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Letter from Rosa Stern to Beate Stern (Bea Karp), July 1, 1942

German | English
 

Mein liebes gutes Beatele. Sehr lange habe ich von Dir mein liebes Kind keine Nachricht und mache mir viel Sorgen. Bist Du gesund. Schreibe mir bitte und wenn es auch kein großer Brief ist. Heute kam dein liebes Päckchen mit dem Brot und 2 Rippen Schokolade sehr gut an. Sei vielmals herzlich bedankt mein gutes Kind. Aber Du liebes Beatchen sollst Dir nichts absparen. Es ist gut daß das Brot getrocknet ist. Da schimmelt es nicht. Und es schmeckt so gut im Kaffee oder Suppe. Nochmals herzlichen Dank. Hast Du die Sonnenbrille und das rote Schürzchen erhalten. Bei Marga Kahn legte ich ein

 

Blüschen für Dich bei Past es Dir noch und kannst Du es tragen. Bleibe gesund mein liebes gutes Kind.

Es küsst Dich in Liebe, deine Mama.

Viele Grüsse aus Gerdi Charlotte & Edith & Margo. Strauss

Ecrit en allemand

EXPEDITEUR Mrs. Rosa Stern No. 6371, Housing Block J., Barrack 60 Centre de Hébergement Rivesaltes DESTINATAIRE Miss Beate Stern Château du Couret c/o the Jonchère St. Maurice Haute-Vienne

Camp Rivesaltes — Eastern Pyrenées July 1, 1942

 

Postes Francaises

Minstere De L'Interieur
Direction de la Sureté National
Direction du Camp de Rivesaltes
CENSURE
English | German

My dear, good little Beate.1 It’s been a very long while since I last had word from you, my darling child and I’m really concerned about you. Are you healthy? Please write me, even if it isn’t any long letter. Today your lovely little package with the bread and two rows from a chocolate bar arrived in good condition, and is a real winner. Thank you so much, my darling little one. But you, yourself, dear little Beate, you really shouldn’t scrimp and go without yourself for our sake. It’s good thing that the bread is dried. That way it doesn’t go moldy, and it tastes so good in coffee or soup. Again, thank you very much. Did you receive the sunglasses and the little red pinafore? I left a few things for you with Marga Kahn.

 

Does it still fit, and can you wear it? Stay healthy, my darling good child.

I kiss you, with love, your Mama

Pass on my greetings to Gerdi Charlotte and Edith and Margo. Strauss2

Written in German3

SENDER Mrs. Rosa Stern No. 6371, Housing Block J., Barrack 60 Centre de Hébergement4 Rivesaltes5

RECIPIENT Miss Beate Stern Château du Couret c/o the Jonchère St. Maurice Haute-Vienne6

Camp Rivesaltes7 — Eastern Pyrenées July 1, 1942

 

Postes Francaises8

Ministry of the Interior
Directorate of Internal Security
Direction of Camp Rivesaltes
CENSURE

Notes

1. The name “Beatele”, literally meaning “little Beate” includes the “-le” suffix at the end of the name “Beate”, which is an expression of close affection, like “-y” or “-ie” that is sometimes added to English first names to express affection towards the person (e.g. George/Georgie, or Robert/Robby or Robbie). The “-le” in itself is a shortened, slang-ish, French-influenced version of the suffix “-lein”, meaning a little whatever-the-noun-is. A good example is “Frau” for woman, and “Fräulein” for an unmarried and/or young woman or girl. [back]
2. The “Strauss” family name looks to be added as an after-thought, but it’s not clear which first names it belongs to. [back]
3. Written in French. [back]
4. The camp was called an “Accommodation Center." [back]
5. A town in the far south of France, by the Mediterranean coast, not far from Spain — and at the same time the Rivesaltes internment camp. [back]
6. Haute-Vienne “département” in central, somewhat southwest France, but far to the north from Rivesaltes. Limoges is the nearby main town. A “jonchère” in French is a plantation for growing rush/cane, but this is a village by that name. [back]
7. This “Camp de Rivesaltes” was first created to house Spanish refugees and Republican fighters fleeing north from Spain in 1939 at the end of the Spanish Civil War against the fascist forces of General Francisco Franco. The Jewish internees were later deported to Auschwitz. [back]
8. Stamp. 1 franc 20 centimes. Picture of Marshall Philippe Pétain, the French general considered the French hero of WWI, but appointed head of the French Vichy government under the Nazis during WWII. [back]
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