[Partial translation]

18 August 1938 [Father]

[...]got your letter from 10 days ago[...]thanks for it...today I want to congratulate you on your birthday and send you best wishes and God’s richest blessing for your future life. We were permitted to experience and celebrate Mother’s birthday in good health. All relatives from over there had mailed congratulations which arrived two days before. We really enjoyed having everyone’s mail arrive together. Emmels, Bill Müller, Mina Müller, Margret von Nenah had sent mail[...]Johanna was also home because Albert Fink and family were on vacation in the Odenwald [...] wanted to stay for two weeks but returned after one because of heavy rain. The harvest was really good this year, it is not finished yet. From the end of July until the 8th of August we had great heat, between 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. After the heat there were serious thunderstorms, some days it rained for 24 hours. Most of the harvest is still in the fields, it has been put up in sheaves and all of it is getting green on top. Yesterday I passed the Klarentaler Manor, there were about 20 Morgen in sheaves, and all the top parts green. In this way a good harvest becomes a bad harvest. And in this manner proud human beings come to realize that their hard work and proficiency cannot always bring success. Today people always put themselves first and only then consider the actions of God. Just now the mail arrived with picture postcards from Madison and Margie’s letter. Your card did not have enough postage, we had to pay a fine of 10 Pfennig. You had vacation again and knew how to make use of it. Here too people go on vacation, much more than in former times, and if you don’t go you lose face. Upper Bavaria and Austria were the goal this year, every place over-full and enormous prices say those who are returning [...] you will have heard that Th. Müller died four weeks ago[...]Albert Fink now has to go to Frankfurt repeatedly because of the purchase of the shoe store. It is not so easy any more, you have to prove that you are a skilled tradesman and prove it in writing[...]the demand for such places which are all set up is great. Also, members of the party will have first dibs. [Likely speaking of stores which belonged to Jews and which are now being 'aryanized.'] I have my teeth as of yesterday, will go there again because they don’t quite fit. When it’s all done and fits properly I will be 150 marks poorer, but it is worth it. One year ago today I stopped working at Ständert [sic], which I remember fondly. I do not feel superior, a person needs work if he is healthy and it gives a certain satisfaction in life. Yesterday the tax office wrote that this year’s advance payment for income tax needs to be 44 marks less than last year; they will return me the overpayment. The tax on assets remains the same for the moment.

[Mother]

[...]I continue on, Father is at the dentist[...] many thanks to all of you for your congratulations on my birthday, to Margie for the hair nets and pictures[...]Paul is truly a wonderful fellow [...] the way he tears around the house is a sign that he is healthy[...] if only they become decent human beings later in life, pray for them that the dear Lord may help you to bring them up. Margie writes that she is doing some canning, here there is nothing to can[...]was at the market today to get some blackberries, did not see any. Tomatoes cost 20-25, there are Italian ones, but not that good. Today we got beets, beans and onions from Steeden in the mail. I will put up the beans in a stoneware pot. There is hardly any fruit this year but plenty of vegetables and potatoes. We get bread from Alfred Fink from Biebrach, he bought a house and bakery there, he brings the goods here on a motorcycle. Every week Father and I get two round loaves of peasant bread, it is very good. This way we have what we need, but all the many extras you have one cannot afford here. If you go out on a Sunday and drink a beer it costs 35-40 Pfennig. You say the little ones have whooping cough, let us hope it does not get too bad, that was the only serious disease you children had[...]yesterday school started again. Will Joän go to kindergarten in the fall? What a nice birthday party she had, we could see it in the pictures[...] here also a lot of ice cream is consumed, the portion costs 40 Pfennig. I congratulate you, dear Karl, on your birthday also and wish you God’s most abundant blessing. May he keep you healthy and always lead you in such a way, that you finally reach the great goal which we all aim for. When you get older you see much more easily what a vale of tears the world is and that this is not our final place. Therefore always be mindful that your family remains true to God’s word, because all earthly things pass and to whom can we turn when sickness, hardship and death come to us? God be with you [...] many greetings, Mother.