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Helene’s nephew Robert Zerzawy sent the following letter to me in honor of my 4th birthday. After sad letters from the past 2 days written 2 years after today’s letter, it’s lovely to see his happier and more playful side. I am so touched to be included in the family story in this way. Through almost a century of family letters, we see birthday wishes sent from across the world — through war, upheaval, and illness, my relatives maintained their connection by marking family milestones.
24.3.1963
My dear Helen Rose,
The other day I made a fool of myself. – You see, I made a note of your birthday, and not to miss it I entered it in my diary a month earlier so as to be quite sure to reach the date. – When it came to the 26th February I had completely forgotten the clever provision and took it for the real day. That gives you, incidentally, an insight how my mind works. I am afraid it consists mainly of holes if I have to remember dates which was once my specialty.
So today I humbly though less convincingly tender you renewed felicitations on your birthday which I hope will find you in magnificent health and the best of spirit. Perhaps, your mother will have time and patience to explain to you how it comes that an almost stranger addresses you so familiarly. And maybe, his audacity evokes even some response. Which motive, I must confess, was in part responsible for this letter.
This is as far as I can go today. When I receive some news from you or your people I shall gladly write about us. In the meantime, I am somewhat worried and sense a reason for the long silence.
Perhaps one day, when you come to England in the courses of your education which nowadays includes a trip to the old Continent, we might meet in person and I certainly look forward to this event. Though, this is not likely to happen for a little while.
With my warmest wishes and kind thoughts and love to you all,
Yours cousinly,
Robert
When I was a student at UC Berkeley, I took a popular course on folklore. The main assignment was to collect a number of sayings, songs, traditions from people we knew and write them up, doing some research on the history of these customs. Like my forbears, I have never liked to throw out anything I’ve written. I remembered that I had interviewed Harry for this paper so I dug it up. It turned out that I also had interviewed my mother. One of Eva’s recollections was the following nursery rhyme which Helene sang to her as a child while rocking her on her lap.
Here are the lyrics:
My mother said that her mother also sang this song to me until I was about five years old. She said I really enjoyed it – good thing I did not understand the words! Perhaps Helene is singing it to me in the photos below.
