Ulm, 15 March 1942
My darling sparrow!
Yesterday evening your dear letter from 11 March 1942 reached me. Thank you very much for that. I was astonished to read that you still haven’t received any mail from me in Paris. I’ve already sent you a good number of letters. I also sent you 50 RM and seven small packages containing shortbread cookies I made just for you. Maybe something has reached you in the meantime--I sure hope so!
It’s wonderful to hear that your health is improving. I’m just afraid that when you go back to your troop, the same affliction will come right back--don’t you worry about that too? Official Frey said recently that if you were to get yourself written up as g. r., könne er Dich jetzt reklamieren lassen, because this week apparently a secret edict came out of Berlin that states that people born in the years 1900-1907 who haven’t finished their higher education or have just begun it will be written up as “reserve only” since the administration can’t continue to work like this.
I’m including the report that Professor Dr. Jüngling did earlier; I don’t know if that might be helpful for you later. I’m also sending you the receipt for the 50 Marks I mailed to you. The lottery that you played with Franz won the supplement--we split it. I saved your old number as well as the shared one, but I gave up the others. Something came from the National Socialist Legal Workers’ Association [Rechtwahrerbund or NSRB] but since I don’t know much about it I’m sending it to you--maybe you can take care of it.
We are very excited that you sent us two packages, and now we’re just waiting in anticipation for them. It just occurred to me that if you still need money, just write that you do and I’ll send you some. 50 RM is the highest amount that I can send at one time. Last Friday was the Dienstbereichappell. Mr. Rieger asked me while I was there if I might be able to give him a small portion of our field. Since then, more and more inquiries have been made about it. I told him that if things are really that bad, that of course I would give a portion to him, because I don’t need such a big area and some people have nothing at all. The times are different now than they were one or two years ago. Franz spoke up and said that if I were ceding part of the land, then he would take a portion as well. So that’s how it’s going to go. Mr. Rieger is getting a part of Mr. Hess’s land, and this is helping everyone. I’m sure you are of the same mind.
Irmgard plays outside all the time now. Yesterday afternoon she was in the city with Uncle Franz, and this morning at 9:30 she went down to Heidenheim Street again. I’m happy to be free of her, and where better to send her off to than to Uncle Franz! We’re often so grateful for our “protector”!
Yesterday, Elfriede gave us all quite a scare. At 1 pm I layed her down for her midday nap, which she’s been doing very well with lately again. At 1:30 pm she let out a terrible cry, and when I went up to see what was wrong, her upper lip and left eye were completely swollen. To be sure it was nothing serious, I took her immediately up to the hospital. No one could explain what it was. Tonight I laid her down in your bed. The swelling has let up, but in its place she has a rash that looks like measles. This morning, the doctor predicted that it’s from the anthelmintic therapy, which she really has to do. I’m just going to see how the whole thing pans out--hopefully it’s completely harmless. In that situation in particular I was so grateful for Franz. You know, it’s not always easy to take charge of three little ones, and it would have been better if their father was there.
Our little Brigitte zooms all over the house. We haven’t used the playpen in eight days--she won’t let us lock her up anymore. She’s solid and powerful, our little one, and hopefully she stays that way.
My love, I was a bit offended that you let almost an entire quarter of a year go by without asking about our future. To be honest, that was an extremely tough time for me. Can you imagine that soon, meaning in six months, we will have four children? I’ve gotten used to the fact, but I just know how much it will take over our lives! Oh dear! It will be doubly important for you to be back home then, because to be alone with four such small children . . . Maybe it will really be so, I can’t think of anything I could wish for more. In this spirit, I greet you and kiss you many, many times
Your Emilie and children
Dearest Papa, come home soon to your Irmgard and your Elfriede!
My darling sparrow!
Yesterday evening your dear letter from 11 March 1942 reached me. Thank you very much for that. I was astonished to read that you still haven’t received any mail from me in Paris. I’ve already sent you a good number of letters. I also sent you 50 RM and seven small packages containing shortbread cookies I made just for you. Maybe something has reached you in the meantime--I sure hope so!
It’s wonderful to hear that your health is improving. I’m just afraid that when you go back to your troop, the same affliction will come right back--don’t you worry about that too? Official Frey said recently that if you were to get yourself written up as g. r., könne er Dich jetzt reklamieren lassen, because this week apparently a secret edict came out of Berlin that states that people born in the years 1900-1907 who haven’t finished their higher education or have just begun it will be written up as “reserve only” since the administration can’t continue to work like this.
I’m including the report that Professor Dr. Jüngling did earlier; I don’t know if that might be helpful for you later. I’m also sending you the receipt for the 50 Marks I mailed to you. The lottery that you played with Franz won the supplement--we split it. I saved your old number as well as the shared one, but I gave up the others. Something came from the National Socialist Legal Workers’ Association [Rechtwahrerbund or NSRB] but since I don’t know much about it I’m sending it to you--maybe you can take care of it.
We are very excited that you sent us two packages, and now we’re just waiting in anticipation for them. It just occurred to me that if you still need money, just write that you do and I’ll send you some. 50 RM is the highest amount that I can send at one time. Last Friday was the Dienstbereichappell. Mr. Rieger asked me while I was there if I might be able to give him a small portion of our field. Since then, more and more inquiries have been made about it. I told him that if things are really that bad, that of course I would give a portion to him, because I don’t need such a big area and some people have nothing at all. The times are different now than they were one or two years ago. Franz spoke up and said that if I were ceding part of the land, then he would take a portion as well. So that’s how it’s going to go. Mr. Rieger is getting a part of Mr. Hess’s land, and this is helping everyone. I’m sure you are of the same mind.
Irmgard plays outside all the time now. Yesterday afternoon she was in the city with Uncle Franz, and this morning at 9:30 she went down to Heidenheim Street again. I’m happy to be free of her, and where better to send her off to than to Uncle Franz! We’re often so grateful for our “protector”!
Yesterday, Elfriede gave us all quite a scare. At 1 pm I layed her down for her midday nap, which she’s been doing very well with lately again. At 1:30 pm she let out a terrible cry, and when I went up to see what was wrong, her upper lip and left eye were completely swollen. To be sure it was nothing serious, I took her immediately up to the hospital. No one could explain what it was. Tonight I laid her down in your bed. The swelling has let up, but in its place she has a rash that looks like measles. This morning, the doctor predicted that it’s from the anthelmintic therapy, which she really has to do. I’m just going to see how the whole thing pans out--hopefully it’s completely harmless. In that situation in particular I was so grateful for Franz. You know, it’s not always easy to take charge of three little ones, and it would have been better if their father was there.
Our little Brigitte zooms all over the house. We haven’t used the playpen in eight days--she won’t let us lock her up anymore. She’s solid and powerful, our little one, and hopefully she stays that way.
My love, I was a bit offended that you let almost an entire quarter of a year go by without asking about our future. To be honest, that was an extremely tough time for me. Can you imagine that soon, meaning in six months, we will have four children? I’ve gotten used to the fact, but I just know how much it will take over our lives! Oh dear! It will be doubly important for you to be back home then, because to be alone with four such small children . . . Maybe it will really be so, I can’t think of anything I could wish for more. In this spirit, I greet you and kiss you many, many times
Your Emilie and children
Dearest Papa, come home soon to your Irmgard and your Elfriede!