In Prague, the Mühlsteins tried to emigrate. The most promising project was to travel on a group visa and establish an agricultural colony in Bolivia, but in the end nothing came of the plans. In January 1939, Robert married Markéta Ledererová, a refugee from Teplice, Hanuš settled in Pilsen and married in January 1941, Anna and her husband continued to live in Jičín.
Only Josef managed to escape by illegal transport to British Palestine. At that time, the Gestapo and the Protectorate authorities still permitted the emigration of Jews, of course on the condition that they leave all their property with the authorities.
Under the supervision of the Gestapo, a group of emigrants, which also included Josef's friends Erži and Alfréd Bandler from Most and the former Teplice rabbi Dr. Friedrich Weihs, set off on their journey on April 30, 1939.
The photographs show the deck of cargo ship Frossoula, which was loaded with nearly 700 Jewish refugees in the Danube port city of Sulina.
Pursued by British vessels and short of coal and water, the Frossoula drifted across the Mediterranean until it began to sink. Her crew was transferred to another illegal ship called the Tiger Hill on the high seas. In early September, this ship, packed with nearly 1,500 refugees, was driven onto the beach in Tel Aviv under heavy British fire.
How many months did Josef Mühlstein spend at sea while escaping from the protectorate?