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Helene says that she sent this letter to her children with the one we saw on October 18.
Clipper #56 Vienna, 24 October 1940
My dear children! With letter #55a, Papa had to pay extra postage but now that it’s written I’m going to include it with this one. In the meantime, your letter #5 of October 10th has arrived. It took only 12 days to get here. That’s fabulous! Isn’t it? So, Everl has already found out that this profession of nursing also has its downside. When she wrote to me her decision to become a nurse, I only saw that but then I was very surprised by the description you provided up to now of your exemplary institution. I hope, however, that your enthusiasm will last, despite the difficult and sometimes unpleasant work. Your description of the ball was so vivid that I felt like I’d been there. Everl said that she danced with an Austrian. Did she meet that doctor from Vienna, or is this a friendship that has come about in San Francisco?
Harry asked quite a few questions which I will answer in the next letter – today I will not have enough time or room for that. I will just say that we are very happy in every way with our sub-tenants. Papa just came home with an “I’m hungry” and I’m going to see what I can do about that, so I’m going to interrupt my writing. After I have solved the stomach question, if I still have time I will continue.
Now I’ve satisfied the guts and I am continuing my report with the feeling the wolf in the fairy tale must have felt when he had eaten the seven little kids and after the grandmother’s operation. You remember this beautiful little story in which the wise grandmother freed the hostages and in their place she sewed 7 rocks into the stomach.
On Seidlgasse, an earth-shattering move will take place. Our Angelo Zamini, who was the most angelic creature in the third district and the most representative stomach of the area, is going to very soon show all this off in a lovely little corner restaurant on Löwengasse. We don’t know if he had a fight with somebody or if the wounds were the problem, but somebody apparently hit him (according to Roswaenge), which worries me. My eyes will weep because they have to look around for another pasture.
I have sent your greetings on to Paula, Jo and Becks and the Stapplers. As undeliverable I must send back those to the Weidlich (tumor), the Fahnenjunker (angina pectoris) and “Herzerl” (delirium tremens) and in the loyal entourage of his neighbors, the tobaccanist (paranoia). Everl, could you maybe ask at the hospital? I’d like to be able to get a vaccination to protect me against various things: hunger, upset, and poverty (the last one just in case). I think I’m immune to everything else.
That’s enough for today. I do need to keep something back for the next letter.
With many kisses
Helen
It’s impossible for us to know what it was about letter #55a that made it more expensive. It was just one page – perhaps Helene sent something in the envelope?
It is so touching to read how Eva in her letters tried to make sure that her parents felt like they were not missing out on the lives of their children. She describes her studies and work in the hospital – the good and the bad – as well as social activities and the people she was meeting. She sends greetings to friends and neighbors, including Paula whose post-war letters caused Helene such hope and consternation. In the list of ungreeted people, Helene may be listing professions rather than names.
I briefly tried to find something on Angelo Zamini, but came up empty-handed. Nothing in the 1939 Viennese directory or newspapers. I assume he must have run a restaurant or pub near their apartment on Seidlgasse. Löwengasse was just a few blocks away and currently there are at least two pizzerias – perhaps one of those was the same location as his new restaurant.
