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In the September 3 post, we learned of Paul Zerzawy’s efforts to send wheat to his family in 1918 to supplement the little rations available by the end of the war. Today is a follow up letter.
14.9.1918
Dear Grandmother!
The contents of my last letter no longer applies with regards to grinding the flour, because I have been able to exchange all of the wheat, which is about 180 kg, for 130 kg of very beautiful, pure flour which, however, is not completely white. I will send some of it to Helene. Maybe, also to the Roubischeks. I will send most of it to you as soon as I have enough boxes.
I’m asking you again to deal with this flour very carefully. Mostly you will need it next spring and summer when bread rations will be limited again. It is very doubtful that I will have the opportunity to buy more flour in large quantities, especially since I do not know if I will remain here.
Please confirm every box, telling me the number of the box and the date.
Can you buy onions? In what kind of quantity?
Cooking fat as well as meat is very expensive here. But I cannot send it because it is perishable – unless perhaps one of the soldiers travels on leave to the Brüx area.
Greetings and kisses,
Paul
I have nothing new. How about you?
Paul has been busy in the last week. He has managed to trade the unground wheat for almost 300 pounds of flour for his family. What a relief that must have been for his grandmother – one less thing to worry about as she took care of her grandchildren with no means of support that I know of. He made sure to send flour to his aunt Helene as well. I don’t know what her living situation was in Vienna, but I assume she was able to put the flour to good use.
A week or so ago, we received a package in the mail. We were expecting a few things, but the package was the wrong size, shape, and weight for any of them. It was like a big heavy lump. We opened it and found this:
After reading the last post on Paul Z sending grain to his family, my cousin Tim (Harry’s son) was inspired to send this to me so I could live more than vicariously through the family letters. Fortunately, the package arrived as I was talking on the phone to Tim’s mother. When I told her the contents of the package – neither the book nor the comforter we had ordered – she was able to tell us where it had come from. As when I read many of the letters, I found myself amused and touched at the same time. Tim’s gift contained a sense of fun and whimsy as well as love of family. I can’t imagine a better present. Now I have to put our coffee grinder to work!