Letters Yad Vashem, Israël IX.
My dear ones, (Tuesday) 22 June 1943
I already received your birthday letter from Mont Pèlerin on Wednesday. We were all very delighted, and the longing to see you all again increased tremendously. Meanwhile, your lives seem to be improving again, and it is good to hear that after all your hard work you have now found some rest. You must feel reborn, being back in a comfortable nest and able to await further developments from a bird’s-eye perspective.
I am very curious, Dolly, whether you will go to university. If, alongside your work, you feel like writing, do tell me about it sometime. And you, my little Vincent, write about your school. You must certainly have made many friends on the cog railway. I also traveled on it in 1900—Papa had not even been born then. Did you also experience the narcissus festival in Montreux and pick these flowers in large quantities yourselves? I had such wonderful times there!
How pleasant and nice for you, Hansi, that the course is so interesting. It is a pity that I cannot take part and gain knowledge myself. Would that still be possible with my old head? I hardly believe so. My strenuous daily work from six in the morning until half past eleven at night is simply taken for granted by everyone. The same will happen to you, Ruth dear. I am glad that modern machines make things somewhat easier for you.
I saw the Ledermanns arrive here with mixed feelings. We see each other more often now than ever before. Every evening after the day’s work—so between eight and half past eight—they come to me with Heinz. Here, although not by ourselves, we can sit at a table on wooden benches and, for a moment, forget where we are. Of course, I am glad that on the 30th I did not have to celebrate alone, as I did on the golden wedding anniversary.
Your letters, Paulientje, which have arrived in the last fourteen days, have given me great joy, just like the parcels. Everything is useful and welcome. At the moment we especially need bread and butter, and possibly jam—though you may need that yourselves as well. Recently, we received three packages from Charlotte and Lizzie: one with five eggs, pickles, a loaf of bread, and tomatoes, and another with five small “fish.” You have no idea how quickly everything disappeared into our five stomachs (including Heinz). Lieske again sent a package to Dr. Polak, which contained a rye bread for me. That was very touching. Two days later she wrote me a nice letter.
You have once again worried unnecessarily. One simply does not know where one stands. Today, sixteen English women without their husbands left from here for the internment camp in Vittel. They naturally believe that they might be able to leave with their husbands. The disappointment, of course, was great.
It is said that this week the “mixed” group—at least the part that is here—will be sent back, and there is great tension among them. They had, of course, to sign their voluntary consent to sterilization. I have just made surrogate coffee for our table—a brew that is quite enjoyable, especially when we have sugar and milk and something to eat with it. People are grateful even for an extra drink.
The letter must be handed in after five o’clock, so it is high time. Well, Paulientje, I must still thank you for your sweet letter with the beautiful drawings, from which I could see how pleasant Annemarieke’s birthday was and what lovely presents she received. Your letter, Lientje, in which you describe your meeting with your friend, interested me very much. How cheerful and enterprising she is. I hope she will have a few pleasant days with your friends.
A thousand greetings and embraces to you all,
from O-Mutti
A kiss for Carlijntje. How sweet that she is already writing on her own.
My dear ones, I am fortunate—I was immediately given work that suits me in the barrack for expectant mothers and mothers with infants and small children. Here I am a kind of general helper, doing all sorts of things: lighting the stoves, scrubbing the barrack, washing children’s clothes, bathing the infants, fetching food, and helping the heavily burdened mothers wherever I can. I really do need aprons, and also blankets. Thanks to this, I have access to a properly functioning toilet, regular extra food, and whole milk.
The head of the ward is our Julie de Vries, whose mother, Mrs. Spitze, is also here and spoils me greatly. Sanne benefits from this as well. In addition, Bial has prescribed extra milk and porridge. So things are going well for me. Franz spends half the day sitting and sorting legumes and hopes to be able to join the orchestra. Sanne has volunteered as an orderly with the housing service. Half her class is here, and she also has friends who have been here longer and live in small houses.
