The sister, Edina: 19th May 1943

This is Edina, the twin sister of Leo, born in 1923. During the war she went to stay on the farm of friends in Bavaria, where she did some work in the fields and also in the offices of the agricultural business.

This letter was written just before her joint birthday with Leo. Because she had access to a typewriter, she was fond of typing out letters in triplicate and posting them on to all the various family members. She describes doing this out of necessity, because she couldn't be asked to type the same news over and over!

The Passek she refers to is the house in Bohemia, shown in the photograph of the previous blog.

19.5.1943

My dear ones

Thank you for writing for my birthday. My God, it’s clear that it’s not the birthday I’d have wished for. Everyone has their cross to bear. You’d probably rather be sitting around in Passek, like Rudi? Instead of playing at war and letting yourselves be ordered around?

For our birthday Leo I’d like to have a wonderful party instead of sitting around here twiddling my thumbs. This is my dream birthday: in the morning we’d all go riding in the Prater and have a most delicious time, all over wherever our whim takes us--no irritating person along to watch over us. That would be a super start to the day. We’d be riding, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, into our 21st year, Leo. Then when we got home, Marie [one of the cooks] would have laid out a fabulous breakfast for us in the garden, where all the flowers would be blooming, and smelling sweet, and the sun just shining down on us. Freshly ground coffee, soft boiled eggs, freshly sliced ham, fresh rolls, jam, just like breakfasts that time we went hunting in Poland with the Scarbeks. Wouldn’t that be something? Then afterwards the most delicious cigarettes, as many as we like. Then during the day everyone would do whatever they wanted, and later in the evening we’d have a glorious reunion party.

Those were the days...I can hardly stop myself thinking about them. It almost feels as though I am together with you now, and we are chatting together, just like old times. Up in the loft in Passek, sitting on the red checked cushions of the chairs up there, everyone just lolling about and passing the time. Rudi would have Hexi [the dog] on his lap--or perhaps by this time a girl??--Leo would have his pipe. Idyllic. Sometimes it feels as though I live only in my imagination, in my dreams instead of reality. It’s a trick I have learned, to make things bearable, and can imagine the most wonderful times we had together. It’s cheap, and doesn’t get you in trouble! We had the most glorious childhood.

As you can tell, I’ve been better. I can’t wait to get back to Passek--I haven’t been there in ages. Lotschi, when are you getting leave? Surely in summer? Before you have to go to Berlin? I do hope I won’t be alone there, being together would be a thousand times more lovely. I was so disappointed to hear that Rudi is taking his holiday now instead of in summer, which I can understand. And Andi, sitting right in the middle of everything now, you won’t have any chance of getting home before autumn.

Mami is constantly sending me news about this and that, whether Uncle Josy is to be drafted, or whether the cook has a headache, and that the dining chairs finally have new upholstery. All types of news, both important and inconsequential, a weekly news bulletin which I enjoy for its prattle. If only the good woman could learn how to use a typewriter, she could make duplicates and only write once, as I am doing for you.

I am sending you all my love and hugs and kisses, and wish you Godspeed and am crossing my fingers too, your loving sister

affectionately

Edina