These are a few odd letters in the group from Germany, but rather than coming from America, they are from family members that never left the country.
These first two are from the eldest of the Enz children, my 2x great grandfather's brother Sebastian. They are from 1862 and 1863. The first must have been to August Enz, who came to America in 1868. He was the first in his family to do so.
Weinheim, October 3rd 1862
Dear brother!
I received your letter of [September] 29th. I am
glad to hear that you are well. I did not leave my position yet because the new
assistant has to learn the business. I had to promise my supervisor to stay for
the length of this purpose. For that he promised me to undertake the necessary
steps to help me to enter the public service. Until now nothing in that regard has
happened and I am still without gainful employment.
Within the next days I will do everything necessary myself.
I have to go to Heidelberg for this purpose. I do not know the date yet, that
is why it will be difficult to meet each other. However, I am hoping to visit
[you] within the next few days. I am well otherwise. I will enclose the letter that I recently received from
home.
Kind regards to you, your loving brother Sebastian
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Eberbach, December 10th 1863
Dear parents,
I received your letter of November 30th together
with the packages. I am very happy that you are all well.
I was very delighted about the gift from Engelbert. I can
just imagine how much he liked the book that mother brought from Einsiedeln and
how much brotherly love it took to give it to me. I was so pleased with it that
I kissed it. The wool socks were very much needed, too. I have some unpleasant
news: I will leave Eberbach on the 15th of this month.
I was fired on October 2nd, after a small
exchange of words. I was told that I was not needed anymore and that I could go
whenever I please. I did not receive the money that I saved up this year yet; I
would have sent it otherwise.
I have not heard anything from August all summer long. I
sent him the letter I took from home. Since I did not receive an answer I did
not write a second letter. In my letter I did not say anything else than what I
recommended before, that is why I consider his silence naughty. If I will get
the position I have in prospect I will send several unnecessary things home; mostly
extra books which are too heavy to carry. Please keep those until I need them
again.
I will find a place in my old or my new home. It is getting
serious with Schleswig-Holstein.
There will be no positive results for Germany, however,
least of all for the Holsteins. The Prussians and the Austrians will shoot each
other just like in ’48 and then go home again.
Kind regards to you and to my siblings, especially affectionate
to sweet Engelbert. Always your grateful son and brother Sebastian
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Interesting to hear his take on the second Schleswig-Holstein wars! I don't know what became of Sebastian, just that he married in Stuttgart and died there in 1874.
This next is from Elise Enz, I think she is a daughter of George Enz. There were a few girlish postcards to her from friends in the 1920's. This is only 2 pages of a larger letter, but all I have. She sounds very homesick!
And in the meantime [I] want to learn sewing. But please do
not tell anyone, I want to do everything verbally. Otherwise I would not even be
able to start. However, I have valid reasons to leave Kirchheim. I made
arrangements with my employer, too, which she reluctantly agreed to. It really
does not work out. It is clear to
me that it would kill my heart and my soul. If I would write down everything
that I have experienced within the last 14 days, dear mother, you would throw
your hands up in horror. I am thinking fleeing and I would do it right away,
but my embarrassment and my pride prevent me from it. With 1 month you could
say she was not ready to be gone longer than for one month. My resolution is to
learn cooking and sewing this winter, so that I can find further employment.
Anyway, I learned to cherish my home. I never want to go away again. I want to
further my studies in cooking close by, but everything [agreements] verbally. I
hope you will not say anything to each other.
It will be to your and to my comfort. Goodbye until New
Year’s! Please inquire regarding learning to sew, and please get the eggs
and the butter. And please press the dresses I sent to my cousin. I am and
always will be your grateful daughter Elis, and affectionate regards to all of
you.
t was worth to explore a faraway place and home, too. From now on, I could go away anytime. You just do not see it as long as you are staying home.
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This last one is a postcard from my 2x great grandfather, written while visiting his daughter, Emma Duelfer. Emma's daughter Mae is still alive at 94, and she remembers this visit!
Frau Barbara Enz in Drakenstein
Municipal association Geislingen
Württemberg
Germany
Allentown Aug 27, 23.
Dear sister-in-law,
I received your letter and I learned that you saw after my
business, thank you for that. In case Josephine, my childhood friend, needs
anything, you can sell her something, but at a reasonable price. It’s just that
they are poor people. Poverty is
not a crime. Although many people who are poor now were rather arrogant before
the war. I am visiting my daughter in a place called Allentown in the
mountains. I am here for recreation because I have been ill for three weeks. I
am better already.
Regards to you,
Your uncle and brother-in-law Joseph
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