Last evening we were with Bial; Sanne attended a youth group where they read Nathan der Weise and played nice gramophone records. We are receiving the blue stamp for Palestine, which is very favorable. It is also the reason I was able to find work so quickly; otherwise I would have had to do outdoor labor. The food tastes incredibly good, although one needs a lot of bread with it. I have my letter-writing day on July 1st. Goodbye! Yours, Ilse.
Dearest Ruth and Hans, we hope and expect that things continue to go well for you.
Nathan the Wise, written by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1779)
The story is set during the Third Crusade, during a truce in Jerusalem. When the Jewish merchant Nathan returns from a business trip, he learns that his adopted daughter Recha has been rescued from a fire by a Templar. The knight owes his life to the mercy granted to him by the Muslim ruler Sultan Saladin. Out of twenty prisoners, Saladin spared only him because he resembled Saladin’s brother Assad. Nathan visits the Templar to express his gratitude.
Meanwhile, Saladin is facing financial difficulties and has Nathan brought before him, under the pretense of testing his well-known wisdom, and asks him which religion is the true one. Nathan responds with the parable of the ring. Saladin immediately understands the message, recognizing the equality of the three monotheistic religions. Deeply impressed, he asks Nathan to be his friend. He is even more delighted when Nathan offers him a loan without being asked.
The Templar has fallen in love with Recha and wishes to marry her. When he learns through Daja, Nathan’s housekeeper, that Recha is adopted and originally from Christian parents, he turns to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, even though Nathan himself remains reserved about the marriage. However, the relationships between the characters turn out to be more complicated than they initially appear.
I already received your birthday letter from Mont Pèlerin on Wednesday. We were all very delighted, and the longing to see you all again increased tremendously. Meanwhile, your lives seem to be improving again, and it is good to hear that after all your hard work you have now found some rest. You must feel reborn, being back in a comfortable nest and able to await further developments from a bird’s-eye perspective.
I am very curious, Dolly, whether you will go to university. If, alongside your work, you feel like writing, do tell me about it sometime. And you, my little Vincent, write about your school. You must certainly have made many friends on the cog railway. I also traveled on it in 1900—Papa had not even been born then. Did you also experience the narcissus festival in Montreux and pick these flowers in large quantities yourselves? I had such wonderful times there!
How pleasant and nice for you, Hansi, that the course is so interesting. It is a pity that I cannot take part and gain knowledge myself. Would that still be possible with my old head? I hardly believe so. My strenuous daily work from six in the morning until half past eleven at night is simply taken for granted by everyone. The same will happen to you, Ruth dear. I am glad that modern machines make things somewhat easier for you.
I saw the Ledermanns arrive here with mixed feelings. We see each other more often now than ever before. Every evening after the day’s work—so between eight and half past eight—they come to me with Heinz. Here, although not by ourselves, we can sit at a table on wooden benches and, for a moment, forget where we are. Of course, I am glad that on the 30th I did not have to celebrate alone, as I did on the golden wedding anniversary.
Your letters, Paulientje, which have arrived in the last fourteen days, have given me great joy, just like the parcels. Everything is useful and welcome. At the moment we especially need bread and butter, and possibly jam—though you may need that yourselves as well. Recently, we received three packages from Charlotte and Lizzie: one with five eggs, pickles, a loaf of bread, and tomatoes, and another with five small “fish.” You have no idea how quickly everything disappeared into our five stomachs (including Heinz). Lieske again sent a package to Dr. Polak, which contained a rye bread for me. That was very touching. Two days later she wrote me a nice letter.
You have once again worried unnecessarily. One simply does not know where one stands. Today, sixteen English women without their husbands left from here for the internment camp in Vittel. They naturally believe that they might be able to leave with their husbands. The disappointment, of course, was great.
