Link to Family Tree to understand family relationships.

Today we have a letter from Helene in Vienna to Hilda Firestone in San Francisco. Harry has lived with Hilda and her husband Nathan since arriving in San Francisco in October 1939. Since they do not share a common language, Helene writes in her halting English, interspersing some German (indicated in italics). Helene’s nephew Paul Zerzawy was also in San Francisco and would have been able to translate the German. I admire Helene’s courage to write in a foreign language – even after years of studying French, I was always reluctant to expose my lack of fluency.

Vienna, December 13, 1940

Dear Hilda!

Generally I don’t like winter in spite of snow-romantic, winter-sport and carnival-revel, for all that, years ago, I waited for Xmas with palpitation of the heart. There were the little things with which we could give so much pleasure. Today it is quite another thing. There are no children (own) and no relatives, but only a few friends to find a little surprise for them and therefore I hate this time. Nevertheless, I hope that you will spend Christmas in funny society, gay and cheerful and wish you and Nathan a happy New Year.

Harry wrote me that you make great progress in the study of German. I am quite enthusiastic. I will not trespass on Paul, but I find it is easier to learn a foreign language with background music, for instance: 

Viennese expression: don’t push me. German: don’t spill tea on me. Fluency, I beg your pardon, volubility you can reach by reading of the following sentences: [tongue twisters] “We Viennese washerwomen would wash the soft white wash if we knew where warm soft water was.” Or: “Fritz Fischer fishes for fresh fish early in the morning when it’s fresh” [a famous tongue twister, embellishing the original]: “ The cow ran until she fell.” is an easy one, much shorter. Also, [a pun on eel & lox]. And “Potsdam & Cottbus postal carriage is polished with postal carriage wax.” [riffing on another famous tongue twister] Your teacher will have already taught you this.

Now I’m done, but I’m afraid of Paul because he may forbid you to correspond with me in the interest of your making progress in learning German. Excuse me when I wrote such gibberish. It smells bad and I am afraid it is our dinner. 

Yes, it was. Poor Vitali!

With my best regards to Nathan and you I remain fondly

Helen

P.S. Just now Vitali came home. He caught a cold. Therefore he has no idea that our dinner is black-colored. He sends his best greetings.

After delving into my family letters this year, I have gained a deep appreciation and affection for these relatives who were shadowy names to me all my life. I so wish I had known the Zerzawy brothers. Hilda too. Although they would not meet until 1946, Helene was grateful to that her beloved son Harry was safe in the care of her cousin Hilda (technically her first cousin once removed – the daughter of her first cousin). Even living oceans apart, Helene always tried to stay connected to her family, most of whom she never would meet. We saw a letter in the February 23rd post where Hilda recalls a fond childhood memory of receiving a book of German folk songs from Helene, which would probably have been sent around 1910.  

Even in her broken English, Helene gives us a vivid picture of her anticipation of the holiday season when the family was all together. Despite the separation and her lack of resources, she tries to mark the season with her friends.

The original tongue twisters Helene uses can be found at this link and can be heard spoken by a native German speaker here.