Ilot J. bar. #17

My dear, sweet Frederle!

Enclosed 2 stamps @ 1.50 frs.

Yesterday I finally received the long awaited letter, I already worried about you.  As I see not quite unnecessarily.  The main thing is that you are up and about again and that it wasn’t bad.  Perhaps you were too long in the heat? Hasn’t Uncle Albert written to you yet?  He wrote that he would like to take you on vacation and that you could go with them to Grenoble, would that be great, wouldn’t it?  If you don’t know anything about it, write a letter directly to Uncle Albert and ask yourdirecteur if you can go.  The address is:

Albert Rosenfeld

8 rue du Castries

Lyon (Rhône)

It would be wonderful if you could be with Lorle.  Imagine her joy if her Fritzel were with her.  I believe that Margot would be jealous that you are not with her.  When you are with Albert or with Lorle, I’ll send you your suit and cap, write immediately.

The food here is generally better than last year, there is thick tomato soup, often tomatoes and fruit.  I have my own room now, I am barrack chief of #17 and #8.  I have a lot of work but also good food from OSE and supplement in #8 (Coffee, soup and wine or jam).  In the morning I get 1/2 liter “milk coffee” and 1/8 bread, at noon 1/2 liter soup, meat or something else and fruit, tomatoes and in the evening 1/2 liter soup and something else like 1 sardine or salad, then 1/8 liter milk.  As you see, my dear, I am much better off.  I don’t cook for myself anymore except when Hugo is here.  I want to see how much weight I will gain because the others in the kitchen, Mrs. W. Erleb, Kahn and Rossmann want me to put on weight like they did and they want to force feed me.  Mrs. W. brings me the soup she cannot finish and I eat it too.  I am happy as this allows me to send something to Papa, even if not much, it is a little bit.  In addition I receive 1/16 bread and 5 Frs. every day.  You see, dear child,  dear G’d always helps the needy.  Last week I earned 30 Frs. as I made Mrs. Kahn a dress.  We, Hugo and I, always have more money than some who get a lot of packages.

What do you wear to work in the field?  Your clothes must be threadbare.  I won’t have to worry about your clothes when you are with Lorle.  Not many remain from Bar. #32.  Mrs. Babbe was liberated, Mrs Wertheim is with her husband, Mrs. Riechheimer leaves tomorrow to be with her husband.  He is in a work unit, lives privately in Perpignan and she leaves for Perpignan.  They have enough to live on.  I have to see what will become of us.  I would like to be together with Papa.  Perhaps Uncle Sally is able to arrange a work place.  Margot writes quite well.  She has to work hard but not excessively and she is used to it, has good food and 300 Frs.  She only misses her friends to talk to.  She would love to put all of us into her big bed and to put one of the many empty rooms at our disposal.  It bothers her that this is not possible.  So, dear Manfred, never make me wait this long for a letter again.  For today, the most tender regards and many times a thousand kisses from your

MAMA

Yesterday a letter came from you.

Dear Manfred,

Yesterday, Saturday, I travelled via Perpignan to Riv.  Although there were no visiting hours, I was allowed about 10 minutes with Papa.  He looks better.  By chance he was standing at the entrance.  He was very happy.  For now, many regards and kisses from your

Brother HUGO

Tomatoes are plentiful here.  The kilo costs about 4 frs.