Friederickenthal, April 1^st, 1877.

My dear husband!

Your poetic wishes for my birthday made me very happy, and since my life is somewhat prosaic, your beautiful words were quite refreshing for me, especially as they contained such kind wishes for my well-being. Your delightful confidence that this year should bring an end to your suffering also renews my hope for better times, because if you are doing well, then I am also happy. But I have endured dark hours knowing that you are facing such distress and worry. Blanka’s brief visit brought me infinite joy, but since the sisters have not seen each other in so long, I withdrew a bit, and thus had very little time with Blanka myself. The good dear is now very busy, and I hope she finds peace in every respect. Everyone here was touched by Blanka’s kindness, even my stern son-in-law was full of praise for her. Blanka told me that you got to know our future son-in-law personally, and I would have thought that you could have written me something about him.

I am deeply sorry that our Anna has had such misfortune in her position with Frau v. Strang. I am certain she tried everything to satisfy the lady, as it was also in her own interest, but some things in this life are simply out of our control. We all have had painful experiences in this life. The time she spent at Neuhoff is probably one of those times, and this has caused our poor Anna such grief. Perhaps her new path in life will compensate her all the more for it, since she herself thinks that her own peculiar nature is better suited for a teaching position. I think so, too, but I also wish her good fortune. I am very pleased that Adelheid v. Armin is taking Anna in while she is receiving training. I am sure she will use the time well and learn as much as possible. To my great joy, I received a dear letter from Curt including his picture. He wants me to send him my picture to Valparaiso . Perhaps you could send me his precise address and what the postage would cost. We were told a letter mailed via Hamburg would cost 8 (Spr). Perhaps a letter via Bremen is cheaper.

Now farewell, sending you heartfelt greetings,

Your old, faithful wife

B. von Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: [In FFL’s handwriting: Answered on] April 21, 1877

Side note, page 2: I am including my letter for Anna here, as I don’t have her address.

Side note, page 3: Give Adelheid my regards and give her my sincere thanks for taking care of our Anna so lovingly.

Side note, page 4: I also received a lovely letter from Clara for my birthday.

Friederickenthal, October 11, 1877

Dear Husband

You will have already learned from Blanka that our dear Clara has found a position near Koenigsberg with a preacher’s family. It was very difficult to find a position for her because a lady’s companion is always expected to be able to play piano well, read aloud and speak French, all requirements that Klara cannot fulfill. She came yesterday for Grau’s birthday and just left with Emmy, who will bring her to Koenigsberg. She has asked me to tell you that she already started a letter to you, but due to a lack of time was unable to finish it, but that you will soon receive a message from her. She feels quite content in her new position, as she is treated very kindly, and feels close to the family. But, unfortunately she is very burdened with work, and she also has had a sore throat from a cold, but it will hopefully be only temporary. We are all infinitely lucky to be able to see Clara more often now, and she has quickly won over all the hearts of those who had not known her yet. She really is a dear soul, who truly deserves it. Our Clara asks you to send her blankets to Onednau near Koenigsberg to the home of Pastor Fischer.

I was so very upset by what you wrote to me in your last letter about Curt and the sinking of his ship, and I thank God on my knees for saving our child from such great danger. But how sad it is now that the poor boy has also lost his few belongings. Who will help equip him again for a new sea voyage? But there is a God in Heaven who sends us tribulations, but who also helps us to weather them. I have calmed down now, but in the beginning, when I received your letter, I struggled greatly to find my composure again. Since Graus and the whole family are so good to me, I don’t want my personal concerns to affect my mood to such a point that my surroundings notice anything. If you write to me, which I hope you will soon, please send me Curt’s letter, because I am interested in every little detail about him.

I have now moved into another room here that Grau prepared for me. This has incurred some costs, and you can imagine badly I feel about it, as the harvest was so bad. But since no one else supports me, and probably never will, I am trying very hard and work from early to late. In addition to my usual occupations, I am embroidering for the shop. I am not earning much, but manage to get the things I need most. Now, adieu, and write soon to your
                                                                                     Faithful wife,
                                                                                   B v Schmalensee 

Side notes:
I have missed our dear Clara so very much, and I never tire of seeing her.

Are you a freight agent now? It is supposed to be a lucrative occupation, but I am usually the last to receive any news about your ventures.