It is said that this week the “mixed” group—at least the part that is here—will be sent back, and there is great tension among them. They had, of course, to sign their voluntary consent to sterilization. I have just made surrogate coffee for our table—a brew that is quite enjoyable, especially when we have sugar and milk and something to eat with it. People are grateful even for an extra drink.
The letter must be handed in after five o’clock, so it is high time. Well, Paulientje, I must still thank you for your sweet letter with the beautiful drawings, from which I could see how pleasant Annemarieke’s birthday was and what lovely presents she received. Your letter, Lientje, in which you describe your meeting with your friend, interested me very much. How cheerful and enterprising she is. I hope she will have a few pleasant days with your friends.
A thousand greetings and embraces to you all,
from O-Mutti
A kiss for Carlijntje. How sweet that she is already writing on her own.
My dear ones, I am fortunate—I was immediately given work that suits me in the barrack for expectant mothers and mothers with infants and small children. Here I am a kind of general helper, doing all sorts of things: lighting the stoves, scrubbing the barrack, washing children’s clothes, bathing the infants, fetching food, and helping the heavily burdened mothers wherever I can. I really do need aprons, and also blankets. Thanks to this, I have access to a properly functioning toilet, regular extra food, and whole milk.
The head of the ward is our Julie de Vries, whose mother, Mrs. Spitze, is also here and spoils me greatly. Sanne benefits from this as well. In addition, Bial has prescribed extra milk and porridge. So things are going well for me. Franz spends half the day sitting and sorting legumes and hopes to be able to join the orchestra. Sanne has volunteered as an orderly with the housing service. Half her class is here, and she also has friends who have been here longer and live in small houses.
Last evening we were with Bial; Sanne attended a youth group where they read Nathan der Weise and played nice gramophone records. We are receiving the blue stamp for Palestine, which is very favorable. It is also the reason I was able to find work so quickly; otherwise I would have had to do outdoor labor. The food tastes incredibly good, although one needs a lot of bread with it. I have my letter-writing day on July 1st. Goodbye! Yours, Ilse.
Dearest Ruth and Hans, we hope and expect that things continue to go well for you.
Nathan the Wise, written by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1779)
The story is set during the Third Crusade, during a truce in Jerusalem. When the Jewish merchant Nathan returns from a business trip, he learns that his adopted daughter Recha has been rescued from a fire by a Templar. The knight owes his life to the mercy granted to him by the Muslim ruler Sultan Saladin. Out of twenty prisoners, Saladin spared only him because he resembled Saladin’s brother Assad. Nathan visits the Templar to express his gratitude.
Meanwhile, Saladin is facing financial difficulties and has Nathan brought before him, under the pretense of testing his well-known wisdom, and asks him which religion is the true one. Nathan responds with the parable of the ring. Saladin immediately understands the message, recognizing the equality of the three monotheistic religions. Deeply impressed, he asks Nathan to be his friend. He is even more delighted when Nathan offers him a loan without being asked.
The Templar has fallen in love with Recha and wishes to marry her. When he learns through Daja, Nathan’s housekeeper, that Recha is adopted and originally from Christian parents, he turns to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, even though Nathan himself remains reserved about the marriage. However, the relationships between the characters turn out to be more complicated than they initially appear.
Brief geschreven door Ellen Citroen-Philippi en Ilse Ledermann-Citroen.
Franz & Ilse Ledermann, barak 71.
Marechaussee.
Post.
ziekenbarakken.
batterijwerkplaatsen.
vliegtuigdemontage.
Registratie.
Huisvesting.
Huisvesting.
Administratie.
Zuigelingen & kleine kinderen.
Meisjes barak.
Ouderen barak.
My dear Treumanns, 7 July 1943
The last letter was written by Ilse. This one is from Franz. Many thanks for your letter. You have no idea what news from outside means here. The newspaper, which I now receive regularly, is also a real comfort. It did not arrive yesterday—could you perhaps check whether something is wrong with the subscription?
