter 12: This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date and file number along the top edge of the paper. A letter has been added to a word in pencil near the middle of the page near the edge to the viewer's left. The letter is not signed. At the middle of the back side of the page it says "Hr. Minister Lars Tillitse, / TOKYO" with the last word underlined. Below this is an address. There are watermarks at the top and in the middle of the page. The letter is in Danish with a short paragraph in English. In this letter from Aage Clement to Minister Lars Tillitse Aage thanks the Minister for his letter of August 27, 1947 (letter 10) and for his support in the case with the shipment of the Clement family's belongings in Japan. He then writes that he and his family have taken the decision to emigrate to the USA and that they plan to settle in Vancouver, Washington. According to the letter Aage already has his visa and is planning to travel within the next couple of weeks after writing the letter. His family will then be following him in the beginning of the next year if nothing unforeseen happens before then. The family wants to bring their possessions from Japan with them to the USA and in order to do this they need to be able to prove that they have owned these things for more than a year prior to the immigration. For this reason Aage asks the Minister if he would write a certificate to this effect, and then he writes his own suggestion for the wording of such a certificate (written in English). He also mentions his claim against the Japanese government and comments that his moving to the USA and one day probably gaining American citizenship might have an effect on the process. He then promises to send his new address to the Minister once he arrives so that the Minister will be able to take any necessary steps to further the process or to instruct Aage what to do to further the process himself. He then writes that the reason he didn't write about the plans to emigrate in his previous letter of August 21 (letter 8) is that the plans were still so uncertain then that he found it best not to bring them up. At the end of the letter he writes that Annelise, his daughter, every now and then gets news from the Minister's daughter, Nina, and that the family is happy to learn that the journey of the Minister's daughter and wife is going well and that they had enjoyed their stay in the USA. He ends by sending greetings from his wife, Annelise, and himself. The letter is dated September 17, 1947. 8 3/4 x 11 1/4. Letter 13: This letter has the sender's name and address at the top corner to the viewer's left side and the date and file number along the top edge of the paper. The letter is not signed. At the bottom of the page it says "Hr. Minister Lars Tillitse" and below this is an address. On the back side is a letterhead and the opening line of a letter to the Minister Lars Tillitse, dated September 24, 1947. The letter is in Danish. In this letter from Aage Clement to Minister Lars Tillitse, Aage acknowledges that he has received a copy of a bill of lading from Ø.K. for a shipment of 17 boxes from Japan to Denmark. He also mentions his letter of September 17, 1947 (letter 12) where he acknowledged the Minister's letter of August 27, 1947 (letter 10). He then points out that he put his address down wrong in the previous letter, gives the correct address, and mentions that the family has moved around a lot. The letter is dated September 25, 1947. 8 3/4 x 13 1/4. Enclosure 9: One page. The headline is separated from the main body of text by a black line. The headline is "SUPLEMENTARY STATEMENT OF PERSONAL AND PROPERTY DAMAGES SUFFERED BY AAGE JULIUS CLEMENT - A DANISH SUBJECT - AT THE HANDS OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE GOVERNMENT". The page is not dated. The back side of the page is blank. The statement is in English. The statement describes how Aage Clement was treated by the Japanese government when he was arrested in 1941. 8 1/2 x 11 1/4. |
Language of Material |
English/Danish |
Title |
Letters and enclosures |
Creator |
Clement, Aage |
Other Creators |
Ripa, O./Tillitse, Lars/Cooley, John B./Tansey, Patrick H. |
Dates of Creation |
1945- 1947 |
Associated People |
Clement, Aage Clement, Magda Laugesen, Magda Clement, Annelise Stoaks, Annelise Clement, Christian Emil Ripa, O. Tillitse, Lars Tillitse, Mrs. Tillitse, Nina Cooley, John B. Tansey, Patrick H. |
Search Terms |
Clement, Aage Clement, Magda Laugesen, Magda Clement, Annelise Stoaks, Annelise Clement, Christian Emil Ripa, O. Tillitse, Lars Tillitse, Mrs. Tillitse, Nina Cooley, John B. Tansey, Patrick H. Japan Tokyo Karuizawa Yokohama The Royal Swedish Legation The Swedish Diplomatic Mission The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Danish Diplomatic Representation Danish Diplomatic Mission Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers WWII WW2 Det Østasiatiske Kompagni Ø.K. The East Asiatic Company EAC The Ford Motor Company of Japan letter enclosure documents correspondence |
Given In Memory Of |
In Memory of Annelise Magdelene Clement Stoaks |
Date Received by Museum |
06/06/2011 |
Images |
139\2011013038.JPG |
Accession number |
2011.013 |
Collection |
Stoaks, Annelise Clement Collection |