Worms, Germany
Dolph's Letter #82
Dear Sweetheart-
This has been an eventful day for me dear. Two reasons.
I stopped over to the Chaplain's office to see if he knew my cousin - Chaplain Haselkorn - + found out for the G.I., the chaplain was out, that my cousin is in Mannheim, about 15 miles from here. Well I enquired him to place + he got through. My cousin wasn't there, but I left a message for him to come here tomorrow if he can.
The second unusual occurrence was Eddie Bajda. I told you in yesterday's letter that I met him + here. Ed is a Capt. now, but unimportant seemed as he is a boyhood friend to that he is married + has a two year old child. Ed is a few years older than I am + Married a girl one two years older than he. So we had loads + loads to talk about. Not of ewhat has happened to people we knew, + came up there's neither of us have any information about, but even wourselves. Our wonderful, splendid, adorable wives. For true or I feel so proud of having you as my wife + from the Chaplain + a pal from the Adjutant. why not? It will be swell seeing him. He is a grand fellow. I have tomorrow off so I talked to him back to what I was saying we don't seem to cause the news mail not over often, any longer. Good deal. Been a reminder though necessary.
It is quite warm + shall have to stop - no apts.
I hope you are well today
I let everyone know. You put yourself as so wonderful + I love you so much. So that is what has kept me going today. Also received word today that we don't have to censor the men's mail
— Just called to the phone—
My cousin phoned me from Mannheim + we made an appointment for tomorrow morning, contingent upon getting a jeep + taking good care of yourself.
I love you now + for all my life.
Your devoted husband,
Dolph
Letter 98a — Thursday, 24 May 1945
Kaufbeuren, Germany
Dolph's Letter #83
Dear Sweetheart-!
As you can see I have moved. Yesterday Sunday at 0630 I was awakened + told I was shipping. Had a feeling the night before I was going. Why? Well I had just spoken to my cousin Abe Haselkorn, the Chaplain, in Mannheim, which is 10-15 miles from where I was, + had made arrangements to be with him the following Sunday before he flew to Paris. Too bad but it was fine to speak to him for a few minutes.
It was quite a le trip journey - by truck - + it was raining when we started, but I insisted on keeping the tarpaulin up of the sides + kept a the top so we could look at the scenery. It stopped raining after an hour + even though it was damp throughout the trip. Started at 0830 + arrived at 1930 - the sun came through every once in a while, as if to cheer us. We came through Mannheim - no I couldn't stop the convoy to look up Abe - crossed the Rhine there - it about the 4th time I have crossed that river.
+ rolled down the Autobahn all the way - with several detours due to bridges having been blown by the Germans, till we came through Augsburg + then strayed on a first class, the 2-lane, road, straight to Kaufbeuren which is about 24 miles south of Augsburg. This trip was as picturesque as the one I made from Riesenberg to Worms, though we passed some fine looking land. Saw tremendous groves of evergreen trees + as we climbed hills + would look in the distance to another hill, it would seem as though these trees were there purposely to hide the face of the hill. Dark + gloomy they were foreboding. I expected rather - there distant hills with acres + acres of land under cultivation which were all hues of green + sprinkled throughout with gold, which I believe is the color of the leaves of the mustard plant. And here + there small groves of trees which were bare till tree top + then an umbrella of green would be spread as if to invite - invite the wayfarer to stop + linger in the shade + rest his weary body on the pines. Surely children would love to gambol there, but the adults to be seen were the hiker jagged 12 yrs + up, maybe some younger, traversing the roads with a cumbersome pack of a soldier returning to his family. Stamped on his face - on so many (they are not young or children) that hard + baleful look which one immediately says is the face of a criminal, or a desperate + weary look of one who is bewildered, shouldering his pack about as large as the one the man he is walking with. And the women the he is returning to, who he calls mother, is a scary looking person. The crease which the sun + age have imparted are leathery + she is stockly built with her hair taut as a violin string. Her hands as they shall embrace this boy are hard, red + dirty from the toil she has been laboring with for her life is one of toil from sunrise to sunset in the fields, doing the work we ascribe to men. A not very pretty picture but that is the life they chose
The daughters are there in the field too, + many would turn + gaze at the men - thinking? — but extinct of a robust figure which is generally full - the sweetness + loveliness such as we are accustomed to looking for in our women is absent, but still many of the men crawl, wave, in an obscene way too, for it is appalling how they fail to comprehend that these are the Frauleens - that is the very Germany
Letter 98b — Thursday, 24 May 1945 (continued)
Kaufbeuren, Germany
Dolph's Letter #83 (continued)
considers them - of the Lesser Germany. There is no beauty, rather tragedy I see when I view these people. I can never forget what they have done to our people.
The most amusing thing was the child - + it was a child, a boy of 6 - who when he saw our trucks started stomping along + briskly wearing his arms shouting. Hut, hup, hut, hup. Got a good laugh out of it.
I am located now in the barracks of the Luftwaffe. Hard wood floor, bed, electric light, table + chair, radiator, window + a Captain to share the room with me. Not bad at all. Most commodious accommodations yet. Breakfast this morning in Officer's Mess was served, thank you, + on linen too. How about that! I don't expect to be here long + then we'll see what we'll see. Mail — that's what I'll have when I get to my outfit - beaucoup mail!
I hope you are well honey, + taking good care of yourself, + know that there is no one who loves as much 'to me as my sweet Jean. I love you so much dear.
Your devoted husband,
Dolph