Somewhere in Germany 4/27/45

Dear Dad,

I am assuming that you are staying on at Aunt Harriett’s for a few weeks in addressing my letters to you.  No doubt Rena has forwarded other letters I have written you.  I never did send any of them to Tucson expecting you to return from week to week –  The country I am passing through at present seems much poorer and the people less progressive than I have seen elsewhere.  For instance, most of their farm tools are hand made.  I saw for the first time a plow made entirely of wood, no steel plowshare but a board instead. In this little village the people work the soil in Summer and occupy themselves with home industries in the Winter, an ideal combination.  In “our” house there is a primitive looking wood turning lathe which is used to turn small articles like file handles, ten pins for children’s games and the like, such as used to be imported into U.S.  in large quantities from Central European countries.  The lathe itself was entirely of wood except for bolts, nuts and hand forged shaft pieces.  It looked as though it had been in the family for generations.  It wouldn’t surprise me if it were a museum piece.  The older people are very uninteresting, women look like old mattresses tied in the middle, men unattractive also.  The young girls rather plain.  By the way one I saw looked like Jennie Kresan (?) at 12 years.  All have head shawls – Well bye bye for now..  with love,  Carl