March 17, 1943: Wishes for Happy Reunion

Red Cross Letter from Ella to Opa

Translation:

17 March 1943

My boy, heartfelt good wishes for your birthday: happy reunion! Greet your friends, Hanna, Rose. I miss Brigitte, and you, a lot! I see Annchen more often, she is healthy, sends greetings.

Yours

Mama

Another Red Cross Letter from Ella. This one was dated March 17, but a European stamp on the bottom dates April 12 and then another stamp by the American Red Cross is dated August 18, 1943. It is likely Opa received this letter sometime in August. Ella wishes Opa happy birthday, she tries to get ahead of the schedule. I wonder also if she is trying to help Opa understand how long it takes for the letters to get to her. If she is writing Happy Birthday in March when his birthday is not until the end of May, she is showing that she expects a two-month delay. 

This is Ella's 5th birthday greeting to her son from afar. On his birthday he will be 23 years old, and the last time she saw him he was 18. Can you imagine? What is her birthday wish? Happy Reunion.

She refers to Patti by her given name, Brigitte and says that she misses her children very much. I'm happy to hear that Annchen (August's sister, Opa's aunt) is being such a good friend to Ella. 

Another birthday gone, with wishes for happy reunion.