Send me Schnabel’s papers, including those on the Russian-Polish papers. It’s for someone who might be able to get me the money from them.

Have you seen our Anna? Write to me about your meeting. 

Friederickenthal, January 8^th, 1878

My dear Husband!

I was very astonished to receive a letter from you mailed from Berlin. I thought that you had already left for America and that the letter you promised me informing me of your departure either hadn’t been sent or got lost. So I asked both Blanka and Anna whether they knew anything about your departure, but had not heard from either of them yet. Well, your dear letter made me very happy as it contained so many good tidings, and if the New Year starts off so well, then the better times I have been so longing for are surely coming our way.

On January 1^st, Emmy safely gave birth to a healthy boy. After suffering so much for weeks, the child’s birth was actually easy, with only one hour of labor. But I was very worried about Emmy, because she feared she was going to die. I don’t know what I would have done if that had happened. She’s the only one who cares for me, my son-in-law only keeps me in his house because of Emmy. One can’t blame him for regarding me as a burden; I cost a lot and give little in return. It is often hard for me to think that I might be in this position for a long time, taking charity from my children when there are already so many mouths to feed from what this small estate yields. But the dear Lord will not abandon me. You will find your fortune in America and I, too, will be helped. We must not lose faith. Thank God, it’s the first day after Emmy delivered the baby, and she feels rather well and will hopefully recover completely. Her child is a cute, quiet boy, may the good Lord allow him to thrive. Grau was unfortunately quite ill for a few weeks, brought on by a cold he did not take care of. He is better now. My health has been rather good until now, though all the worries I had about Emmy wore on me to the point I was limping these last few days. But I hope it will get better soon. I am able to be out in the fresh air every day, which I had been unable to do all winter because of my rheumatism. My current room is also warm and the sun shines in all afternoon, so I will remain healthy if God spares me from any more worries. You must already know that Blanka is expecting; she’s about two months along. This made me so very happy, because a marriage without children is rarely a happy one. Clara writes that she is very happy. May God keep it that way. Also, Anna wrote that she almost certainly has a secure position with a family by the name of von Oppen on a country estate near Dresden and that she feels quite happy there. I wish it for her with all my heart. Now, adieu, may the good Lord protect you in his mercy, and remember with love the one who loves you sincerely and faithfully,

Your loving wife,

B von Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: My regards to Herr v. Rüts, and tell him how deeply grateful I am to him that he is taking care of you so graciously. May he remain this kind to you.

Side note, page 2: My heartfelt thanks for your loving wishes for the New Year. I also wish you a Happy New Year and God’s blessings in all of your undertakings.

Side note, page 3: I would also like to have Fritz’s address. Be so kind and send it to me.

Side note, page 4: Please write down Curt’s precise address, as you did once before, so that I can address everything correctly, otherwise he won’t receive my letter. What did you have to pay for postage?

Friederickenthal, April 28, 1878.

My beloved Husband!

Thank you for your loving wishes for my birthday, this made me very happy. Yes, hopefully you will find your good fortune in America, and we shall be free of worries in our old age. I was very pleased you arrived safely in St. Thomas on March 13^th. I had already read about it in the newspaper on March 19^th. According to a telegraph, the mail and passenger steamer, Rhenania, departed from Havre on February 25^th and arrived safely in St. Thomas on March 13^th. You can imagine my joy, since I was extremely worried, knowing how bad the storms can be at sea this time of year. For my birthday, my dear children delighted me with letters and various gifts. Emmy and Blanka together gave me three finished shirts, which I had wanted very much, given my clothes have become so very worn. In addition to a loving letter, Anna also sent me a very nicely crafted white headscarf, two books, hair oil, fragrance, face cream, orange candy, and a piece of cake she baked herself. Clara sent me a pair of very nicely crafted warm slippers, crocheted lace and a macaroon cake, which she baked for me at the urging of Frau Karbe and which turned out nicely. Blanka, who has been in Melz for a long time now, writes that she is indeed well and is working hard to get ready for the arrival of her little one. She is delighted that her mother-in-law is being so kind to her and looking after her so lovingly. May God preserve this happiness for her. How relieved I am to know that she will be in such good hands in her most difficult hour, as I cannot be there for her myself. Clara is ailing, she’s having stomach problems and is very pale. I worry about her, but she is being lovingly cared for by Frau Karbe. According to her last letter to Emmy, she has gone to many social events, where she enjoyed herself immensely. So she must be feeling better. But Emmy has been sick a lot and has finally sought out a famous specialist for women’s complaints. The doctor’s treatment is working, and there is hope that she will be restored if she strictly follows his instructions .

