Letter from Hilde Gersmann 2nd October 1970

This is a rough translation of a letter sent by Hilde Burg born Gersmann*, now Foch, Aumetz, France, 2 October 1970

 

Dear Hermann,

 

Thank you for your dear letter, about which I was absolutely excited. I'm always happy for family members, getting to know even if only through letters. Unfortunately I have lost my parents very early and never consciously knew how. So I was particularly pleased to hear from you that you my family. When growing up you knew my Mother well. I would be very happy if you could come with your wife here, so I would have another opportunity to hear how my family was when they were young. Things that kids love to hear from the mouth of their parents, but I could never find anything.

 

I was ten months old when I had my good friend. Mother took to France. That was in the fall of 1939. My parents should have meet family, but before they got the immigration permit to France, the war broke out. They were living in Landau in the Palatinate. From there they went to Frankfurt and were deported from there. A little brother, who was born after me, came along with them. I myself found a second mother here, until I grew up to the age of 21. Then I got married and have a very good husband and three children. The two elders aged 9 and 7 years are girls, the youngest a two-year-old boy. My husband has a installation business for Sanitary equipment that goes well.

 

I have today written to Bad Mergentheim to the registry office to find out the exact date of birth of my mother, because I do not know exactly. As soon as I get an answer, I'll tell you.

 

I hope that you will take up my invitation to come here, and reply soon. I have enough space to accommodate you both. I assume that you have been now and then to Germany. But then you could well make a trip to here. We do not live far from Metz in Lorraine. If you come by plane, you could fly to Luxembourg, where we would pick you up, because that is very close to us. I hope to hear soon from you and remain with kind regards from me and my family.

 

Your cousin Hilda

 

* Hilde Burg was the daughter of deaf Irma Gersmann at 26th June was born in 1899, daughter of Abraham Fechenbach in Bad Mergentheim.