Emmel Family Letters
This collection contains letters sent to Karl Emmel of Green Bay, Wisconsin, the bulk of which were written by his parents Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel, with additional letters written by Karl Emmel's sister Johanna. Karl Emmel immigrated to the United States in 1925. His parents, Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel, of Wiesbaden, Hessen-Nassau, wrote lengthy letters to their son almost every month until they also chose to immigrate to the United States in 1927. In 1937, the couple returned to Germany and lived there until their deaths. Between 1937 and 1941 they once again took up the habit of writing a letter each month to their son in the United States. The final letter in this collection was written in 1945, just after the end of World War II in Europe.
The early group of letters describe Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel's preparations for migrating to the United States. In the second group of letters, their experiences of living with rationing and making do in the context of war are primary themes.
Archive: Ruth Emmel
Source: Emmel family collection
Contributors: Ruth Emmel
Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, March 30, 1926
Letter from Wilhelm Emmel to his son, Karl Emmel, March 30, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, April 30, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, April 30, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, May 18, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, May 18, 1926.
Johanna Emmel to Karl Emmel, June 8, 1926
Letter from Johanna Emmel to her brother, Karl Emmel, June 8, 1926.
Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, June 22, 1926
Letter from Wilhelm Emmel to his son, Karl Emmel, June 22, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, June 23, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, June 23, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, July 13, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, July 13, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, July 28, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, July 28, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, August 23, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, August 23, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, September 10, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, September 10, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, October 11, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, October 11, 1926.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, November 5, 1926
Letter from Wilhelm and Caroline Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, November 5, 1926.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, November 7, 1926
Letter from Wilhelm and Caroline Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, November 7, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, November 22, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, November 22, 1926.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, December 28, 1926
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, December 28, 1926.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, January 19, 1927
Letter from Wilhelm and Caroline Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, January 19, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, February 3, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, February 3, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, February 21, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, February 21, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, May 2, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, May 2, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, May 12, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, May 12, 1927.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, May 31, 1927
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, May 31, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, June 17, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, June 17, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, July 6, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, July 6, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, July 22, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, July 22, 1927.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, October 23, 1937
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, October 23, 1937.
Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, December 31, 1937
Letter from Wilhelm Emmel to his son, Karl Emmel, December 31, 1937.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, January 11, 1938
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, January 11, 1938.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, March 8, 1938
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, March 8, 1938.
Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, April 20, 1938
Letter from Wilhelm Emmel to his son, Karl Emmel, April 20, 1938.
Wilhelm Emmel and Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, April 28, 1938
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, April 28, 1938.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, August 18, 1938
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, August 18, 1938.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, September 23, 1938
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, September 23, 1938.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, November 3, 1938
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, November 3, 1938.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, December 8, 1938
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, December 8, 1938.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, March 13, 1939
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, March 13, 1939.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, May 5, 1939
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, May 5, 1939.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, June 30, 1939
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, June 30, 1939.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, August 10, 1939
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, August 10, 1939.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, November 14, 1939
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, November 14, 1939.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, April 21, 1941
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, April 21, 1941.
Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, June 12, 1941
Letter from Wilhelm Emmel to his son, Karl Emmel, June 12, 1941.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, July 7, 1941
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, July 7, 1941.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, July 30, 1945
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, July 30, 1945.
Caroline Emmel to Karl Emmel, August 19, 1927
Letter from Caroline Emmel to her son, Karl Emmel, August 19, 1927.
Caroline Emmel and Wilhelm Emmel to Karl Emmel, December 10, 1937
Letter from Caroline and Wilhelm Emmel to their son, Karl Emmel, December 10, 1937.