My health is fair at the moment, but my old age is showing. I have rheumatoid arthritis, which torments me greatly at times, especially in my wrists. Doing work any kind of work is painful, and there is lot of manual work to do here with seven children. Perhaps the warmer weather will bring me some relief. The trees and shrubs are getting greener by the day, and the sun is shining warmly. But the nights are cold and windy, and there’s frost all night long. I have passed your greetings along to the children and also mentioned several items from your last letter that would be of interest to them. You will already have received the letter I sent to San Jose long ago. In it I asked you for your consent to cede my rights to the Russian-Polish papers to Grau, so that he is free to act on my behalf to get the money. You need to do this in writing before the German Consul. May God keep you, my beloved husband, sending you a heartfelt kiss, from your faithful, loving

Old wife, B v Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: I haven’t heard a thing from Curt in a long time. He is too lazy to write and has not responded to the letter I sent to Valparaiso with the picture of me that he requested.

Side note, page 2: Emmy’s two oldest girls are ailing, Elschen, the oldest, from gastric-venous fever, and Agnes, the second, is having trouble with her knee, which could easily get worse.

Side note, page 3: A thousand thanks for pleasing me so often with your loving letters. I wasn’t even expecting your letter from Havre, but please continue writing. I have so little joy in this world, and a letter from you is always like a holiday for me.

Side note, page 4: Please thank Herr von Rüts for his wishes on my birthday.

Friederickenthal, January 12, 1879

My dear good husband!

On the first day of Christmas, I had the great joy of receiving your dear letter, which you sent via Clara. I had thought of you a great deal on the night of Christmas Eve and wondered whether you had also received such wonderful Christmas presents as I had from Emmy. She delighted me with several useful gifts and sweets. Clara wrote me a lovely letter and enclosed a lovely white embroidery. She made two bedspreads for Karbes, and she will have certainly received very generous gifts in return. I have not had a letter from her describing her Christmas gifts to me. Shortly before Christmas I received a very affectionate letter from dear Anna, in which she wished me a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. She also expressed her disappointment that Christmas in Switzerland is observed in silence, and only the children receive presents on New Year’s Day. By the way, she wrote very positively about her position, which will probably only last until October 1^st.  Then Frau Senn-Hambert will travel to a spa and the children re to go to her mother in Geneva. Anna has not written a word to me about your undertaking to bring her to America. She leaves out a great deal in her letters to me. But I find myself accepting what I cannot change, and am happy when I receive a letter from her at all. All I can do is ask God to protect her and keep her from harm, as she has chosen to go her own way where no one should find her. I haven’t had a letter from Blanka in a long time. She did write to Emmy, which is how I learned how she was doing. For Christmas she sent me 20 talers through Emmy as a Christmas present, and I wrote her to thank her for it. You can imagine what a treasure it is for me to have even 2 talers in my great poverty, where my daughters try to fulfill my few needs with Christmas gifts and birthday presents. Yesterday Emmy received another letter from Blanka, in which she described extensively how weak she still is, but also about how happy and thrilled she is with her little boy. He must be a sweet and happy child and his mother’s great joy. I had already written my letter for your birthday six weeks ago, but the stupid people at the post office sent it back twice for no good reason. It was finally accepted, but I’ll have to wait and see whether it makes its way into your hands. –

