May 13, 1945
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310.165.1-4.2017 Transcription
Dachau Concentration Camp
13 May 45
Hi, darlin’,
It seems that every day I flood
you (just cuz I/we got flooded) c̅[1] “latrine-
rumors.” This time it (again) points
towards maybe going to England for
that Rest Camp deal. Heres why:— I
believe the rumor will materialize that
they burn Dachau to the ground! Its
funny but we all just sorta hopefully
wait c̅ fiendish (?) glee for that
moment—to see this dastardly
place just roaring in flames. Maybe
we’re sorta Nero’s, huh?! However,
besides performing a ingominious [sic] End
[justifiable!][2] it would consume the
typhus c̅ it. To give you an idea—
it would be like burning down-town
Bismarck, yet “residential-Bismarck”
(SS barracks, offices, etc) would be left
to live in for us, our patients, etc.
Sooo, maybe the sword-will-be-turned
[2]
around—viz (OLD QUOTATION & TRUE)[3]: “At Dachau
You Enter By The Door & Leave By The Chimney;”
this time, & for all Eternity, let us hope—
Dachau “leaves” by the chimney!!!
(instead of its hundreds of thousands of people
leaving by the chimney). Infact, HOOOOORAY!
We’ll, depending on how much of this
place they burn (over & above the “downtown-Bis.”)
will influence whether or not we
get burned-out-of-house-&-h{OSPITAL
{ome.
Just a few ad libs—any
priest or minister who practiced his
Teachings on Dachau or any of these cap
camps had one of 2 things done (over &
above the Routine {starvation filth etc etc[4]):- (1) Kneel in
the huge Appel (gathering) Place & every one
of the thousands who passed him [the whole day][5] were
compelled to spit on him—if not
they caught (more) Hell; or (2) Hans[6] has
seen priests put in the man-eating (TRUE!)
Doberman kennel dog houses & made
to bark like a dog whenever someone
passed. Yes, my Beloved, today is Sun
& thus I am reminded of this ! !
[3]
Ive seen these Dobermans; you
could ride, actually!, them for 500 yards
before they would get tired. Well, the
only time in 3½ yrs of “witnessings”
(that Hans held up through) he was
sick & vomited only once—that
was when a captured escapist was
tied naked to a post & 3 of these huge
Dobermans (after 4 days of being starved)
were turned loose on him while
thousands of internees witnessed it
all standing at attention. Hans “stood”
the calves torn off; “stood” the thighs
torn off; “stood” the guys (yes, guts!)
torn out; but he turned his head
& vomited when the Dobermans had
torn the lungs & heart out. The first
thing the liberated internees did was
to shoot the Dobermans & their horrid
handler. This camp had only a few
Dobermans——only (about) 50!
Every day I walk past the 50 kennel
houses. Oh, you say you want a house;
well—I’ll send a kennel. Sure!
[4]
[Later][7] Back at the room where I have
access to the balance of unanswered letters
of yours—gee, last night I wrote
an 8-pager which answered about 10
“back-log” of your letters & heres 4 more.
Your Apr 22nd’s:- (1) Im sorry
your metatarsals are kaput. Maybe
you need to see Denniston. Infact,
lets both go to a dance at the Phi Mu
house?—geeeeee! (2) Emily,
you should buy things for yourself;
guess thats why I “unconsciously”
began PTAing[8] you money cuz you’re
the kinda lug who wouldnt unless
heckled-into-it. You could have & can
stop that daily-expenditure-book
any time darlin’, as far as I’m
concerned. [P.S. (Rep):-Income blank has gone on
its way 3 nights ago.][9]
Some reps:—photo paper & 2 recent
pkgs came. I I N S I S T all Americans
read “Time” magazine for 30 Apr 45 (vol 18)
re: what we see & is all over Germany.
Also Jan (or Dec) Readers Digest is a must.
The Rx hair tonic came. Still no luck on
my “liberating”[10] one of those $800 Leica cameras.
[Potential missing pages.]
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Bracketed text is part of original.
[3] In original, “OLD” is written above “QUOTATION,” which is written above “& TRUE.”
[4] In original, “starvation” is written above “filth,” which is written above “etc etc.”
[5] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[6] Hans Gerritsen, a Dutch paratrooper Wilsey became friends with while liberating Dachau.
[7] Bracketed text is part of original.
[8] Personal Transfer Account for sending money back home.
[9] Bracketed text is part of original.
[10] Looting.