Letters From Germany

Köhler cousins (page 14) 1952

Letters sent by Berta Brietzke to her first cousin, August Maas, in Walnut Grove, MN.

See page one for additional information about these letters.
[The accession numbers (A/N) are for reference and cataloging purposes.]

A/N - BRI006 [Translation by Siegfried Krause]

Burg,
9 January 1952

You dear ones! We have gotten your dear Christmas card and your dear letter, in which you write that you have sent us a small package. Now, we got a big package today with such beautiful things, the joy is great, you dear ones, may God bless you and your children again. We thank you from our whole heart. You probably have received our card and saw that we are now with the children here. We left from our address in Duingen and so they forwarded it to us. Our dear Aunt Block has thought of us in her great pain as well, it is moving, also Marta Buss. Dear ones, you already have done so much good for us all, we often remember it, otherwise would we have to continue in despair? --

On March 2, it will be 7 years since we were driven from our homeland. And everywhere we are looked upon as a burden. Our only prayer always is that peace would come once to the world. Now we also worry about you dear ones once, all your children are now also married and that you, dear August, can still help them is indeed beautiful. Yes, so it becomes with us we had to leave the homeland. Our youngest son has been missing since 1943 in Russia, our youngest daughter died in Duingen in 1948, and our oldest daughter is in the Russian zone with her husband. They are not fine. They would be so glad to see us again. So now we have still the oldest son, with whom we are; he and our daughter-in-law do the best of their ability, they also want to keep us happy. It depends on God what happens, Hermann has slowly recovered after the stroke.

Now you dear ones, again a thousand thanks, God protects you!

Best regards to you all, your grateful

Hermann, Berta and Children

A/N - BRI007 [Translation by Siegfried Krause]

Burg,
5 April 1952

Dear August and Family!

In the hope that you all are healthy, we wish you a happy and blessed Easter. We also are reasonably healthy, except for Hermann, one already was so glad that he could get going again, However, he gets an attack (probably a stroke) again and again, is constantly in medical treatment. He stands with God, if it is His will, then He also can make it better sometime.

The previous month we had snow and cold days. Our children in the East-zone write quite sorrowfully that they are not able to even visit us. One cannot think it will improve either, peace doesn't come to the world. Now, we have been away from the homeland 7 years already. May God bless and protect you!

Cordial greetings from your always grateful,

Hermann, Bertha and children.

Updated - BRI007 added 3/15/2011

A/N - BRI008 [Translation by Siegfried Krause]

Burg
13 July 1952

Dear August and family!

I must sadly communicate to you now, that my dear husband passed on the 30th of June into the eternal Homeland. We still can’t grasp that he is no longer with us; I was not able to write about it either. He still had 2 consecutive attacks (strokes) and then he had to lie there and suffer very much during the last 14 days, we only could chill his lips the last days. It was very hard for us also. The children still wanted to keep him so gladly, they did what they could do, however God wanted it differently. Now, he has overcome everything and is united with all our dear unforgettable dead ones. If he still had to lay a long time paralyzed, he always had the wish to see the children from the East-zone once again, but that was no longer granted to him. They could not even come to the burial, although it is not all that far away from us, the letter was heart-breaking. -- Because they all had loved their kind-hearted father and grandpa. He was 77 years, still so hale, but if God calls us, then we go. Thus, we also must wait until he calls us.

How is our dear Aunt Block, she had written to Franz that she went into the hospital; we are very sorry about that. God succors her. God commands all! Please also inform Hedwig. Also, we think much about you dear ones all, since the world doesn't come to peace, God may protect all of you from all the evil.

Be all cordially greeted from

Elisabeth, Ernst, Horst, Klaus and Bertha Brietzke