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Harry was in a prolific letter-writing mood in November 1944. Today’s letter to his sister Eva in San Francisco was written the day after the letter to the Schillers which we saw yesterday.
New Guinea
20 November 1944Beloved Sister,
I am writing this letter with one eye only, the other being glued to the lovely portrait of yours that lies before me; believe me it is a great morale booster in addition to being a very pretty sight. (At least one of us is goodlooking, even if it isn’t I. I hope you found out by now that I am in a rather flattering mood and that I am not doing that for nothing; knowing me as you do you’ll have gathered that I want something in return for my compliments. I am going to list things that I want at the end of this letter so that you don’t get annoyed before you even have read the letter.) Seriously, I think it is a darn good likeness of yourself – a very pretty one at that (whistle).
I received all your griping letters in which you. called me all these nice names in reference to my correspondence habits; I cannot say that I blame you for that. After all, you are one of my most faithful correspondents, and I should be ashamed of myself for carrying on the way I do. Your weak brother again asks your forgiveness. I’ll try to make this a long letter to make up for the ones I didn’t write.
By now you have probably gotten my last letter I wrote to you. It was the first one I wrote from this new APO (503). Please let me know whether you received it, because its contents was very important; if you didn’t get it I’ll have to repeat what I have written.
I sent Julia two negatives of snapshots taken of me here and I told her to give them to you as soon as she got her prints made. I’d appreciate it if you had about five of each printed for me so that you can send them to me in one of your letters; (I want to send them to some people I know and I can’t get any prints here.) and as long as you have prints made, get enough to distribute them to anybody that cares to have some. While I am on the subject of snapshots I want to mention that if you want more you’ll have to send some films (that’s gold in New Guinea); I know it is pretty hard to get film in the States but you may be able to acquire some through some black market channels. A friend of mine has a camera I can use; the size of the film required for that camera is 6-20. Whenever you are able to get ahold of that size film, just forward it to me – it will be very much appreciated*.
I was just interrupted by a bunch of fellows and was treated to a bottle of beer, so from here on my letter may sound a bit corny in spotsh, yesh. Twenty-four bottles used to be sufficient for me, but no more; whenever I sight a bunch of guys drinking beer I rush over and stick around until some good soul offers me a swallow of that nectar; in the event that there are no suckers in the crowd, I walk up to the first man, slap him on the back, take the bottle out of his hand, say “hello, old boy”, take a double swig, and return it to him accompanied with another slap on the back. (Above is quoted from my latest book “How to influence people and take advantage of their Beer.”) You know the old trick cigarette smokers use to smoke someone else’s cigarettes, don’t you? I apply such a trick to beer.
I just had a most hair-raising experience. One of those crazy grasshoppers hopped on my nose and got slapped to death by me; the blow divided the beast into two fractions: one, a lonely sinewy leg, and two, the dead remainder of the grasshopper which dropped to the floor. The lonely leg fell on the typewriter keys; when I was about to pick it up and throw after the dead body, it jumped into the air as if the body had been with it still. I either witnessed a remarkable natural phenomenon or I’d better cut out drinking beer. (This episode reminds me of the poem “The Knee” we read in school, remember?)
So you are one of the ten remaining “old maids” of your graduating class, eh? And you intend to be a bachelor girl, tsk, tsk. Don’t forget, men will be scarce after this war; you still got your pick – it may be too late some day. By the way, who is your current beau? (How does that song go “Pick roses in Spring while they bloom, for in Fall they wilt away”, or something like it?)
What did you think of my postwar plans? Aren’t they great, though? If you have any suggestions, send them in.
How is your job getting along? Have you received any more raises in salary? I sincerely hope that you haven’t been contemplating again on joining the Army Nurse Corps; anyway, the war will be over soon (maybe). Furthermore I stated another reason in my last lesson and I think you will agree with me on that matter.
What is Paul doing these days? Have you or anyone heard from Robert lately? I was surprised to learn that Ursula’s parents gave up their unique collection of snakes and lizards; what are they collecting now? Spiders?
Well, this is going to be my last page for tonight; I’ll dedicate it to the purpose of annoying you by making a few requests. By the way, I want you to know that I appreciate very much whatever trouble you go to for me. (Editor’s note) (Wasn’t’ that a delicious piece of beautiful sentence structure?)
To begin with, don’t forget those films. Secondly I want some film, furthermore I could use some more film. (You see, film is really on my mind)
When I started this letter I had a lot of stuff in my head that I wanted you to get for me and now cannot remember anything but the film. It’ll have to wait until I remember the things I wanted, I guess. I will elt you know in my next letter (which will be forghcoming sooner than you will expect). Until then, I remain your loving brother and chief pinup boy,
Harry.
P.S. Say hello to everybody
P.P.S. Enclosed is a cartoon you might enjoy.
I believe the portrait Harry refers to is the one we saw in the September 12th post.
It appears Harry is referring to a poem called “The Knee” (Das Knie) by Christian Morgenstern. I didn’t find a poem about roses with the words Harry recalls. Perhaps he meant the poem by Robert Herrick that begins: “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.” That poem certainly is in keeping with what he is telling his sister.
We read about Harry’s postwar plans in the October 27th post – he intends to live a life of full time work and study, while taking advantage of the G.I. Bill.
As I read Harry’s gratitude for his sister’s faithful correspondence, I thought about how my mother must have felt during these years. After leaving their parents behind in Vienna, Eva and Harry began their new lives in San Francisco, expecting Helene and Vitali to soon join them. Over the next few, the only thing Eva could do was write to her parents regularly so they knew they were loved and not forgotten. Correspondence became impossible in late 1941 after the U.S. joined the war. Eva and Harry knew nothing about how their parents were faring and could do nothing to help. After Harry enlisted, Eva was completely alone – her parents and brother miles and continents away. It must have been a relief to be able to write letters again, and she poured herself into that duty, happy to send her brother whatever he wanted or needed.