1947 - 06 05 Letter to Clara Hinderer from Aunt and Uncle Haller
From CowTales
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source: Clara Hinderer collection
My Grandma Clara Hinderer Baur had been living in New Ulm, MN for 20 years when she received this letter. She was secretary to the superintendent of New Ulm Public Schools.
She had put her only child (My Dad, Ralph Baur) through school including college and seminary. Ralph was now a pastor in Nebraska. She moved to Nebraska to live with her son in 1947. Mom and Dad got married in 1951.
Some quick comments by translator:
The letter is from Schwäbisch-Gmünd in Germany, Ledergasse is a street there, the house is at https://goo.gl/maps/CLhAPgwnzGr (no street view: that only exists for a number of cities in Germany due to privacy concerns)
G. Haller writes to his "dear niece Clara", so he's her uncle (or potentially great-uncle).
The censorship was established by the military governments of the Allied governments.
Schwäbisch-Gmünd is in the southern part of Germany, which was controlled by the US. They gave up that control (incl. limits to the freedom of the press, and secrecy of mail, as shown here) in 1949 when the West-German government was established (with a new constitution, free elections, ...), although some further restrictions were in place until the reunification of Germany in 1989: The 2+4 contracts (Western/Eastern Germany + the allied countries: US/UK/France/Russia) ended this kind of influence.
Synopsis of letter by translator
G. Haller, uncle of Clara sent his and his wife's thank for a package of goods she sent. He also congratulated her and her son for him successfully finishing his studies.
He talked a bit about their situation and how they have little to eat (they both lost 40 pounds since the passport photos, which were many years old that he sent with the letter). He was a teacher at school, giving classes in evangelical religion for over 50 years. He wrote that he was so hungry he sometimes felt dizzy during classes, as if he'd lose conciousness at any time - same for his wife when doing house work. He was also active in the leadership of the local church. Talked about how Germany was quite anti-christian during Nazi times and people looked down on him for going to church.
He was somewhat sad that they had no chance to see each other face to face, therefore the passport photos (which were all he had at the time, and couldn't afford newer and better ones). Apparently he had a picture of Clara's husband's funeral on which he saw her, even if rather hazy (in the background or something like that)
This is so neat, Patrick. Ottillie (who wrote the last page) is the youngest sister of my Grandma's Mom (Klara Schneider Hinderer). Ottillie stayed in Germany and was 14 when Klara emigrated to the US in 1886. She was 65 when this letter was written.
I remember hearing stories of my Grandpa Jaus, a dairy farmer in MN, sending powdered milk to Germany after the war. These are things we can read about in books or the internet, but having them apply to family puts a whole different face on it.
My dear Klara!
I too do not want to miss you sincerely express my deepest thanks for all that many and proven? Good of your l. Broadcast moch? -te the same as the housemother. There was so much care in the choice of your gifts in it. the dress fabric is very niceu. I liked it so much, that gives a warm dress, that I always missed u. I'm really looking forward to seeing it can carry. And I like the stuff very much. Of the unbleached ... I've already tailored a shirt that i just need u. I'll be right in the next one Make days. Even with the thread? u. the ... do you have me delighted, did you know that thread? an expensive one with us? -rer? Article is u. but you need him ... because you currently more ... yes had to mend. You always mend again all lobes together u. Unfortunately that does not last long. We can such things as fabrics, shirts? u. not at all because we get nothing, only the refugees come something, of which there are not a few, therefore is also the food so short that one must always starve. They are like that about 12,000 refugees in private homes? accommodated. We have to take u. have a right now in old age restless life and are very limited in the apartment, quite seen from all the unpleasant things that the whole thing with brings. These are simply mutually untenable in the long run Conditions, one would have to wear the other misery quite nicely had. I am glad that I am already so old, because with us is the life not beautiful anymore. There are always so many burdens that one is almost crushed by it. There should be more power to Carrying, where is the come from, if you can not rest anymore has u. one is still expected more. To the good oatmeal we are so happy u. the nice noodles, almost are they too nice to eat. We are not spoiled anymore. His own? not to forget, they breastfeed ... hunger. We do not get such rare things u. therefore, enjoy it very sparingly, We ...