On February 2nd, I didn’t close your letter because Anna had wanted to write to you and since I was expecting a letter from her at the end of January, I thought she would include it, but she didn’t. She made me a pretty shawl and sent me several other little things that pleased me very much. She is alive and well, and wrote me a very long, loving letter. I also had a very dear letter from Blanka, in which she apologized for her long silence. She is suffering a great deal. They are both unhappy with life in Carbow. Her aged father-in-law is said to be very odd and rather childish. The estate had been so neglected, it brings in very little income. So much so, that they plan to leave there next autumn and move to Dresden, where Ferber intends to take up a position in the judiciary again. Blanka writes that little Johann Georg, her sweet darling, is her entire happiness and joy, for which she cannot thank God enough. She writes he is a very happy child, takes after his father and is strong and healthy. Kriegsheims are said to be in a bad way. Dessow was declared bankrupt this summer, and as a result they have only the income from Logow. At the same time, Herr von Kriegsheim is suffering a great deal from bad headaches. I feel so very sorry for them. Baron Romberg also had to sell his castle in Gerdauen, and likely no funds were left over from the sale, so that Brunn is all he has left. Clara received generous gifts from Karbes, among other things a blue ball gown, with silver thread and apple blossoms, for a ball that to be held on January 27^th at the home of Frau Karbe’s brother. Clara also received a long fur, which will be very good for her given how easily she catches cold. They really love having her there and seem to adore her greatly. The descriptions in your dear letters pleased me very much, and with all my heart I hope you will soon have an income and that your prospective employment does not sap your strength so that you can endure it. I am feeling old, my age is making its presence known more and more. I turn 60 in March and am getting frail. I am so pleased that you heard from Curt, please give him my warmest regards. Now farewell, my husband, my thoughts are with you often. Please also remember your

Old, faithful wife

B. von Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: Do you think Curt will ever write to me one day? I had written to him in Valparaiso and included my picture as he requested. Did he get it?

Side note, page 2: We are now having severe cold, 20 to 22 degrees.

Side note, page 3: Dear Anna writes me frequently and loving, long letters at that. She complains that Clara and Blanka have not written to her in at least three months.

Side note, page 4: Bismarck’s daughter recently got married to a Count Ranzau, after her first fiance´ Count Eulenburg died. He’s a son of either Marienburg or Edlenburg.

Friederickenthal, February 18, 1879.

My good dear husband!

Yesterday I received your dear letter dated January 2, which delighted me immensely, and I thank you very much for your well-meaning wishes for the New Year. It saddens me greatly that you haven’t received my letters. I wrote to you at the beginning of October, so that my wishes for your birthday would arrive in time. I wrote another time before that and also wrote to you in mid-January, but there is such chaos at our post office in Tharau, often even letters from Emmy have gotten lost. But I don’t know why you haven’t received any letters from Blanka and Klara on your birthday, surely they both wrote to you. Perhaps our letters arrived in Assarie after you had already left for St José, and they weren’t forwarded on to you. So that you no longer remain in uncertainty, Emmy plans to bring this letter to the Königsberg post office herself. She had planned to go there tomorrow, but [her husband] Grau is ill with a bad throat infection, so I doubt she’ll be able to travel tomorrow. In any case, she will only need to postpone her trip for a few days. I already wrote to you that our dear, good Blanka safely delivered a healthy boy on October 18. He was baptized on September 8 and is named after his grandfather Ferber, Johanngeorg, who was also his godfather. Ferber, our son-in-law, sent me the news, and if Clara and Anna were also informed, then you must have heard as well. Blanka has not written much since the birth, this has been her main fault. But when I complained about her long silence, her response to this was that she couldn’t keep apologizing for it, and that her poor memory was primarily to blame. She described to me her sweet darling. He is a very healthy child, very strong and always cheerful. He takes after his father and even has his large, clever eyes. She wrote that their estate and their circumstances were not pleasant at all. For this reason, her husband intends to take a job in Dresden with the judiciary next autumn. Anna has been in Belle ferme near Geneva since mid-September with a family named Senn, where she teaches the children German, geography, penmanship and arithmetic. They also get piano lessons from a teacher in Geneva. Anna must always speak German with Madame Senn as well as with the children. Since Anna also wanted to learn French, Madame Senn also gives her lessons in French. In addition to Anna, there is also a German nanny for the children, and Madame Senn’s chambermaid is also German. Anna’s salary is 80 talers, and she hopes to earn more when she her French is better. She writes me rather long letters every month. She intended to write to you and send me the letter to mail along with mine, but she never got around to it. So, I sent her your address today. Dear Clara is quite well and cheerful. I received a letter from her about fourteen days ago. In it she told me about the ball she attended in Landsberg on the Warthe, held by a brother of Frau Karbe, who is a state councilman there. She became friends with a young girl there, a Fräulein von Basewitz. Her mother is no longer living, but her father had himself introduced to her. He said he had been acquainted with you, and inquired whether you had been married to a Fräulein von Puttkamer. Clara danced so much there, her feet hurt. I was afraid this would wear her out, but she feels quite fine. Your dear letter informed me of so many interesting things, but I do regret that you had to endure such unpleasantness in Assarie. I am also glad that you can now support yourself without any outside help. May God continue to protect you so that you will soon be in a position to send me something. I have nothing now and live on only from what the children give me as birthday presents. Soon I will not even have enough money for postage, and my clothes are in such a desolate state, that they can no longer be mended. Blanka has so few clothes that she cannot spare anything for me. Graus are asking you to get the certificate from the consul. They would like to act in this matter, but can’t do anthing without it. They can’t be blamed for wanting some compensation for my five-year stay, and Emmy is in a very difficult situation with her husband. His mood has not been good and he often lets her know that with seven children, my presence is a great burden to him and he puts up with it only out of love for her. I do not need to tell you how this makes me feel. Blanka has a rich husband, but waited until Christmas to send Graus 8 talers for my room and board, she intends to send more later. I am truly glad that you received such friendly treatment in St. José, and that you turned down financial assistance, because that would incur debt and that always comes with worry. And, and you can only come back to Europe when you have amassed something to live on. I am truly happy that you are healthy, may the good Lord keep you so.

