Feb 22, 1935
671 N. Dearborn St.
My very dear Goldchildren:
How do you like me? Here everybody thinks the photo is very nice. Especially Leonard, who got an enlargement for a Valentine, likes it very much.
It is exactly 3 yrs that we 3 had our pictures taken at Gabor Hirsch* and 1 yr ago today I was with the motorbike at the cemetery.
Trudel, Erna, Lotte - 1932
I guess I bought my Hyacinth bulbs too late this year. They are not blooming yet as they should today on Mother’s birthday. Did one of you go to the cemetery today?* How does the grave look? Is my geranium still alive?
I really intended to go to the synagogue tonight but I am invited at Samuels again like last Friday night. I feel very much at home with them. Father Samuel makes Kiddish. It is a household very much like ours used to be. The girls call each other by the same silly names as we used to do.
Trudel and Erna 1934
Last week a brother of Mr. Samuel who is here 45 yrs was there. He lived for some time in Darmstadt. So they all talked Frankfurter and Darmstaedter German.
Dear Papa do you or did you know Leopold Hirsch and Adolf Furth? They are related to Samuels.
Last Saturday I heard Leonard for the first time talking in court, in the Yogi case. After 4 hrs the case was postponed.
On Sunday Flora Mae had her 6th birthday. I made a real cute present for her — A clothes hanger as a doll, from material from my evening dress and some red velvet. It really is very pretty. In honor of the day we took her along to the radio station in Hammond. And then she had dinner with us at the Madison Park Hotel. Besides her birthday we celebrated my being 3/4 yr in the U.S.A.
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Now that we are working full time again I can write in my lunchtime again or do something else.
I had to make my brown coat and skirt much tighter and took out enough material to make a cap for myself.
Something strange happened to me last night, while I was at Mrs. Saunders, the lady here in my house. The Landlord called to ask her if she would take a message for me. He knows we are good friends and see each other daily. He said a woman called and said she was my German friend and would like to meet me at 7:00 p.m. tonight or call her. I am supposed to have her phone number#. Well, I immediately called Claire Samuels but it was not her. Now I cannot imagine who it was. Maybe it was a hoax. Well, she can call again. Last Wed. I was as usual at Gwen’s.
I think I wrote you before that I was making hats for her and a new customer. Saturday the new customer returned hers.
Why did Erna not take her skis with her to Oberreifenberg? That would have been more fun. I did not see Aunt Henny all this week. She called me Tuesday night but I was not at home. Now I have to spend several nickels until I can reach her. Otherwise I do not know anything more today. I am very tired since I am too lazy to go to bed every night and stay up much too late. I hope to hear from you soon again.
A million kisses,
Yours Trudel.
*Gabor Hirsh was a famous German photographer. Trudel may have been talking about his studio or shop
*Trudel’s mother died in 1933, nearly a year before Trudel left Germany.
[Spoiler alert: References to “Leonard,” refer to the man who would become my father. He was Leonard Jacob Grossman. I was named Leonard Albert Grossman. Editor ]
http://lgrossman.com/trudel/87i