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A pretty pretty, green cup, with saucer was packed in the oatmeal. If it is ...... gives u. If Hallers was a birthday, I would burn ... to celebrate the day. This is Uncle Gottlieb's favorite food. You l. Klara sent us all the things we like so much u. had not had it for a long time. It means ..., you have it ... Uncle thank you very much for the cigarettes. Also for everything ...
With love, your aunt Ottillie greets you warmly.
Meine liebe Klara! Auch ich möchte nicht versäumen, dir aus aufrichtigstem Herzen meinen innigsten Dank auszusprechen für all das Viele und erwiesene? Gute deiner l. Sendung moch?- te man das Hausmütterlein gleichen. Es lag so viel Sorgfalt in der Wahl deiner Geschenke darin. der Kleiderstoff ist sehr schön u. hat mir so gut gefallen, das gibt ein warmes Kleid, das mir immer gefehlt hat u. ich freue mich recht darauf, bis ich es tragen kann. Und der ...schstoff gefällt mir sehr gut. Von dem ungebleichten ... habe ich mir schon ein Hemd zugeschnitten, das ich gerade brauchen kann u. werde es mir gleich in den nächsten Tagen machen. Auch mit dem Faden? u. der ... hast du mich hocherfreut, hast du denn geahnt, daß Faden? bei uns ein teu?- rer? Artikel ist u. doch braucht man ihn ..., weil man gegenwärtig mehr ... ja flicken mußte. Man flickt immer wieder alle Lappen zusammen u. das hält leider nicht lange. Wir können ja derartige Sachen wie Stoffe, Hemden? u. dergl. gar nicht kaufen, weil wir nichts bekommen, nur die Flüchtlinge be- kommen etwas, davon es hier nicht wenige sind, daher ist auch das Essen so knapp, daß man immer hungern muß. Es sind so etwa 12000 Flüchtlinge in den Privatwohnungen? untergebracht. Wir haben aufnehmen müssen u. haben nun im Alter ein recht unruhiges Leben u. sind in der Wohnung sehr eingeschränkt, ganz ab- gesehen von all dem Unangenehmen, das die ganze Sache mit sich bringt. Das sind auf die Dauer einfach gegenseitig unhaltbare Zustände, man hätte am anderen Elend ganz schön zu tragen gehabt. Ich bin froh, daß ich schon so alt bin, denn bei uns ist das Leben nicht mehr schön. Es werden immer so viele Lasten aufgebürdet daß man davon fast erdrückt wird. Da solle man mehr Kraft zum Tragen haben, woher soll die kommen, wenn man keine Ruhe mehr hat u. einem immer noch mehr zugemutet wird. An den guten Haferflocken sind wir so froh u. die schönen Nudeln, fast sind sie uns zu schön zum Essen. Wir sind nicht mehr verwöhnt. Die seinen habens? nicht zu vergessen, sie stillen ... den Hunger. Wir bekommen keine solch seltenen Sachen u. genießen sie deshalb sehr sparsam, Wir ...
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Eine recht hübsche, grüne Tasse, samt Untertasse war in den Haferflocken eingepackt. Wenn es einmal ... ... gibt u. bei Hallers ein Geburtstag wäre, würde ich zur Feier des Tages ... brennen. Das ist Onkel Gottliebs Leibspeise?. Du l. Klara hast uns all die Sachen geschickt, die wir so gerne mögen u. schon lange nicht mehr hatten. Man meint ..., du habest es ... Onkel dankt dir auch recht herzlich für die Zigaretten. Auch für alles ...
In Liebe grüßt dich herzlichst deine Tante Ottillie.
Transcription/translation by https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/user/Mauritz-15
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