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Today we have two letters, one in German and one in English, written from Helene in Vienna to her family in San Francisco. You can see that Helene’s English is far less fluent here than it was by the time she was writing letters from Istanbul five years later.
Vienna, 2, May 1941
My dear children!
I probably only got Paul’s letter from April 8 because he sent it registered. And so I ask you for as long as we are still here to also register your letters. I imagine that at least 10 letters are on the way and for some of them it is really rather questionable if we will ever get them. In any case, I ask you to repeat what interesting things you have written us (school matters, etc). We are interested in everything that you have told us, but I would be happy if you could fill this postal gap as much as you still remember the events. I will be writing to Hilda, Paul, Bertha Schiller and Erwin Fulda in the next couple of days.
We are healthy and are waiting from day to day for mail and for the declaration from the consulate. The next letter will be more detailed.
I kiss you dearly
Helen
Vienna, 2, May 1941
Dear Tillie!
It was not indolence, when I Paul requested to say you our thanks for all troubles, excitements and expenses, simply I felt myself unable to find words to express my love, gratefulness and devotion. I hesitated to alarm you, waiting for a wonder, but the wonder did not appear and when I sent our cable, it was not the last chance only, it was the only way out. One inconvenience relieved one other and the most dangerous affaire was the possibility to lose our nationality. This fear was not unfounded. Fortunately we had your cable that our affidavit and tickets for ship and railway are on the way. So we hope to have no accident till we have the information from the American Consulate.
It is terrible, that we have no mail since February 17 from the children, just one day after sending our cable. I am sorry I am not in sorrow for them, but I am angry, that they do it for us. Paul’s letter from April 8 we received, because it was recommandet. Please tell the children to write only twice a month, but registered, till post functionally normal.
From Paul and the children I know, you are much on the way and in his last cable Paul mentioned that you all are well and that makes me happy. I hope to see you very soon and our inconvenienced moments had been a bad dream only.
With my heartiest greetings to you and Julius, I kiss you
Helen
Tillie was Helene’s first cousin, the daughter of Helene’s father’s brother. She was born in San Francisco and had married a wealthy man. She was apparently a formidable personality, calling the shots and knowing what was best for everyone. From what my mother told me, Tillie decided who she and Harry would live with and gave (sometimes unsolicited) advice about choices they should make in terms of school and work. Eva and Harry had different ideas and as we’ve seen from some of Harry’s war letters, they did everything they could to get out from under the local family influence. Tillie died in November of 1961. I have only a hazy memory, probably one of my first, of going to her house for a visit. My mother spent a lot of time prepping me and ordering me to be good. I don’t know how successful she was since I was only 2-1/2 years old. I am so grateful that Tillie helped make it possible for my mother and uncle to come to the U.S. If only her efforts on behalf of Helene had been as successful.