DLA015-0016  Partial letter; Translation

Munich

22nd January 1924.                       

Beloved Brother,

I hope you have received my letter from Frankfurt, where I spent a few pleasant days with nice people but nevertheless I was a little [illegible], I think affected by the air… or by seasickness. Now I am here and I have coped well with the overnight journey, and I have brought back all my luggage and belongings without any loss or damage. The suitcase which you were kind enough to give me and which you forwarded here I have also received in good condition and undamaged. Everything is in order. The picture [2817] wonderfully protected. [illegible] the picture is wonderful! It lives, it breathes and reminds me of past days of beauty and [illegible] and of the luck to have been able to share the experience of the art of a master in his temple. I cannot take it in my hands yet, it stands leaning vertically in my bedroom next to the lovely tall gold cross, near your sons. Tomorrow I am going to Dury.^[1] The picture is magnificent – my whole joy!

All the other precious things which I received in such rich measure from your kind heart, are lying on my chest of drawers and I always look at them with pleasure; they remind me that it was not a dream but reality that I was with you and that you celebrated a lovely, friendly Christmas in a happy family circle surrounded by beloved children – at last.  after 10 sad Christmases! I hoped and yearned for so many long years to be with you, and like a quick dream its fulfilment rushed past me – full of experiences, of happiness.  

[losses–page(s) missing?] that change – from day to night, from summer to winter, too much, after too little. It rolls down like an avalanche – in to my hungry soul! Long, long will I remember it. I thank you again for everything, for your goodness, your kind thoughts – truly my heartfelt thanks! Today there arrived, much to our joy, the parcel from Harrods with the wonderful foodstuffs etc. – how wonderful – everything in nicely painted tins;  this sort of thing no longer exists here for many years – and how wonderfully packed – it is really like a different world, where milk and honey are flowing.

it makes me doubly happy that through it I can bring pleasure to people in need who have seen better days and who are now the deserving poor. I am happy in my heart! My acquaintances have already been, and they were pleased that I am here again. I brought some of the foodstuffs for the blind children whom I take for walks on Sundays and they were happy. I found my home under heavy snow,…. in Munich and in the whole of Bavaria …. such a lot of snow as today. Since Christmas for half the month the snow in the city and in the country lies 1 metre high, and such a dreadful cold I have never experienced before – already in Frankfurt it was so cold that the River Main had frozen and one was able to walk over the river. My tenants have made a terrible mess in the rooms, there is rubbish in them, and they were never cleaned – my doors were not securely locked. Thank God nothing happened, but it is bitterly cold and the windows are frosted up. I at once engaged a woman whom I found in the neighbouring house, and I have worked together with her from morning till night. Now the whole house is clean and neat, and my bedroom heated throughout… and the snow on the garden path has been cleared. Thank God everything is in good order – all the things I brought with me have all been ironed and freshened up – I now have lots of nice things. My arrival in Munich was nice, but not the arrival home – truly it was not. Nevertheless, Thank God that I am so brave when I am alone; I am much more competent and self-reliant! How lucky I am with my spectacles! …. with them …. How miserable I was for the past year and I could see … now with the magnifying glass or with great effort; now my eyes don’t water any more either! How good you are, this is all due to your help. My dear good Luperl, the accessories for the tea-cosy are in the drawer of the chest of drawers, I could not reach it and from the glass my eyesight was so poor, I shall make you a new tea-cosy here. I also left my little chicken-head in the mirrored chest of drawers and I needed it in order to copy it here, and the good magnesium I forgot on the wash-stand, I had too much travel excitement and I was so reluctant to return home. Politically everything is in order at present. Baroness Lupin was very [illegible] with both her presents and sends her thanks and greetings and will be writing you herself. Now, goodbye for today and thank you again, your loving Pauline.

[Across the left side of page 1]:  Please let me know how dear Stephen is getting on.

Pd’O

20/02/2006