Letters from Lida

My dear Children, my true Davidel

It was an undescribable joy, with the golden photos of you, my dear Davidel, since the last picture, you’ve become a great, stocky little guy. Be clever, and grow strong in body and mind for 120 years! [Hebrew]

If I were to have the good fortune to be with you, then we’d be quite [illegible] with each other, for which I long endlessly. Your dear Mother can knit wonderfully well, I envy you this talent, dear Hilde. I can knit, but I don’t understand the charts and directions. On the one picture, in which the child has no hat on, it almost looks as if he’s slightly cross-eyed, but not on the others. He’s big and strong and pretty as a picture. What use is that all, when I can’t be there. I am working on my emigration with great zeal, may the Almighty grant that it comes soons. In this [illegible] I close. Receive my most heartfelt blessings! Stay well, may G-d protect and bless you for 120 years! Be cordially greeted and kissed by your true Mother, Granny, and Max

My beloved Children and Davidel,

Cordial thanks for the lovely [illegible] photos of the dear child. Which naturally gave us great joy. [Illegible] a great boy for his age. He sits very [illegible] obediently in his nice knit [illegible] and the [illegible] gleams like an [illegible]. The great rainy season should be over where you are by now; did your [illegible] withstand the rain storms and did it stay [illegible]? We are, G-d be thanked, joyously lively.

Receive my most heartfelt blessing, with all good wishes, cordial greetings and kisses, Your true Father and Grampa

From Pages of Testimony (see fam.htm) the letter writers are either Betty and Joseph Kugelmann or Max and Rosina Helfer. There IS a mystery - the use of "rainy season", as if the Helfers are no longer in Germany or even Europe (where there are four named seasons). However, they did apparently die in the Shoah, as several different relatives have submitted Pages of Testimony for Benno and Hilde Helfer. Assuming that "Max" after "Granny" [Oma] refers to her husband, and not a son at home, it's more likely that this letter came from the Helfers.

Letters from Lida - 119