[On Back of Envelope Return Address]

Frau Marie Gesang Förtha No. 50
?? Eisenach 
Germany
-15-

[stamped:] Thuringen
Russische Zona
Deutschland

[On Front of Envelope Address]

Family
Berta Kornelius
Andrew
Jackson County Iowa
North America

[Postage stamp and most of postmark are missing, except “(15)EISENA...”]

[Transcript of the letter, mostly following a translation by Paul C. G. Lutz. I have added paragraph breaks for clarity;]
						Förtha, May 27, 1947

My Dear Niece [Bertha] and Family

It was with great joy that I received your nice letter and thank you with my whole heart for your lovely lines. And oh how much those lovely pictures pleased me, I cannot describe. For me the pictures are like a stream of sunshine for my old days which no doubt are also numbered. I am also happy that you dear ones over there have withstood everything very well, for this senseless war has created much misery. 

To come back to the pictures once more, my dear niece, I see that things are going well for you and am happy about that. I also learn to know my distant nephew even if it is only via a picture, but I see that he is a stately gentleman, as my grandchild is over here. I even find a resemblance between them and that makes me happy. And I see you have a nice dwelling where one can definitely feel comfortable. My four children also all have their own homes. I am going to send you some pictures too, so that you also learn to know them pictorially. Thereby we get to know each other better in spite of the big waters which lie between us. 

That my dear brother and sister-in-law are no longer living makes me sad, but when the wheel has run its course we must away and our life is behind us. I, too, am tired and would like to sleep but I would like to see my young Fritz again also. We hope he will come home later this year. The way he writes he has a glimpse of coming home sometime in July or August. 

The way you write you are aware of the fact that in Germany it looks very bad. Yes, my dear niece, many a battle was fought here, and Germany has become poor, very poor, all because of one man who understood nothing and with his arms wanted to rule the world. We were never in favor of a war, for no good could ever come of it. And when one sees the big cities and sees the hunger and misery there, one is filled with utter dismay. Before Christmas, already, the people have no potatoes to eat and other conditions one doesn't care write about, only that Germany is in big trouble. We on the land at least have the main thing, potatoes and bread even if much else is lacking. We will hold on until things get better. 

Let me only mention one thing, dear niece. Could you not greet Adolph’s children and ask them to write me once? I would be happy to hear from them. I do not have their addresses. Now I have a couple of pictures which I hope will arrive there in good condition and will give you some pleasure. Of the others we will send some pictures in the next letter. For today I will close and hope that we will hear from you again very soon. 

						Greeting you heartily 

						Your Dear Aunt Marie and children

[The letter continues in the same handwriting and will be signed by Ella Gesang.]

Now I would like to greet the writer very heartily. I received a letter from my husband, Fritz, a nice letter in which he writes that he has hopes of coming home soon. It would be a joyous occasion. And for mother, too, as she fears she will never see him alive again. Well, actually at her age that sort of thing is not far-fetched. But we will hope that she can be with us yet for a long time, for from such a good faithful soul one does not part easily. 

Now I am enclosing still another picture - of our two boys. The one is about the age of your Lawrence, 21 years, and the other one is 19 years old. The picture is 5 years old. They are now more fully grown and one is always worried about them having something to put on, because young people are hard pressed having outgrown children's clothing and now are not able to get young men's clothing. 

Kurt is already married, but Erich wants to stay with us yet, since he is only 19 and the Papa would still like to have some benefit from his boy. Their father, Fritz, left home for service five years ago, when Erich was hardly out of school. Now, if he comes home soon, he will be surprised to see that our boy has become a man. Both sons were also soldiers, the one only for a few months. 

So now I must call it quits and will hope that all of you are well and in good health. 

Hearty greetings, 

						Mrs. Ella Gesang and children