This is the last of my great-great-grandfather's letters to his family in Germany that I have. I'm so sad! I do have 2 that appear to be from his brother Sebastian in 1889 & 1891 that I will get translated next.
Joseph Enz, the author of this letter, died 13 months later. The photo above has written on the back "Born Sept. 24, 1860 Died Jan. 24, 1941 Fri. 6:40 am." He was 80 years old and died of esophageal cancer at his home in Philadelphia.
Again, George is Joseph's nephew, his brother Englebert's son and father of Hermann Enz who gave us these letters. The Daubenschutz family is Joseph's mother's family.
1
Philadelphia Dec 17, 39
Dear Georg and Martha,
Received your letter after 30 days. I saw that you are doing well, pretty well during the wartime. Everybody hopes that it will end better than the last time. This is a different Germany now, strong and united. Stay together, this way the Reich can never lose. I saw in the newspapers that there are still traitors and other sorts of people who are capable of anything - just like here.
Dear Georg and Martha, we are still pretty hale and hearty. I am mostly at home. Working - no, that is impossible now. Nobody wants old people, there are enough young people, but they do not want to work. They prefer to go out by night and rob stores, people, banks - pays better than work. Often they are caught in the act and almost shot, it does not take very long. Aunt goes travelling once in a while for 1 week. Of course only when a machine [car] comes and picks her up, because walking does not work well anymore. I would love to travel, too, but it costs too much.
2
Everything became really expensive since the war broke out, but everything is available in abundance. Speculation is for others, I have to hold the few dollars that I still have together. Food and drink are still reasonably priced, but the beer became too expensive. It is also not as good as in the past (chemicals), too young.
Dear Georg, did you not overexert yourself while writing the [last] letter, because it was the best one that you ever wrote? Of course I still knew them all, Georg and Valentin Bock Borch. Often on Sundays and winter evenings, when his father was still alive (he was a good man), I and Joachim Dauberschütz played Gaigel[1], also because of the pretty maid. I believe (Justine Link) was her name from Werterheim[2]. I wonder if she is still alive? I would like to send her my regards from the far away America. She would be surprised. There probably won’t be many alive anymore from the old guard. Are Margarete and Christine Dauberschütz still alive? They are sisters of Joachim, please say hello to them. If I can (I was not able before), I will visit them. Hopefully there will be peace soon
3
and the war is over, maybe I will have enough money so that I can sell a house [sic]. But I won’t be able to go alone; my eyes are not good anymore, especially at night. God willing, we hope for the best.
Dear Georg and Martha, I can’t write everything from my family since that is too much. I do not like to write much anymore in general. Here is an overview: I have 8 daughters, +Josephine+ (Louis Sophie)(Anna Maria)(Rosa Theresia) Regina Creszentia (Clara Kathrina)(Florence Evangeline)(Emma Gertrud). Grandchildren: I cannot write all the names, as of now there are (23). Great-grandchildren are as of now (8), some are dead already. Now you can see for yourself how big our family is. Some are wealthy, too, but they do not give anything away. Way too American, they do not want to know anything anymore from the old German Swabs[3]. If they want it that way, I don’t care.
4
(address is included)
Dear Georg, I have a small favor to ask you. Every month I receive an issue of the Schwabenland und seine Umgebung [4], could you be nice and pay my subscription of 10 marks? This is not too much to ask, you can deduct it from the interest. Because you still know the sum, you know how much it is, and how many years. I think it is not too much to ask. Until now I did not write you a lot, but it had to happen at least one time. Am I not worth an answer or a greeting from sister Marie? ---But it is not yet---?
Dear Georg and Martha, I wish you and your children a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Please wish he same to Elise, her husband and the children. I wrote her a letter, but if she received it? The fine English gentlemen rob all German mail from Holland’s ships. I will send this letter via an Italian line; this will take 2 weeks or even more.
Again, cordial wishes from uncle, aunt. Please say hello to the Minister, I have not heard anything from him for a long time. Does he still receive the Catholic newspaper? The Minister Stegmeier did not say anything. Did he receive my regards from America and did he remember me?
Please be nice, let me know when you received this letter.
[1] http://whiteknucklecards.com/games/gaigel.html
[2] Most likely: Wertheim
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabia
[4] Swabia and its Environment
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I have some great news to share about some more cousins to this Enz family that I have found! More on that and a plan for a reunion in Philadelphia this summer!
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