Still Clipper 72 And still Vienna, the 7th February 1941
My dear children! I’d rather break your heads than give money to the post office. Especially I congratulate you about your shoes, stockings, your outfits, and your blue suit. You ask if I still remember your black velvet dress. Of course, Everl! But you will not remember anymore that you asked me this question. I actually didn’t consider it to be of any advantage, but decided to risk the disapproval of my daughter with my rude criticism. If the ladies you work with admired it, then you must have really showed off your sewing skills. I hope the blue jacket dress will also be as successful. Harry’s fruitful beard activity I do hope it is not taking on a scary form. I wouldn’t mind being tickled by it. I in fact can’t stand beards, wherever they are, but I do love the beard of my son. What color did he decide on? Fluff is usually blond. Please do satisfy my curiosity about this. So Harry is a banana seller? Wonderfull. But he should at least in spirit send us all his bananas that are beginning to go bad. That’s when they taste the best to me. Just like Lucretia Borgia. In the worst case, I would still eat them when they are green. I wouldn’t want to waste too much. It’s a good thing that Harry picked up some on Gärtnergasse. Now it probably wouldn’t be possible anymore. They are working on a sign that they are going to attach. The painters have too much work now to forbid you to enter the street. You wouldn’t believe how many jobs have not been completed. Paul seems to be having a second career as a tour guide or wanting to at least. I wouldn’t let anyone else do our tour. Helenengasse is one of the few streets that hasn’t asked to change its name. The car cadaver [abandoned car] is still there, at least the last time I went by. When the sun can be counted on to be there consistently, I will go and inspect it. The Schüttelpromenade was always the first walk at spring’s awakening [may also be referring to a play]. Taking up a half hour of sunlight is really something I’d like to do this year. Last year I was so careless as to not follow the call of spring right away. Then Mrs. Sun was insulted and went away. But I swear as much as I can that I will get some sun.
By the way, we were pleasantly surprised by the youth of the letter we got today. It only took 39 days (!!!) to get to us. What progress compared to the one before last. You must have received some letters from us in the meantime and perhaps scattered around some concerns about our health. I am not behind on my news. I have gotten caught up and gotten through everything. In the next Clipper, you will hear from us again. Many greetings to all the love ones.
I am hugging you in absence and thinking with delight about Everl’s smooth skin and Harry’s prickly little nose. Do you remember? [Poem] “Little Harry, Porcupine, when will your wedding be?” Please wait till we get there, okay? Papa is thinking about a way of getting rid of his beard. He seems to experiment with this on his head quite successfully. I will let you know afterwards.
Many kisses
Helen
A few comments on today’s letter: After the Nazis came to power, they changed many of the street names in Vienna. Life was difficult, uncertain, and stressful. Nearly everything had changed a great deal in a few short years, none of it for the better. The sense of disorientation would have been complete by suddenly finding yourself not knowing the names of the streets you’d been walking and living on for decades.
Helene’s cousin Tillie Zentner was the instigator of bringing Eva and Harry’s to the U.S. Her husband Julius Zentner was the cofounder of Levy-Zentner wholesale fruit and vegetable company. (see crate label from the Oakland Museum of California, an image search will bring up many vintage labels and crates). One of Harry’s first jobs was working for the company, hence his mother referring to him as a banana seller.
On the roll of negatives from 1939 or 1940 which I mentioned a few days ago, there was a photo of an unknown man in front of crates of vegetables (celery?). I assume he was an employee of the Levy-Zentner company.
The above photo was taken by Harry in 1939 or 1940 at the Washington Street Produce Market, now Sidney Walton Park at Jackson and Davis in San Francisco. The old brick archway on Front St is the last remaining remnant of the produce district. The San Francisco Public Library has some photos of the market in action including a photo taken in 1956 showing the A Levy and J Zentner Co sign. Click on the View Image link to see photo.
All that’s left of the produce market - an entrance to Sidney Walton Park.