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Today we have part of a letter from soldier Paul Zerzawy to his family in Brüx, Bohemia. The letter appeared to be complete and several pages long, including a signature on the last page. Only upon getting it translated did I realize that the pages were from two completely different letters!
In addition to hearing about the family, Paul provides more details about the flour that he wrote about in the letters we saw on September 3 and 14.
16. September 1918
My dear ones!
I am writing to all of you together again because I figured out from Grandmother’s last letter, or rather, from the letter enclosed by Robert, that he and Käthl will be back home by the time this letter reaches you.
I hope that both of them had a good summer vacation which will have a lasting effect on their health. From your letters, it seems like only good news, except for the flu, which hopefully Robert has recovered from by now without any bad consequences.
I was less happy to hear that dear Grandmother is not eating well, or that this had been the case. Why is there no evening meal in the mess? And what are these problems which Robert mentions in his letter to Grandmother with the “fine gentlemen”? Who are they and why do you not write to me about these things?
I haven’t heard anything from Papa in a long time. Are you still hearing from Erich? If you are, please write to him what might be of interest about me and write to him that I cannot write him directly. My cards came back with the annotation “invalid.”
I am in very good shape. My illness was not the flu, but it originated in stomach and intestines, due to the effect of the heat on certain foods. This illness is very common here and usually affects people who come here from a different climate. Particularly vacationers, etc. By the way, the heat is now diminishing and the nights are becoming cool. For this reason, please prepare my winter things and 4-6 pairs of socks. Then when I write to ask for it, everything will be ready to send. Please also put in the box a few nails to make boxes so that you can hear the nails when I shake the box and write on the box: “Contents: nails for boxes, etc.” Because “laundry” would probably get lost.
Keep sending boxes with little bags and nails in them so that I can send home flour as long as I have the opportunity to do so. At this time there are all kinds of changes in the division of troops. At any moment, I may end up in less favorable circumstances or I will be sent to the new regiment being formed in Italy. As I already wrote to you the day before yesterday, I have about 130kg of flour here which will be sent little by little. Please be very careful and use dry storage with no smell, possibly in very well-closed boxes (because of the mice). But please air it out more often. Especially the wheat! Please do not talk about this and do not give anything to acquaintances for the time being. If I should have the opportunity to give you enough for the whole year, and if on top of that I can accumulate an extra supply, then I will think about sending some to our good friends. Only if you think that you owe somebody a favor or you want their gratitude, please write to me and I will send a few kg from here to those specific people. Helena, Aunt Marie and Luise already are receiving something from me. Above all, save as much as possible. Also, try to build up a supply. If you end up not needing the extra, it will be very good to trade for cooking fat since I can hardly send any fat to you.
Tomorrow two boxes, number 11 and 12, will be sent to Robert’s address. In addition, the following have gone to Grandmother:
(without number) 15 August approx 7kg Bread flour
“ 23 August 6-7kg Corn flour
No. 5 3 September approx 8kg wheat flour
No. 6 6 September approx 8kg wheat flour
No. 7 10 September approx 8kg wheat flourTomorrow I will send Robert:
No 11 17 September approx 8kg pure flour
No 12 17 September approx 8kg pure flourPlease write to me with number, date, and contents — always which boxes have arrived and in what condition. I will talk about the money with Papa. The cost for me for 1kg of flour with packaging, tips, etc amounts to about 2.80kr. On top of this, there is postage which you pay…
Paul continues to urge the family to be cautious, not to draw any attention to the valuable supplies that are arriving. He also asks them to make packages they send to him look like they contain hardware rather than clothing, because the latter tended to go missing while the former would be unattractive to those who handled the mail.
Paul has concerns about how things are at home, but cannot assist them from so far away. We learn that Robert had the flu, but unlike millions of people, he recovered. In later letters, it sounded like he didn’t have a very strong constitution – perhaps like those who recovered from the 1889 flu and perhaps “long COVID” today, survivors suffered ill effects for years to come. Although Paul mentions an illness, he assures everyone that it was not the flu, but probably food poisoning due to the heat.
Paul mentions that his letters to Erich have been returned as undeliverable. It wasn’t until after the war that he discovered that his brother had fled the prison camp (and presumably died) in July 1918 – see January 12 post.