Ulm
20 February 1942
My dear husband!
Almost four weeks have passed since you had to leave us, and we are still in the same deep winter, yes, one could say in an even deeper winter since the day you left. How lovely must it be in the southern climate where you are now! Hopefully there has been no worsening of your stomach pains. Please write me right away about how you are doing, you know how I worry. Perhaps the quick climate change has something to do with it, since in early spring you tend to have a few days of stomach trouble. I hope to receive good news from you soon.
The children say quite often: Mama, when will the snow here go away and it will be as nice as it is where Papa is? I always promise them it will be soon, but as long as it’s ten degrees every morning, it sure doesn’t seem like it will be.
Irmgard has braids now. She is quite proud of them and says that you won’t recognize her anymore. Her earaches have been giving us quite a lot of trouble lately, you know how sensitive and touchy she can be. One example, yesterday evening at bedtime she would not stop screaming about them. Finally, I promised her quietly that when I went to bed I would take her (as usual) to Papa’s bed. After about five shrieks of “No!” I took her quietly and put her in your bed. At 8, Elfriede began: “I am all alone.” So I also tucked her into your bed. Then I went back downstairs and what do you think we heard--Agathe and I could hardly believe our ears and harkened it to the heater. But it was chatter and laughter, as if Irmgard had never even had an earache. The whole night I had to keep settling the girls down, and this morning at 6:30 the monkey business started all over again. But today I made sure they were settled down by the time they put on their pajamas.
This afternoon I took Irmgard to the store. Mr. Gressler and Mr. Frey send their best, as do a few of the constables that have been down there a while (I don’t know them by name).
My darling sparrow, your lottery number 280996 won 15 RM again. I’ll have them pay it to me, but I’m keeping the number since you chose it. I’ve set aside some tobacco for you. When the mailing ban has been lifted I’ll send you the other items you requested as well, small and modest though they were.
Tomorrow I’m going to buy some seeds for the garden, since when the weather gets nicer and the snow goes away, it will already be time to start planting.
Besides what I’ve written so far, nothing new has happened here, other than that we are expecting springtime soon.
My brother Fred went to Holland. I don’t have any more details.
With many heartfelt kisses, I send you my love
Your loving Emilie and children
20 February 1942
My dear husband!
Almost four weeks have passed since you had to leave us, and we are still in the same deep winter, yes, one could say in an even deeper winter since the day you left. How lovely must it be in the southern climate where you are now! Hopefully there has been no worsening of your stomach pains. Please write me right away about how you are doing, you know how I worry. Perhaps the quick climate change has something to do with it, since in early spring you tend to have a few days of stomach trouble. I hope to receive good news from you soon.
The children say quite often: Mama, when will the snow here go away and it will be as nice as it is where Papa is? I always promise them it will be soon, but as long as it’s ten degrees every morning, it sure doesn’t seem like it will be.
Irmgard has braids now. She is quite proud of them and says that you won’t recognize her anymore. Her earaches have been giving us quite a lot of trouble lately, you know how sensitive and touchy she can be. One example, yesterday evening at bedtime she would not stop screaming about them. Finally, I promised her quietly that when I went to bed I would take her (as usual) to Papa’s bed. After about five shrieks of “No!” I took her quietly and put her in your bed. At 8, Elfriede began: “I am all alone.” So I also tucked her into your bed. Then I went back downstairs and what do you think we heard--Agathe and I could hardly believe our ears and harkened it to the heater. But it was chatter and laughter, as if Irmgard had never even had an earache. The whole night I had to keep settling the girls down, and this morning at 6:30 the monkey business started all over again. But today I made sure they were settled down by the time they put on their pajamas.
This afternoon I took Irmgard to the store. Mr. Gressler and Mr. Frey send their best, as do a few of the constables that have been down there a while (I don’t know them by name).
My darling sparrow, your lottery number 280996 won 15 RM again. I’ll have them pay it to me, but I’m keeping the number since you chose it. I’ve set aside some tobacco for you. When the mailing ban has been lifted I’ll send you the other items you requested as well, small and modest though they were.
Tomorrow I’m going to buy some seeds for the garden, since when the weather gets nicer and the snow goes away, it will already be time to start planting.
Besides what I’ve written so far, nothing new has happened here, other than that we are expecting springtime soon.
My brother Fred went to Holland. I don’t have any more details.
With many heartfelt kisses, I send you my love
Your loving Emilie and children