Appendix 2: Post-war letters from Hede Sternschuss written in English to Francis and Edith Sternschuss

1	Prague, 17 June 1945

Dear Francis and dear Edithl

Thanks for your letter from 3/6. It arrived in five days. It gave us much pleasure to have news of you, Catherine³ and Greta. When a regular postal service will be working again I shall write letters to tell you all that happened since April ’39. It will be a novel.

In the meantime I hope you have got several letters from Ernest and therefore you will know what we have been doing during the war and how we have managed.⁴ Thank God we have saved our flat and what we want: our clothes, linen, etc. It was not easy but the main thing is we can make both ends meet and it is not necessary that you trouble to support us. We can at present manage and Ernest helps if it must be. We thank both of you for your kind offer and hope that the time will come very soon when we can do something for you and your dear Catherine.

I can imagine how much Edith is longing for news from her dear relatives but it is a pity that we have heard last in July 1942, later on no messages came and therefore we have written to the Red Cross to make enquiries. Gusti and Irene left us in January 1942 and Mary in April. Granny in June 1942 and we were very grieved by their parting because we were very fond of each other and they liked me especially therefore we were very often together.

Irene and Gusti have been staying for three months at Theresienstadt. Mary and Granny only for a few days and they all had to leave for Poland. That was a rather bad place and we got seldom messages and could not help them, it was not allowed to write letters or postcards. In the beginning we sent small parcels but later on this was not allowed either.

Uncle Otto and Kamilla are three years away5 and we had no news at all and therefore we are much afraid that they have not survived all the sufferings. Aunt’s sister Mary died at Theresienstadt one year ago and what happened to her family we do not know.⁶ I am very sorry that I can not write better news to you but you surely have heard how many people were killed and in what danger we always have been. It is a great wonder that we have survived. At present only a few people we know have returned from the concentration camps and I am sorry to say that of our family only Trude and Eva Schick returned, but we still hope that many more will come when the railway connection will be better.

Father’s health is not in the best state, he has aged like myself because of the troubles. If we find a good physician, I hope it will be better again. I am glad father is now every day going out for a walk in the park and is enjoying the radio. It is a great pity that we can not look after our grandchild and it would give us great pleasure to see her and to play with her. When she takes after her father you will know to treat her all right. Please send us as soon as possible a new snap of little Catherine and both of you, it will be delightful.

Was it not a great surprise to you when you heard I have learned E[nglish], is it? I am now happy to have used my spare time so well, but it was difficult enough in my age with so much troubles to have a good memory and if I am making mistakes you must excuse it. Surely I shall get more practice now.

Best regards to Harry and Flo [Bramwell], both Gretes, Mr Lester and all my love to you my dears.

Your mother.

Many kisses to the little darling.

Postscript in Czech: Objímá a libá vás všechny. Váš Táta.⁷

Photo 20 Edith and her baby daughter Catherine Anne (Kate), August 1942.

2	Part letter, 1945

… … How often I was writing letters to you all in my memory I cannot say, I was only afraid to convey to you all the bad news. Our life was surely not pleasant but, compared with the suffering which our dear ones had to undergo, it was easy. I am now always glad that I could be for all a bit of help and that we liked each other very much, saw each other very much and we were always happy you were spared all the troubles.

Mary⁸ has been baking skilfully wafers [and] had many pupils and I was among them and she was pleased to have success. Then she was in good humor because she has found her old friend, Ing. L[öwy] in Greece. They were always corresponding and looking forward to get married. It has been making her happy and when she left us she was determined to be strong and to get through. I understand very well that Edith wants to know very many details about her people and I am therefore not troubled if she asks for it. It is only difficult for me to give the right words for it. I can only say that neither her mother nor uncle, aunt or Grannie felt deserted through Edith and they had full understanding that it was not possible to write to them. They were glad to know that you are in freedom.

They took the preparation and the parting very bravely and hoped to return after the war. It made the whole affair easier for them that they were among a great part of acquainted people who had the same fate and they helped each other very much. In the beginning they have not known that they will go later to Poland. I have kept some p.c. from Irene and two letters from Mother written before her leave and I hope I shall find the possibility to send them to you without getting lost. I promised to all to look after their things and now I am glad that I could save the earrings, clothes, linen, etc. The machines and the recipes are existing too and we have one Doomsday book register copy for the house.9 When the power of attorney will arrive I shall use it.

It is interesting to us that Edith’s sister is contented and fond of little C.A. and that the little one is a happy pretty girl. I am only very sorry that we cannot have her here because such a child is a great comfort.

I thank you very much for the news about Greta [Sternschuss]. I am pleased that she is healthy and popular and that you are on very good terms together. …

³Catherine Anne (referred to as CA in the next letter) later became known as Kate (Ottevanger).

⁴These letters have been lost.

⁵Otakar and Kamila Sternschuss were Rudolf Sternschuss’s brother and sister-in-law. They were both deported on 27 July 1942 to Theresienstadt, and then, several days later, to Maly Trostenets.

⁶Presumably the aunt is Kamilla (or Kamila).

⁷Hugs and kisses from your father.

⁸Marie.

⁹Hede probably means the deeds to the house in Karlsbad.