All three of us have now come down with the “camp illness,” which usually begins after about 24 days. Susie (Sanne) recovered quickly. With Ilse it was much more severe, with fainting and fever; she feels somewhat better now but is still weak and remains in bed. I have just begun to experience it myself; at times I have to interrupt my work and sustain myself on oatmeal and toast.
Ilse and I are both working. She is in the mothers’ barrack, work that she likes but that is also quite exhausting, mainly for Mrs. I.S. de Vries. I work eight hours in a facility that sorts legumes. One gets used to that as well. There is a small chance of more pleasant work. But such matters are, in themselves, unimportant. One sees acquaintances frequently, so there is actually not much left to tell—they are almost all here.
Please thank the Zielenrägers for their kind letter and Johan Bendien for the viola. The weather is dreadful—a mixture of scorching sun, sandstorms, and heavy downpours. I would never choose this place as somewhere to live. Ilse, and all of us, are very grateful that our wishes were quickly fulfilled through the mediation of the Jewish Council, and for the kitchen package.
Now that Ilse is in bed, she has plenty of time to read. As for me, I have resumed studying Hebrew, which I had interrupted exactly ten years ago. Greetings to all loved ones and acquaintances.
Yours, Franz
The last letter was written by Ilse. This one is from Franz. Many thanks for your letter. You have no idea what news from outside means here. The newspaper, which I now receive regularly, is also a real comfort. It did not arrive yesterday—could you perhaps check whether something is wrong with the subscription?
All three of us have now come down with the “camp illness,” which usually begins after about 24 days. Susie (Sanne) recovered quickly. With Ilse it was much more severe, with fainting and fever; she feels somewhat better now but is still weak and remains in bed. I have just begun to experience it myself; at times I have to interrupt my work and sustain myself on oatmeal and toast.
Ilse and I are both working. She is in the mothers’ barrack, work that she likes but that is also quite exhausting, mainly for Mrs. I.S. de Vries. I work eight hours in a facility that sorts legumes. One gets used to that as well. There is a small chance of more pleasant work. But such matters are, in themselves, unimportant. One sees acquaintances frequently, so there is actually not much left to tell—they are almost all here.
Please thank the Zielenrägers for their kind letter and Johan Bendien for the viola. The weather is dreadful—a mixture of scorching sun, sandstorms, and heavy downpours. I would never choose this place as somewhere to live. Ilse, and all of us, are very grateful that our wishes were quickly fulfilled through the mediation of the Jewish Council, and for the kitchen package.
Now that Ilse is in bed, she has plenty of time to read. As for me, I have resumed studying Hebrew, which I had interrupted exactly ten years ago. Greetings to all loved ones and acquaintances.
Yours, Franz
Is dit de familie Treumann aan wie Franz Ledermann een brief schrijft?
Julie Bial-Spitz heeft een boekje geschreven 'Op een klein stationnetje' over Westerbork, kon dat helaas nergens vinden.
My dear ones, 29 July 1943
As I have just moved into Ilse’s barrack—so my address is no longer Barrack 54, but now also 71—we now share the same writing day. That is the only drawback, however, because otherwise it is a significant improvement. Apart from during work, we can now always be together; except for breakfast, we can eat together, and this barrack is in any case better than the previous one. It feels a bit like moving from Machik to Gentheimerstrasse.
Naturally, it is completely impossible to give you a clear picture of our present way of life here. One must limit oneself to a few remarks. The main thing is that we are, to my surprise—including myself—currently in good health, and despite all the hardships, our spirits have not suffered. My work has become somewhat strenuous due to its long hours, but I sit there among decent people, so I can bear it. Everyone makes every effort toward one another to ease the situation, and this generally creates a cheerful atmosphere, which is very pleasant.
In addition, because all external differences have apparently disappeared, the human side comes to the fore, and that leads to insights that were unfamiliar in our former, normal life. When one considers the whole situation, one must admit that the majority behave admirably, even under the most difficult circumstances. Of course, one must remain healthy, and that is why your parcels are so important. I can only repeat what Ille writes—that we are extraordinarily grateful to you.
