Dear Manfred,

I received your letter of the 21st yesterday.  I enjoyed it very much.  As far as I know, I wrote you about Albert, that he could not visit you on Whitsun because he travelled to his brother-in-law’s where his wife is at present.   I believe that he will write you before he expects to come.  On Sunday I had a big visit, Mama, Hugo and Sally.  Mama had made a Schnitzknopf [1] for me and brought it along.  All the things that she will have to cook when we are together again.  Lorle is also learning how to cook good stuff, we will just have to see how we gather the raw materials.  Too bad that right now the time hasn’t come yet.

Many are saying that the war in Europe will be over in a few months, but one has to wait and see.  At present Hugo is in a work unit in Barcarès.  From there he got time off to visit the Camp and walked here with Mama,  went back in the evening and could still remain there over Whitsun Monday[2] and Sally arrived at the Camp on Monday.  Mama went shopping for various vegetables here and this way she had something to eat for her visitors.  I already bought cherries a few times here, we also got cherries and oranges two times from the comité.  I already ate more cherries here than at home during several years.  Of course, here one eats because one is hungry, at home mostly as dessert.  It takes me a while to eat the cherries but I have lots of time.

Opa wrote me also for my birthday, a little late because he did not know the address anymore.  He also announced a package but it hasn’t arrived yet.  Sally also brought me a few good things so that, up till now, I haven’t had to buy anything for myself this week.  Every noon we get Quaker soup  and after that mostly turnip soup, once in a while beans, noodles or rice.  Lately there was carrot soup for a while.  I am receiving “supplement”, that’s sometimes a small piece of meat other times sausage.  One keeps what one gets.  I think that your food is somewhat ampler.

Mama gave me the enclosed letter.  You don’t need to send it further as I am writing to the three of you.  I want to mail your letter with postage from the comité which one can do once a week.  I already interrupted the letter a few times as I am writing at meal time.  This morning I already had a shower, the second time since I got here.  Well, best regards and kisses from

Your PAPA

[2] Pentecost or Whitsun is a two-day Christian holiday celebrated seven weeks after Easter.