My dear Manfred,

The news that I have to tell you this week are not so good.  Mama and Hugo were shipped off yesterday.  Hugo was here Friday evening.  He told me that if he does not come any more, then he is gone, and today I received a letter that this is so.  They say, first to a collecting Camp in the Paris area, where they will all be sent.  Nobody knows what will happen next.  It is possible that the sick will be able to stay here for a while longer.  Albert should not be included in this decree as he already came to France before 1936.  Sally is not without worries but believes that, because he volunteered into the Prestataires in 1939, he will be spared.  But as mentioned, nobody knows anything definite.  You will probably be the most secure in the Homes.  Now I am curious if your next letter mentions that you will visit Albert.  You will have to decide on a sign to recognize each other at the station as Lyon is somewhat bigger than Karlsruhe.  I am expecting the leftover luggage from Rivesaltes.  Your suit is among the stuff.  I will send it to Albert or to Lorle.  According to the well known speedy luggage forwarding from the Camp, it will take quite a few days yet until I receive it.  We don’t have to send a birthday letter to Mama this year, as we don’t know the address.  You can prepare one and keep it.  Just make a drawing on one side, rather I want to say, write only on one side of the paper, then the drawings come out better.  When you write again to Margot, then write to her that she has to continue to stand it in her job and not to dream so silly and be homesick as you are not either. The Jewish orderlies are also gone.  However Kirchheimer came back, maybe because his wife is sick.  She now is in the convalescence Home Elne, close by.  The other two went their own way like many others lately.  In the nice weather, one can stand it to remain outdoors and whoever knows the language, can manage fairly well.  I am enclosing a letter from Lorle.  Mama has not read it.  Hugo will have told her the contents. We hope that this harsh testing, just begun, is the last of its kind.  Therefore, bear it, until  better conditions, which we are expecting for a long time already, will find us together again.

With kindest regards and kisses

Your PAPA

You can send Lorle’s letter to Margot, she should keep it.  A letter to Sally came back: gone, without any forwarding address.  Either he was also shipped off or he fled.