My strength is also waning more and more with my nearly 60 years, but I am well except for my nerves, which do not always cooperate. Now farewell, my dear husband, may God protect and keep you, and remember with love

Your faithful, old wife

B von Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: God grant Fritz success in his new undertaking with the mill his uncle is giving him. Please greet him from me.

Side note, page 2: Blanka has such a small house in Carbow that her husband wants to use the annex, and it also has mold. She writes that her father-in-law makes life very difficult for the young couple.

Side note, page 3: Please greet Curt me warmly from me, I wrote to him in Valparaiso and sent my photograph as he requested, but I never got an answer. I sent a letter to Hamburg, but he had already left. Curt never received that letter.

Side note, page: My heartfelt thanks for the flowers, they were an expression of love that I welcomed joyfully.

Friederickenthal, April 1, 1879

My dear good husband!

On March 19th I received your dear letter dated February 18 with heartfelt wishes for my birthday, and it filled my heart with joy. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. The loving words that came from your heart also went straight into my mine. As regards the negotiations, I also want to express to you my heartfelt thanks. Grau had been wanting this for so long, which is why I was so happy it arrived. But I am deeply sorry you incurred so many costs with it, but this simply could not be avoided. Yet I was made the happiest by the news that your situation seems to be improving and that things are coming together. I wish you good fortune in your undertaking, and ask the dear Lord God to bless it. It seems to me this business can only be advantageous for you, especially since dealing with cigars and smoking utensils is said to be very lucrative. But everything depends on God’s blessing, and if you have that, you will also succeed. If you have anything left over for me after you have covered all of your expenses, and if you faithfully take care of me, then you will have success in everything else as well. I vividly imagined the look on your blissful face at the thought of being able to send me the first 50 dollars and I was truly reminded of the happy blissful time in our youth and our love, and having my sweet husband here with me. How would I become young and happy again to know I must no longer accept charity and that my dear husband is able to support me again. My sweet daughters delighted my on my birthday many times over. Emmy gave me some blouses that I truly needed. Blanka wrote me a very dear letter, full of cheer about her sweet darling Johann Georg. He is very cute, with beautiful blue eyes and red cheeks, a complete joy to his parents. But at seven months, he is also very strong, already stretching his legs out to walk. Some time ago, the little one had a croup attack, and it scared Blanka greatly. Blanka sent me 15 marks, as she wasn’t sure what I needed. This was also very dear to me, because I need so much. Many of my things are beyond repair. I received a very loving letter from dear Anna, but the letter was short as she is about to take another job, as Frau Senn must go to Cannes because of her health. She had previously sent 30 marks to Emmy to buy a birthday present for me and five marks directly to me. So, I assume her situation must be good, and the way she writes about a new position she doesn’t sound concerned in the least. She does not want me to respond until she has written to me from her new home. She feels quite well, more fit than ever and is always in a good mood. May God preserve her. From Clara I received a very affectionate long letter and a very pretty light purple bow with lace embroidery. Frau Karbe sent me a nice layer cake that Clara helped to make. Frau Karbe herself also included all sorts of sweets for the children, which was very kind of her. Clara is doing very well; she is healthy and cheerful, full of praise about how she is cared for by Frau Karbe. She has such a lovely position; she would not find anything this good in another house. She doesn’t have to lilft a finger herself, only delegate and the people must follow her orders without question, as she writes. Can you imagine that the third son of our crown prince fell ill with diptheria on March 24 and died of heart failure on the morning of the 27^th? Of course, everyone is in mourning. Now farewell, my beloved husband, as always sending a warm kiss, from your old, faithful wife

