Enclosed 1 censored letter

Dear Manfred,

We got mail from you today.  In the meantime you will have received our letter.  Since Papa gets the letters first, there is a slight delay.  We also got mail from Margot, Lorle and Opa today.  Did I have reading material.  I spent almost all of Saturday and Sunday with Mama as we had off to go to synagogue.  We got an orange at the Suisse.  Dr. Neumann isn’t there anymore.  Miss Weill, Dr. Malkin, Bloch, Reutlinger, Bergheimer and Mama were there.  A boy lead the prayers.  This week we already got  3 times 2 chocolate bars.  After all, it was May 1st.  Papa and Lorle have a birthday next week.  For Lorle, I asked a Spaniard to carve an anchor from a bone.  It came out great.  We shall send it.  It looks approximately like this                but much nicer.  The weather is  acceptable again.  It rained last week. Right now, the sun is shining again.   However, it is still windy.  I am sitting on a step outside to write.  Mama goes to O.R.T. to sew.  She fixed a jacket for me.  She also patches my pants.  I am getting a new arse patch.  Who mends and darns your stuff.  You, by yourself?  Do you get your fill? or could you eat more?  Write us please if you go hungry at times.  Margot writes well.  She is used to the place.  Do you sometimes have to help the farmers ?  You write that you helped to plant potatoes.  On Sunday the children got more toys.  We are always happy with your letters especially that we did not expect such a nice style from our little cutie pie.  Kindest regards and kisses from your brother

HUGO

My good, dear, cute, little Fritz,

We received your letter today which we enjoyed very much.  However, I am very sorry that you worried because you did not receive any mail.  You don’t need to worry as you know what a big correspondence office I run and how my head is old and dumb.  It can happen this way that I write and the letter gets included with all the other incoming and started letters which I send to Papa so that he finishes the letter and then forwards it.  This will cause a delay by 1 or 2 days.  However, I know that everybody is happy when they hear directly from Papa.  I write every week.  So, my darling, don’t worry unnecessarily.

On Saturday, after the Oneg, I went to see the Swiss Schwester and asked her again to take you to Lorle.  She told me to write about this to your directeur.  This I did on Sunday.  In the meantime he must have gotten my letter.  Did he transmit my regards to you?  I also wrote about this to the headquarters of the Sec.-Suisse in Toulouse who handle everything.  I want to see if and when I get an answer and what they will write.  Let’s hope for the best.  Lorle would be so happy if her little Fred would join her, this would be her best birthday present.  This morning I put her anchor, the one Hugo described, in the letter, with Mr. Censor’s kind permission.  I hope that she gets it all for her birthday.  As to the other birthday celebrant, I hope to be permitted to see him on Sunday.  I got the authorization today.  Tomorrow I will have Sunday entered on it.  If only you, my little Fritz would pitapat next to me.  Hugo has an authorization as well but he won’t be allowed to go, probably a different time.  It is more practical for us and for Papa if he does not get everything at once.  The time will come soon, when he leaves also, then I will be all alone.

Today, Aunt Vita sent me a work contract, want to see what will happen with it, so there is always something new.  I am writing to you very comfortably in the sewing class.  Left at 4 PM.  I already wrote that the children got to Marseilles.  Ruth Palm and Arno Niedermann are among them and one of the Surrmanns.  They may be over 12 because they are Russians.  Germans may not be over 12.  Their mothers are allowed to go to Marseilles to see their children thanks to the OSE.  I am glad that I don’t have to say Adieu to you my good Schnuggele.  The next transport  is supposed to include older children.   Wait and drink Tea[1].  Did you get weighed already?  Did you get fat already?  I wouldn’t mind checking up on your appearance.  Lorle must have gotten awfully fat according to her directrice and Schwester Ruth.  She is right to put on fat in reserve as she knows that the time may come when one is glad to have it.  Renate Dreifuss got placed in a private home in Montpellier, Albert E will leave by Friday.  Soon all the children will have left and then it is the turn of the teenagers.  The weather was beautiful today and I like îlot J pretty well by now as the wind does not overturn the barracks.  Uncle Sally wrote today, has to work hard.  He wants to come for Whitsun.  Now with heartfelt regards and a thousand kisses from your                                MAMA

If I am allowed to go to Papa, I will only write to you toward the end of next week.  Papa should write on his own then.