This loft, the upstairs of the little house in Passek, Bohemia, figures prominently in these letters. Edina mentions it in the letter that makes up the previous post.5 September 1939
Dear A
Many thanks for your long letter. I received a telegram on the 3rd from Gabrielle [her sister] to say she’d made it home. You will already have heard from her. What’s going on as far as cars are concerned? Here we are only allowed to use them for important business. One really has the impression that there is war. I went upstairs, and the children were listening to their jazz music, and are laughing at me because I am saying there is to be a war. “It’s nothing but a little trip to Poland” is their take on it. Then I hear absolutely nothing upstairs. It’s a shocking, disturbing time, and the quiet upstairs is as difficult to bear as if they were making a racket. It’s weighing heavily on me now.
Then tom-foolery, smoking and loud music. Leo [16] has announced that he should be permitted to smoke 15 cigarettes per day. He looks absolutely green, and takes it for granted that he should be permitted this. It’s been a difficult few days with the children. They sit around upstairs and listen to the radio and music. Then they won’t get up in the morning. Ping pong and hanging around doing nothing. They will do chores if Forester Grund makes them, but to do anything without being asked?? Well, Rudolf yes, but the older boys not a chance. On Sunday Rudolf went with Grund to go partridge shooting. The others didn’t know what to do with themselves. Leo acted mortally wounded when I suggested he go out and work with the forester, and wanted to know if he’d be paid? “The forester gets paid” he said. “That’s something else entirely” I answered. “Then this is coersion” was his response.
I am aware that everyone is nervous, everyone is on edge. The air seems to be crackling with it. But if the boys won’t obey and just give me their blasé attitude, loafing around with a truly unnecessary air of entitlement. I shall send one to the dairy farm and one to Herr Pohl. In Passek, under this roof, they shall never have the feeling that life is just a holiday and they are the VIP guests. Doing nothing is particularly bad for Leo’s nerves. I can’t get him to even look into a book, and now with all this talk of war I have even less chance. Even the dogs’ teeth are on edge. Did I tell you that Bonzo had a go at Murka? Then lifted his leg on the stair to show his disdain.
Andreas has been once in the evening with Forester Grund to practice with the local air raid group. Leo caught 19 trout on Friday.
I went yesterday with Edina to Reichenberg. Today she went back to the dairy farm. She will stay there. We bought her a bicycle with the money her grandmother left her. She went happily off to the farm to work, and in any case it is better for her to be there than sitting around with the boys. She could work here of course, helping out in the garden or kitchen, but she seems happier away from us at the moment, and she has many friends on the farm. She gets on very well with Frau Johne. They love her there and she works very hard, which I unfortunately can’t say for the boys.
Impossible to make proper plans at the moment, with all this going on. We must do something with the boys, but one doesn’t know what, especially as it is uncertain whether or not schools will actually open as usual. Perhaps they should go to school in Reichenberg, rather than Vienna? I think there is only a little school. We must wait and see.
How much I would like to have you here. There is so much to discuss. I would love to know what you make of all this.
Father, I am sending you so much affection, 1000x my love
E
