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English text

[Partial translation]

21 April 1941 [Father]

We received Karl’s letter of March 6th ten days ago, from which we see that Hedwig is not quite well. The doctor could not find anything serious, so you need not worry yourself about it. We assume that the way of life is too one sided; perhaps more movement in the fresh air would be good. Food should consist of fruit and vegetables in turn. Too bad that they always blame the teeth right away and relieve you of them. Or was the disease really localized in the teeth, what has been found out by now? Hopefully things are better again and we wish Hedwig all the best. You are still doing well according to the letter, this makes us glad. Karl has so much work that he could let me have some if I were there still. Your feeling of concern, that we could have done it differently four years ago is completely useless. You know yourself that we took that step because there was no other way. We preferred the bird in the hand to the one on the roof. So far we are fine, praise the Lord, we have no reason to complain. The prospects are good, because the Southeast has also been decided in our favor. So far we have won the war into which we were forced and nowadays Germany is also in a position to secure its fruits.

We received your two pieces of mail from March, many thanks. That was really too much and I must mention that it is not necessary that you send us so much. The monthly mailings are plenty, it would not have had to be every month, because now we are better supplied than before. One gets the rations at a fixed price, this began at the start of the war. Mother will also let you hear from her, which is why I greet you most cordially for today, your Pa, W. Emmel.

[Mother]

Now my dears I will also write a bit about us. Easter has also passed and little by little spring has arrived here. At Easter Johanna was in Steeden for the confirmation of Martin Vietor, whose godmother she is. There things continue as always. The young ones are soldiers and the parents have a lot of work. In Wiesbaden they also had confirmation, and at Hermann Müller’s of Idstein a girl was confirmed. Rudolf Müller from Aumenau was here with his family. So far he has not been drafted, but he knits for the army. The two Müller brothers are doing well, they have lots of business. Now Hermann has also bought a house in Idstein for his business, and they live above, it cost 25,000 marks. I would also like to remark that it is not necessary to send us a package every month. We always saved something from every package so that for the moment we are getting along well. We do hope that the war will end soon , then things will also improve. We cannot thank God enough that the English and their supporters were not stronger than us, otherwise how would we have fared. We don’t notice them much. I am just doing spring cleaning but cannot finish because we are still heating the place. How is Paul, is he well again, did he have a nice birthday party? Now he is four years old and his sister will be seven. From the pictures we can see how they are growing. Is Margie doing spring cleaning already? As for Hedwig’s illness, one does not know what to say, hopefully she is feeling better, I will write them also one of these days. Karl, you ask if the letters are being opened here, the last ones were not opened, I think it happened once but some time ago. Greet Lenchen, Kurt and Näsers, also Schobers, are they still all well? And all of you too, many many greetings from your Mother.