B von Schmalensée

Envelope:

Via Hamburg .//. Colon Panama

Sennor Don Frederico of Schmalensée

San Jose de Costa Rica

Centra America

Consulate Starch

Imperial Aleman

Page text 1: Our winter was actually quite good, not too cold. But we did have a cold afterwinter that lasted until a few days ago. Today we have spring weather.

Friederickenthal, July 31, 1879

My dear good husband!

I am extremely concerned about you, as I have not received word from you since March 19th, although Blanca told me that you had written to her for her birthday. You told her you are inclined to accept an invitation from your friend Flemming to come to Milwaukee, as it appeared he wanted to give you employment. So, the business with the store has not been as good as you had hoped. It is such a shame as you were so happy about it and your prospects seemed so good. I have been quite ill since the last time I wrote you. The three eldest children contracted the measles during Easter, which Emmy then also caught and was very ill. I, of course, tended the sick, but after a few days I had to take to my bed as I felt rather unwell. Two days later, I also came down with the measles and had to endure this nasty disease. It is always very dangerous for old people, causing a great deal of suffering. I was feverish for a very long time, which sapped most of my strength, and I still look rather miserable now.

The summer has been also very bad and I have a cold, am coughing, in addition to my now 60 years of age; so that I am now weaker than ever. Emmy’s four other children also caught the measles, even the nanny, and 73-year-old Aunt Betti cared for everyone without getting sick herself. Clara also wrote to me that she did not receive a letter from you on her birthday, but she did not believe that you would have forgotten her. She is so very delighted with Karbes and is full of praise for her good position.

May God preserve her good fortune. Recently, Emmy received a kind letter from Frau Karbe, in which she told her that she wanted to send our Clara for a visit. How much I look forward to holding that dear child in my arms. Our good Blanca wrote me some time ago that Curt had written to her and asked for her advice about whether he should join the American Navy. To earn more, he must sign on for 3 years and would then receive 28 dollars per month. She advised him to do it, because he can leave after 3 years. In the fall, Blanca will move with her husband to Dresden and I hope from the bottom of my heart that she likes it there. She writes a great deal about her little boy. He must be a lovely little creature whom I would dearly love to see. You will probably receive a letter from Anna. She got your address from Blanca and was planning to write you. As you probably already know, she is now in Nimes in the south of France and is teaching a little boy as well as his mother in German. In return, she receives an hour of French every day, must help out around the house and receives 20 francs per month.

As our Anna writes, she is very satisfied with her position, too. She is always healthy and cheerful. The outlook for the harvest this year is not very good; the spring was too dry, then we had a lot of rain after St. John’s Day (June 24), but it came too late. The old Kaiser, including his wife, will be present for the maneuvers in Koenigsberg during the first days of September. Write to me immediately after receiving my letter to alleviate my great concern for you; my thoughts are so gloomy. Now, farewell, my dear husband. I embrace you in faithful love

Your old wife

B. v. Schmalensee

Page text 1: All possible levers have been set in motion and no effort has been spared regarding the Russian-Polish papers. May God grant that we are successful.

Page text 2: You should feel right at home again in the house of Herr v. Flemming, you described to me earlier how warm and friendly he is. Please give the family my regards.

Page text 4: Write to me more often now and as extensively detailed as before, the postage is not so expensive now.

Friederickenthal, September 23, 1879.

My dear good husband!

