May 20, 1945
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310.170.1-6.2017 Transcription
Dachau Conc. Camp
20 May 45 @ 9 PM
Dearest,
Not a “squawk”—just facts—
that ever since getting a “token” to or two
of post-V-E f mail through, the postal
service surely has gotten recalcitrant.
I’ve been luckier than others, whose mail
has been just nil. This Dachau deal
is sorta-kinda-someways “War-Plus,” so
mail is still needed as much as ever.
Ya know what—today was the
first time in 7 months that I had
a {decent temperature controlled[1] shower! Every-
thing from helmets to pails to assinine
plumbing fixtures have served (?) the
purpose for 7 months. Today I was
“indebted” to S.S.-Gestapo Heinrich Himmler;
even a reg[is]tering thermometer at the
mixing-point of the two pipes. Tsk! Tsk!
Something else I “need” very very
badly for months—an Episcopal
service from begining to end in the regular
good ol’ manner! Geeeee, I just ache!
Only twice in 7 months have I been able
to find an Episcopal priest [(a 3rd X = quickie)][2]—&
that seems ages ago, back in Sarrebourg
practically every Sunday I attend our
Chaplains service—but like so many
[2]
Chaplains ours is just having a pleasurable-
sightseeing (private Jeep)-looting-overseas
interlude. Infact in many ways he
has almost assumed the “catagory” of
a hippocrite—which has hand
in hand brought c̅[3] it a melerdramer
in his sermons that I can hardly
stand another Sunday—yet back
I go & sit there “having-my-own-Service.”
Im sooo anxious for mail the next
day or two as it should bring me a
letter of V-E Day or VE +1+2 & Im just
curious to read them. Did you get my
letter saying [about][4] my VE Day-religious-“coincid-
ence”?
Say! I always forget a dozen things.
This time I remember to ask you to
get a copy of a magazine called
“Popular Photography”—published only
once a year for 50¢ & is fairly thick-like.
It “scoops” every camera that was ever
made. You may even have to ask some
friend residing in a big city to get it
out of one of those [big][5] cover-all news stands.
I’m not sure of the name or classification,
or listing of these 2 identical electro cameras
Ive written about 5X or 6X, but maybe
[3]
you could “detective-it-out” from the
facts:— (1) its electro; 36 volt direct
current (∴ small battery) (2) Its 16 mm;
(one of the cassettes had some film left
in it which, upon developing showed
on its margin “Leis Iron Saftey, U.S.A. ! [English spelling][6]
(3) It is a Siemens Co# which
European-born docs (such as Jacobi) say is
a “tops” company. (4) Its’ lens is by
Jos. Schneider & Co, Kreuznach (ger); it
is titled Xenon F: 1.5, f 2.5 cm D.R.D.
(5) It “stops” to 1/150 of a second [fast enough to “stop” a flying bird or truck.][7]. (6) Its
“F” goes from 1.5 to 22 (7) Its “distance”
(& this is what makes it “depreciate” so much) is
14 to 80 cm, BUT fear not, we’ll increase
it by interpolating a lens or doing something.
Anyhooo, try real hard to get that
magazine & look it up, huh? Tanks.
P.S. You’d just have to classify it as it stands, I guess,
as a scientific-specialized-laboratory-camera, but
possibilities are so multiple I dont feel in the
least glum about its “limitations.” P.P.S. I keep
saying “it”—I should say them as I have
2 identicals—there were 5 in the box when
we “liberated”[8] them & a 6th one had already been
stolen by some “inside” S.S.er who knew exactly
all about this barrage of 6 originals to the set.
I know some scientists would pay over $500 to have
a camera like this made up—& whether or
not “Popular Photography” grants it to be worth around
$500 has got me very very curious.
[4]
Please send me as many of those Madison
cheezes as you can as I can really use
them.
You recently asked for more requests.
Lordie, I thought I had laid in a “reserve”
enough while in Sarrebourg to last
2 wartimes—how come? Did ya
hafta present 2, 3, & 4 letters to “add-up”
for the total weight of one box-full? I
dont see why one item shouldn’t be
“excuse” enough for sending one whole box.
Anyhooo, I’ll close now as this
page could be sent to Madison cuz
it is impersonal except for the very
“personalness” of—
All my love,
Dave
[5]
P.S.:—(I just cant seem to stop writing even though I should)
Maybe——just maybe——God has
decided that the 116th should be left in
Europe to clean up this den of filth-
diseases & horror-results. It will take
months to do it. Many of the 116th
pray to “face” the CBI[9] rather than
the “clean-up” of Dachau——I can
see their point! Sooooooooo,
whatever God decides is swell c̅
me———but oh! this Dachau
assignment is one of the worst dirty
deals/”dirty deals” any organization
could have “handed” it.
P.P.S. Things I’ve told you re: Hans[10] are only
“accidentally” learned—he is so genuinely
modest that all his past life was only very casually
“let-slip” to me by him or others. Pray c̅ me
& dear him, dearest, that his wife & 12 yr old
son Victor have survived the S.S. Beast at The Hague,
Holland. The SS & Gestapo tortured his valiant
12 yr old son infront of his eyes to try to make
him tell the whole pre-Normandy Underground’s
plans. Just a very weak & indirect commentary on Hans:-
they immediately made him Chief of Police of Dachau.
[1] In original, “decent” is written above “temperature controlled.”
[2] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[3] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[4] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[5] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[6] In original, there are arrows pointing from bracketed text to “U.S.A.,” “Saftey” and the exclamation point.
[7] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[8] Looted.
[9] China Burma India. CBI was the US military designation for this area during the war.
[10] Hans Gerritsen, a Dutch paratrooper Wilsey became friends with while liberating Dachau.