My dear Rudi !

Thanks God we did succeed in overcome your leaving and hope the same from you. From your side it perhaps was somewhat lighter, because you, being young, do see the world with open eyes and much new and beautiful and interesting.

I hope, after having read  today the letters of Edith Bär from Johannesburg. They do care about you in the future and I am totally convinced that you, with your  zeal and by your courage will succeed , only do care that you remain in good health ! Until then you already have a large part behind you.

Hoping that you will often write me.

(What follows is almost unreadable)

Dear Rudi ! In the mean time we have been in Worms.  The joy was great as you can imagine.

Traveling back we drove as you know to Essen. From there I got the leather-pants  stories.

Please write me detailed about your voyage and how you do there. Cordial greetings. Good luck and 1000 greetings and kisses from your loving brother Hans Ferd.

Aunt Eva is in good health again and since some days she is out of bed. All were interested in our meeting and we had to tell much. Greet Walter H. especially from me and write soon together. I hear that your mother would like to send something for him and feels very sorry that she did not do so. Perhaps I soon will have the opportunity with the Frankfurt people to do it. At the end of June or July they intend to leave. Do honestly  write whether or  what you still might need, especially the linen suit. It is a pity that you did not pay somewhat more in Amsterdam, to get a good suit. You are extremely well cared.  I was totally surprised when I read. I hope the fortune will persist !! All the best in the far land. Do often think about us and write in detail! Cordial greetings and kisses from your loving mother.

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…and generally spoken, one does not like to leave .

In the garden it is really  beautiful,  even some strawberries I could pick, and most of all I like to see it from the balcony.  Champagne seems to be an article for over there, because I heard from two gentlemen from Mainz, who after an orientation trip did decide to start an alcohol factory there.

I want to end now and leave the remaining space for both the gentlemen.  Farewell my dear boy, I hope the letter will arrive at you, being in good health and can soon mention good things from you. 1000 kisses. Your loving  mother.

Dear Rudi !  I can not imagine anymore how you, my faithful dear brother do look like and it is not that long time  that we did see each other.  When I think well and take the map I realize how far  you are away from me. Even the Atlantic Ocean does separate us. Surely the trip was interesting . Our collection of cactus did enlarge enormously. In the mean time the Lamboy feast came with interesting procession, for which your loving father and I were interested very much.

Cordial greetings and kisses from your loving brother Hans-Ferdinand.

Do write soon !!!

Dear Rudi! Your last letter did interest me very much, only, some things are untouched !  The behavior of the local committee did deceive me enormously and is in total contradiction with what always is read  about  social will to help, greatest compassion advice and action in favor of the emigrants. I immediately took  the necessary steps and will communicate what answered the Offfice for Advice of the German Jews and what has to be done.

A long time ago I wrote you a normal letter  to Capstad or Johannesburg (Post restante in the main office) and sent  a passport for you, as a son of the president of the front-soldiers of the Hanau group of Ryf of Berlin, to the South African Jewish Ex Services  League in Johannesburg, with the demand, to advice you in word and action !  (An agreement between the German and English government !)  Why don’t  you write about that? We hardly know where you live and what you pay !  That can not be the aim of emigration, to leave a trusted citizenship and to travel away and than to be in front of nothing, isn’t it?  That it is not that simple to find a new life is normal ! But with your knowledge and adaptability it will succeed ! Do not worry !

Today I received from Mrs Eisensimon ( called the roasted onion!) the following addresses of her relatives there : Edmund Simon or Simon and Helling, Loewisfontain, Holl. Besitzung in Calvinia, S.A. ; 50 years ago the parents emigrated inland and should be very rich, so once there and once back! Than I do remind you the great laundry  Hoffmann Johannesburg , Transvaal, 32 Sidney Road or per postbox 3278.  35 years ago the emigrated there from Hanau, first as gold diggers, lived besides the Hamburger Langgasse, the father calls Back and is cared by Miss Kirchhoff, our tailor of many years, was night-guard earlier, than basket-maker and now renter with 90 years !