After I had sent my last letter to you, I received two letters from you, one from July 14 and one from August 24, both sent from Milwaukee and for which I thank you dearly. You can imagine how happy you made me with them. As regards my health, I am still very weak after the measles and who knows whether I will ever recover completely. I must avoid exerting myself mentally as well as physically, and since I am unable to see a doctor because I cannot pay for it, everything will have to get better on its own, which will take a long time. Please don’t be angry with me for not answering your dear letter from July 14, but I did not have the strength for the longest time. It is impossible to write, I am only able to write this letter by taking breaks. I truly hope I will now be getting letters from you more regularly again and you mine. The distance is not so great and there is no evil man, like Rüts, to intercept my letters. I am very happy you are feeling completely well again. I was always concerned that you would be unable to endure the hot climate in Central America again. I am deeply grateful that the good Lord has guided you to a more temperate climate. But I find it puzzling that strangers would give you the money to travel. The costs cannot have been insignificant, and yet you did not incur any debt. Sadly, you still have no income, and I hope you will find a lucrative enterprise very soon. I also wish this for Herr v Flemming, who is taking such good care of you. A friendship, like the one you have with Herr v Flemming, is a rare thing indeed. May God reward him. You are no longer all alone, and a cozy home is a source of great happiness. I certainly know how that feels, for Emmy’s house, which has been my home for nearly six years, is also quite cozy, even if only very simple, and we must be frugal. I received a dear, long letter from Anna a short while ago. She must have surely told to you all about her stay on the small island of Paquerolles. She merely wrote to me that she intends to stay with the family for a year. She then wants to get a job in Hamburg through her friend there, who is said to be very rich. She plans on using her savings to come and visit us then. The prospect of this makes me so happy, and I hope to then find Anna greatly changed to her advantage. I also hope to see Clara here next year. She had Frau Karbe’s permission to visit us this year, but didn’t have enough money for the trip. She earns a nice little salary of 80 marks a year, but must always dress very well. Dear Emmy has often had to help her out, but this must also be paid for somehow. I can’t help out as I have nothing myself. It is touching that Curt wants to visit you, and I hope from the bottom of my heart it will be possible for him to see you very soon. Oh, how I would love to be there. Thank you so much for your detailed reports about him. When you write to him, please greet him warmly from me, and tell him I wish him the best of luck, also in his career. Emmy got a letter from Blanka today, in which she told her that they are leaving Carbow at the end of October, and her husband has gone to Dresden to look for an apartment. But she doesn’t know yet whether they’ll move to Dresden or Leipzig. She is very worried about the move because she is quite frail. At Emmy’s recommendation, Blanka has been seeing a doctor of homeopathic medicine for some time now. His treatment really helped Emmy greatly. She had been suffering terribly since having the measles. Blanka writes that she is much improved since she began taking the powders, especially her nervous excitement which troubled her greatly. But she is far from well, and am I only glad that her condition has improved as much as it has. Blanka’s little boy, of whom she writes so much, is unfortunately not strong and she also has been giving him a supplement containing bone meal and other ingredients to strengthen him. Blanka had to dismiss the nanny and now has no one to look after little Johann Georg. He’ll won’t have a nanny again until they’re in the city. Poor Blanka no longer has the comfort of servants and must endure this inconvenience for a while. Your dear letter from 24 August was again so interesting that I mourn the letters that were lost, for I have missed out on some enjoyment. I am sincerely sorry you hurt your arm, and hope from the bottom of my heart that you are soon free from arthritis. I catch cold more easily since I had the measles, no matter how well I take care of myself. Also, the arthritis in my right hand has gotten much worse and often causes me great pain. Some time ago our emperor was in Königsberg with the empress to watch maneuvers and is said to have been quite spry; he was even on horseback. Emmy went to a big parade and a festival with garden lighting in Königsberg, which the city held in his honor. She was able to see all the VIPs very close up. Prince Karl is also said to be looking quite spry. But our crown princess wasn’t there, as she is ailing and is seeking treatment at a spa. Great precautions are now always taken since the assassination attempt on the emperor, which he luckily survived. Many policemen from Berlin were here and when he went to the theater, he traveled in a very inconspicuous carriage, riding while lying on his side. But you’re surely not interested in such things. Now, in closing, my heartfelt request that you write me again quite soon. A letter from you always brings cheerful sunshine into my life, and I am often in need of it. The enclosed little flower I just found now during a stroll and I thought of you. Please accept it in kind. Now, farewell, my dear husband. May the dear Lord keep you well, this I wish from the bottom of my heart. Your wife who loves you dearly,

B von Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: Have you gotten your wedding ring back, since you had to leave it as a deposit? Prople say it’s unlucky to take one’s wedding ring off.

Side note, page 2: Bismarck was not in Königsberg with the emperor, but Count Golz, his aide-de-camp, was.

