[Partial translation]

Steeden, 23 October 1937

[...] glad that you are still well [...] here everything is also going well. Our relatives are all in the field [...] here we need warmer clothes than where you are, because [houses] are not heated as well [...] Today Father went to the Finanzamt [tax office] in Weilburg [...] Karl Martin wrote to the tax office in Wiesbaden that all taxes are paid and asks for a receipt so that the Devisenstelle [foreign exchange control office] lets us have our money. A week afterward they asked for us to register with the police, this request came from Steeden, so then they wrote that Limburg was responsible. When Father arrived in Limburg, he was told that all the paperwork had been sent to Weilburg, because Steeden belongs to that district. Now we have been here for four weeks and know no more than we did before we arrived here. Once Father was in Wiesbaden in order to find out what the houses are worth because Frau Glaser had already written to Frankfurt that we could have the house back. Albert Fink told him that the houses are even more burdened with an estate tax, because a house which brings in rent of 5,000 marks is only worth 40,000. Father noticed that our house already looks neglected. Father will go to Frankfurt and see what Frau Glaser wants. Albert says the Glaser family will not have to pay back the mortgage to us.

He also was in Nordentstadt. Of course they argued terribly and it got so Father could leave and then was disgusted with himself for going there. The debt has been written off. We will receive a bond of 540 marks, and on another part [of the debt] interest of 4 ½ % will have to be paid for 52 years. By that time none of our teeth will hurt us!

Here in Steeden nothing much has changed, but then again [sic]. You know how it used to be. Affluence everywhere, and what is it like now? People toil from morning till evening with so little food that you would be surprised. Of course the farmers have butter, but other people are only allowed ¼ Pound a week [125 grams]. Also ¼ liter of oil. The other fat for poor people is margarine. There is hardly any decent soap anymore, we are supposed to wash with chemicals. Bread looks almost as bad as during the war. White flour is yellow, mixed with cornmeal [...] Wool fabric is also scarce and very expensive. Beech wood is made into material. There is no construction of houses this year, therefore there are no apartments. We are just glad that we could get a place here, but if we could find an apartment in Wiesbaden we would rather live there. How it will turn out we will have to leave in God’s hands, because He knows best what is good for and helpful to us. When Father visited the minister in Wiesbaden Father indicated that he wanted to ask the synod for a favor, but he said that was out of the question. I will tell you more about that another time. I am quite busy, I took over the cooking, that way one knows what needs doing. We sleep in the room next door and heat the place. We have also been to Ennerich, Uncle is unemployed because there is not enough iron. May the dear Lord let it all turn out well. May he protect you, don’t forget him, because on whom can we depend? Heartfelt greetings from Mother.