[Partial translation]

7 July 1941 [Father]

My Dears, we want to let you have a sign again before the connection is entirely broken. As long as it does not become reality, I don’t believe it will happen, still we have to consider that it could become reality. So far we are still doing well, thank God our health is fine and we are living in the deepest peace here in Wiesbaden. They are just now straightening out the situation in the East, so far the reports say that all is going according to plan. Up until now these reports have turned out to be true. You need not fear for us, the coastal areas are in greater danger than the interior. The short [summer] nights do not allow long trips [by bombers]. By the time the nights are long the East will be done for, so that we can pay more attention to the North-West, which is already happening and not neglected by us. Dear Karl, we received your package for June on the 26th. It contained 1 pound of butter and 2 pounds of lard. We did not receive a notice from you or from Norddeutscher Lloyd ahead of time, so our most heartfelt thanks. Rudolf from Aumenau and Paul Nikolai from Steeden, both your age, have now also donned military uniforms[...] also the hay harvest took place in that hot weather which was not very much work. Whatever was mowed in the morning could already be brought in the next day. How are Willy and family, he has not let us hear from him in a long while, we send greetings. At the moment Ma is napping and I think that she will add something. Heartfelt greetings from your Pa.

[Mother]

Now, my dears, I will let you hear from me also. Father already mentioned the political part. These last two weeks were very hard for our soldiers. Those who have relatives among them are aching for news from them. Many a one will not return, that is the hardest. Otto from Schadeck and Albert Bender were there also [at the Russian front], I don’t know if they have written. But what would have happened if these rough hordes had invaded our country. We are doing well so far, I will now go to bathe at the Kochbrunnen [hot springs]. Johanna bought me ten tickets for Mother’s Day, as luck would have it I just now have rheumatism in my right arm, I hope that will make it better. Here people still do a lot of bathing, and when you live here you should make use of it. Johanna also goes every day after work, now she is waiting for school vacation. Here vacation begins on Tuesday, lasting two months, and then the beginning of September school starts, and the children are promoted a grade, just like where you are. I am just now doing canning, last week I got strawberries, now cherries and black currants. There are plenty of berries this year, nevertheless people are buying them avidly. You always have to prepare for the winter. Soon the new potatoes will be ready, the fields look good, hopefully it can all be harvested, until now we have always had our bread and flour, though rationed, but there was enough and when the harvest comes in well we have enough for another year. Soon Margie will have her birthday, we will think of her and wish her all the best.

How is Hedwig? You know what I think? It is all caused by her nerves which were never good. She inherited that from her grandmother’s side of the family, her mother did not have it, but Luise Vietor who is her mother’s cousin, did have it for quite a while many years ago. I saw her at that time and it was the same thing you, dear Karl, write of Hedwig. Here there is now much talk about heredity and it must be said that a lot of it is true. That [disease] is tedious and one must have a lot of patience, but in time it gets better. Greet all the relatives and acquaintances from us and may you all be protected by God, may he help us also during these hard times.