Possibly occupies  100 persons at work and other personal, enormous building, worth 25,000 Dollars and more. Want to sell because too old, man is deaf, wife  again back from Hamm and does expect your visit, I spoke her personally.  Whether your declaration on word of honor has any value, I would doubt, only the German Office does count.  When I want your letters to answered they surely are in Worms or Frankfurt, such a decent ….

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personality like me is of no importance to them ! Think about the there growing magnificent cactus plants. Sending as a sample without value is desired.

Now you can greet the Schuster family on my behalf. Little space is left , therefore cordial greetings and kisses  your father. Good luck ! I wish you the greatest success !

May 3, 1936

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My dear boy !

During the whole day I think about the large cupboard which is carrying you minute by minute farther away from us. Now already are on your way for 10 days and I hope you had a fine voyage and were free from sea-sickness. How many beautiful things you already must have seen and experienced.  You surely will have passed Madeira and we can await post from you every day.

Your kind card from Southampton we received, also the dear Oma already set me the letter you wrote her and we all were pleased with your good messages.  How good, that you had such fine days in London, in such a good company. Doing so you surely must have seen more of the town and made attentive to the most beautiful things. Where that young ladies?  I hope for the best. From Toni I heard that you immediately did find Mr Herzog and hope you accompany each other. The Grünfeld family immediately and kindly answered to my card. You left so pleasantly and she would have might have cared that much about you. I do not have to care about you, you still know the world.  Your kind letter from Amsterdam I already have confirmed and I would like to know whether you received, before traveling, a letter from Höxter’s.  It only is correct  because she gave you the address of an engineer who has a building office over there and and may be  of good help.

I also might not forget that Frieda during my absence, being with   your,   had the visit of a lady  from over there, who specially was sent to you by her relatives and did tell much.  Hochstätter also is in the building business over there and could surely be at your side after the recommendation which you received from H, .  If possible, do not immediately take the most primitive job, and try to live in a good house. A boarding house like in Amsterdam can be of good use for some time. It would be harmful for you and also for your beautiful laundry and clothes, when you might be able to put them away in good conditions. How is your skin??? I would like to have a real and correct message about this. Do care for yourself and also for your hair, I always have to repeat and do concern more about your presentation. You know the first impression is the best one.

I have read a lot of letters of Edith Bähr who is doing well over there.

She is living in?ging and now calls Mrs Erni Jakob.  She write very interesting about her   wedding, feasted in the whole community and how may were invited.  They also were invited at the Hoschstädter’s  and accepted very well and by  coincidence got acquainted with Walter Hartoch in Johannesburg and also spoke with him about you. She writes: Rudi you must no have fear.  You will arrive and also we will look around for you in advance! I also do hope that you certainly will succeed to build an existence and feel well over here.  Edith writes that her parents are packing  and soon will come to her, than her happiness is complete.  In the mean time, my dear boy, you  will be landed there and also written us. We will write each other all the time by airmail so that it will not take too long. It would be fine when you could send a telegram at your arrival.

Maybe  it is too expensive. We are all well, also father who already has written to you  this week

Perhaps I waited too long because I did not know that the post took that long time.

It is 4 weeks now that I visited you. How fast time goes and for how long I will be withheld from a meeting with you. Your dear Oma could not wait for the time that we come to you. I would have waited until the birthday on May 17. Vati would not forget us.  In fact there is nothing news at ours, also here are no essential changes .

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Worms May 3, 1936

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My[1] dear Rudi! Already for a long time I wanted to write you but remained postponed by lack of time or desire to write. Now, however it is the highest time, when my lines and cordial greetings for you must reach you before you leave.  A travel in the incertitude, but full of hope and expectations for your further life and a possible happy future! I hope and wish for you by all my heart a complete fulfillment of all that we ….. 

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I was much with you. The heaviness of the separation will be wiped away for you by your great new life.  Perhaps your dear parents and house can also come once. Only remain with both feet on the soil of reality. To succeed, call all the Gods.  A word of God that also did help me in the last years and gave much courage in life, perhaps this also will be given to you. And farewell! All the best for you and your further new life. Most cordial!  Your aunt Alice

Lotte already is sleeping and uncle Oskar is away. I greet you for them.

Warning for otters and lions, they are dangerous animals.

Worms, 16 April 1936

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