Rivesaltes, July 12, 1942
My dear, good and darling little Fred
Why didn’t I get any mail from you for a whole week? Do I worry! Each day I wait in vain for mail from you. Perhaps you wrote Papa and he did not have the opportunity to forward it to me on Thursday. It is sad indeed that we are so separated and that a letter is the only thing to cheer one up. I hope that nothing happened to you, my dear child. Soon you will be on vacation and I want to know whether you will be allowed to see Albert. Did you already speak with your directeur ? If not, please do so. Lorle keeps hoping that you will be able to join her – she just can’t imagine a greater joy. Margot writes good news about her job. Her letter goes first to Papa, Lorle and then to you. Send it to me then so that I can keep it. She is in a fancy house, also a château , has a nice room with a huge bed with room for somebody else in it. In the morning she has to make coffee on the rechaud (chaud=hot, feminine form chaude, re as prefix means again, rechaud means hot again) and toast bread and then bring it to the lady in her room. The lady helps her along all over the place and apparently Margot can learn something from her. They have a big garden and chickens as well as chicks. Trefe she does not eat, but was so full that she couldn’t even eat the marvelous cherries. You know what that means with our Margot. Moreover she gets 300 Fr. per month. Isn’t that nice, my little Fred.
At this time, quite a few people are being set free. Mrs. Babbe left this week for a job in Argelès, others were sent in groups to the units where the husbands work. How much I would like to get a job so that Papa could join me there. Maybe it will work out sometime. Right now I am still in ORT and I greatly enjoy sewing there. I have learned a lot and belong to the most capable. What kind of work do you do out in the field; don’t go too much in the hot sun. Watch out for yourself when your mother isn’t around to tell you what you should do. Well, my dear little Fritz, I still hope to get mail from you and don’t let me wait for so long again. All the very best and a thousand kisses from
Your MAMA who worries about you
Dear Manfred,
| I am sitting in the yard under a big tree to write this. It is windy but not as bad as in camp. In the meantime you will probably have written to Mama so that she does not have to worry about you anymore. I think that Margot likes her job. One just has to get adjusted everywhere. I already received a package from her today – hadn’t expected it so soon. I received 150 Frs. and bread tickets from Albert so that I can supplement my diet. I want to see when he visits you or you him. Uncle Sally wasn’t here yet. It will take longer this time than he announced | for July 5 or July 12. Hugo wasn’t here on Saturday but he visited Mama. He is going to wait until I send him the permit so that he will be permitted to come in here according to the regulations. People from Gurs and Récébédou came to the Camp. A few are already here in the hospital. The Oppenheimer boys and a Nachman returned from the Home in the Hautes-Alpes. They ate well but had to work very hard. You have to read this letter each half downward. By now you have done it.
Love and kisses Your PAPA |
Enclosed a letter from Margot. When you have a few letters together, make a nice little package and send them to me as a double letter which, to my knowledge, can’t weigh more than 250 grams.