The parcel from Lotta (Barbara), addressed to me, moved me deeply once again; it arrived completely intact and greatly increased my sense of happiness. We only hope, with great concern, that Rose’s tendency to express herself so freely about Dorothea’s letter will not be held against her. I truly appreciated the warm words from Manni (Manfred)—what diligent people they are. I am no longer in the same barrack as [name omitted]; he is also a diligent man. Mrs. Rosin takes good care of us. Recently I also ran into Miss Schüte, and it struck me how strange it is when one thinks back to one’s former life.
It does me good that Rose already wrote to Hans last week; hopefully he will soon make contact with Fritz. The fine weather is, of course, a relief, although it is quite hot, so we really enjoyed the yogurt. We are also very grateful for the mineral water. Lotta’s imagination, always seeming to know what we need, is remarkable—for example, the sweets, of which we have a great need here.
Your shipment of butter, Paul, arrived at exactly the right moment. We use a great deal of this essential food, and we had just run out—you must have sensed it. Ille (Ilse) would like some iodoform gauze (for the fleas, which, curiously, avoid me). I spend the whole day in my training trousers; if I had a belt, I could at least wear my other trousers as well. Sanne urgently needs a pair of summer shoes, size 35 or 36. I have already lost my fourth washcloth and cannot obtain one here—could you spare one? Our consumption of instant powder, pudding powder, and sugar is enormous; we would be grateful for more. The two pounds of salt we use for washing skirts have run out—please send some again soon.
With warmest regards,
Yours, Franz
Ilse: Sending many hugs to the three of you. Paulientje’s drawings are lovely. But Sanne writes only to Rose.
(Could Rose perhaps be Rosa Citroen, 1899?)
(Who is Dorothea?)
As I have just moved into Ilse’s barrack—so my address is no longer Barrack 54, but now also 71—we now share the same writing day. That is the only drawback, however, because otherwise it is a significant improvement. Apart from during work, we can now always be together; except for breakfast, we can eat together, and this barrack is in any case better than the previous one. It feels a bit like moving from Machik to Gentheimerstrasse.
Naturally, it is completely impossible to give you a clear picture of our present way of life here. One must limit oneself to a few remarks. The main thing is that we are, to my surprise—including myself—currently in good health, and despite all the hardships, our spirits have not suffered. My work has become somewhat strenuous due to its long hours, but I sit there among decent people, so I can bear it. Everyone makes every effort toward one another to ease the situation, and this generally creates a cheerful atmosphere, which is very pleasant.
In addition, because all external differences have apparently disappeared, the human side comes to the fore, and that leads to insights that were unfamiliar in our former, normal life. When one considers the whole situation, one must admit that the majority behave admirably, even under the most difficult circumstances. Of course, one must remain healthy, and that is why your parcels are so important. I can only repeat what Ille writes—that we are extraordinarily grateful to you.
The parcel from Lotta (Barbara), addressed to me, moved me deeply once again; it arrived completely intact and greatly increased my sense of happiness. We only hope, with great concern, that Rose’s tendency to express herself so freely about Dorothea’s letter will not be held against her. I truly appreciated the warm words from Manni (Manfred)—what diligent people they are. I am no longer in the same barrack as [name omitted]; he is also a diligent man. Mrs. Rosin takes good care of us. Recently I also ran into Miss Schüte, and it struck me how strange it is when one thinks back to one’s former life.
It does me good that Rose already wrote to Hans last week; hopefully he will soon make contact with Fritz. The fine weather is, of course, a relief, although it is quite hot, so we really enjoyed the yogurt. We are also very grateful for the mineral water. Lotta’s imagination, always seeming to know what we need, is remarkable—for example, the sweets, of which we have a great need here.
Your shipment of butter, Paul, arrived at exactly the right moment. We use a great deal of this essential food, and we had just run out—you must have sensed it. Ille (Ilse) would like some iodoform gauze (for the fleas, which, curiously, avoid me). I spend the whole day in my training trousers; if I had a belt, I could at least wear my other trousers as well. Sanne urgently needs a pair of summer shoes, size 35 or 36. I have already lost my fourth washcloth and cannot obtain one here—could you spare one? Our consumption of instant powder, pudding powder, and sugar is enormous; we would be grateful for more. The two pounds of salt we use for washing skirts have run out—please send some again soon.
With warmest regards,
Yours, Franz
Ilse: Sending many hugs to the three of you. Paulientje’s drawings are lovely. But Sanne writes only to Rose.
(Could Rose perhaps be Rosa Citroen, 1899?)
(Who is Dorothea?)
My dear ones, 12 August 1943
Many thanks again for your parcels—the delicious fruit. Everything arrived safely, including the mineral water and yesterday the green beans. The iodoform gauze helps wonderfully; I and many others have been freed from fleas. Please send some more of it. Two knives for cutting bread would be useful—perhaps make a note of that.
The homemade cakes were delicious; we especially enjoyed the … cake. I still have the opportunity to cook now. For the past 14 days we have not received any mail. Given the circumstances, it is better to send only postcards with the sender’s full address. From the parcels, I saw—thank God—that you are all well.
I do not worry about you or about myself; on the contrary, life here suits me well, and people say that I look better than I did in Amsterdam. I am less (mentally) burdened and can fully devote myself to my work, which is heavy but satisfying. How much energy is generally wasted when every woman has to run her own household.
We are all healthy; Sanne had some discomfort after her injections. I am happy for little Paul about the three of you being together. Hans writes to us directly from Switzerland. Ada became depressed after the birth of her child and took her own life, just as a friend of mine did years ago. Ruth is going to Ticino to recover, Dolly is in Geneva. I am not jealous—I find life worthwhile, no matter how and where it is.
Here, with the children, I am especially happy. Nothing is more beautiful than bathing such a little one, hearing them coo, and being looked at with shining eyes. I also do gymnastics with them. Most of the time I only have household tasks to do, but everything benefits the children. Mother, too, is very content with her nursing work and does the impossible; everyone knows her—she never rests, and she likes it that way.
I think of you with the same love with which you think of us and embrace you warmly with all my heart.
Yours, Ilse
Many thanks again for your parcels—the delicious fruit. Everything arrived safely, including the mineral water and yesterday the green beans. The iodoform gauze helps wonderfully; I and many others have been freed from fleas. Please send some more of it. Two knives for cutting bread would be useful—perhaps make a note of that.
The homemade cakes were delicious; we especially enjoyed the … cake. I still have the opportunity to cook now. For the past 14 days we have not received any mail. Given the circumstances, it is better to send only postcards with the sender’s full address. From the parcels, I saw—thank God—that you are all well.
I do not worry about you or about myself; on the contrary, life here suits me well, and people say that I look better than I did in Amsterdam. I am less (mentally) burdened and can fully devote myself to my work, which is heavy but satisfying. How much energy is generally wasted when every woman has to run her own household.
We are all healthy; Sanne had some discomfort after her injections. I am happy for little Paul about the three of you being together. Hans writes to us directly from Switzerland. Ada became depressed after the birth of her child and took her own life, just as a friend of mine did years ago. Ruth is going to Ticino to recover, Dolly is in Geneva. I am not jealous—I find life worthwhile, no matter how and where it is.
Here, with the children, I am especially happy. Nothing is more beautiful than bathing such a little one, hearing them coo, and being looked at with shining eyes. I also do gymnastics with them. Most of the time I only have household tasks to do, but everything benefits the children. Mother, too, is very content with her nursing work and does the impossible; everyone knows her—she never rests, and she likes it that way.
I think of you with the same love with which you think of us and embrace you warmly with all my heart.
Yours, Ilse
WEGGUM.COM