Side note, page 3: Emmy sends you her regards. Have you heard anything from Fritz? He seems to have completely forgotten me.

Side note, page 4: Dear Anna writes me such interesting letters. She seems to have inherited this talent from you. She is also seeing and doing so much. My life is so monotonous, and I don’t have the imagination to describe things as colorfully.

Side note, page 5: Write something about the children of Herr v. Flemming. You always adored them. I am interested in absolutely everything happening to you and pertaining to you.

Side note, page 6: Give Herr and Frau v. Flemming my regards and thank them for me from the bottom of my heart for taking such good care of you. May God reward them for it. Was the greeting from Herr v. Flemming intended for me or Clara?

Friederickenthal, April 20, 1880.

My dear good husband!

Thank you for your kind wishes on my birthday, you made me so very happy. May God permit them to come true, then I would see happy days again. I was rather sad to learn that you caught such a bad cold and were coughing and sniffling, because the rest of your situation still isn’t good, and then an illness torments you twice as much. I am very grateful to Ulrike Krause for taking such good care of you, may God reward her for it. Before I had finished your letter, I received a dear letter from Curt, which delighted me indescribably, and I see from it that your health has improved again. Now I can imagine what happy days you are spending together. Who knows whether I will have the joy of seeing him again in this life? I can hardly imagine such happiness, for his path will probably not lead him back to this region; but if it were to happen, Graus and I would welcome him with open arms. Grau was wondering whether Curt has done anything about fulfilling his military service in Prussia. He is, after all, 20 years old and people might be looking for him. Perhaps you have already taken care of it. Recently I have only received news about Anna through Emmy. She accepted a position as a companion in Hamburg. This would have made so happy, but after three weeks the woman of the house became seriously ill and this turned out to be abdominal cancer. The mood in the hospital was so depressing for Anna, that she was constantly vomiting and the doctor forbade her from entering the room. She is receiving an allowance from the family until she finds another job. She did find a job with a Jewish family including eight children, with whom she should speak French. But she chose not to accept it, and went instead to a dressmaker’s shop run by a Parisian woman. She must work 10 hours a day and reeives nearly 2 marks to cover room and board. She said that if she had a hundred talers, she would head straight to Paris. I am curious whether she will be able to carry out her plan of joining you in Milwaukee. She wrote that she’s had enough of life as a companion. Blanka is doing rather well. She is so very happy with her dear little boy, who brings her endless joy. Her husband has also passed his final exam, and she hopes he will become a councilman in the fall. Then their income will also be higher. Can you imagine that Blanka’s sister-in-law, Hermine von Ferber, got married in Berlin about two months ago to a lieutenant in Prussian Hussars, even though old Herr von Ferber was very much against it and that there were a lot of arguments over it? Four weeks after the wedding, the young woman caught diphtheria and died. Her mother came to care for her and she died just a few days later. I also received a lovely letter from Clara for my birthday. She baked me a nice macaroon cake and sent me two pretty scarves. She is so happy where she is and also has a lot of fun there. On April 3^rd she will be going to a ball held in the home of Frau Karbe’s brother, who is District Administrator in Landsberg. Emmy has been ill often and I am so very worried about her. She is due to give birth at the end of July or beginning of August, and I wish it were already over. Now farewell, may the good Lord protect you, remember with love,

Your old faithful wife

B v Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: Anna’s address in Hamburg is Neue Bri[e]nner Str., No. 23 c/o Frau Vollmer.

Envelope:

Via Hamburg or Bremen
Herr von Schmalensée
Milwaukee Wisconsin
551 Market Street
Unitet Stätes [sic]
North America

Postage paid

Friederickenthal, October 1, 1880.

My dear husband!

I am sending you the most heartfelt and intimate wishes on your birthday. May God grant you the best of health and keep the afflictions of old age far from you. With all my heart, I wish you would have gotten the job as an engineer in Milwaukée[sic] and thus would have had enough to eat for a long while. You cannot imagine how much I worry about you. I also went through a rather troubling time again with Emmy. She gave birth to a baby on August 23rd, but the whole time before that she had been ailing so badly that we all feared that she would not survive. But thankfully, it was an easy birth and so fast that the midwife didn’t make it here in time, and a woman from the village had to deliver the baby. The child is quite strong, and Emmy is also doing well, but as they are suffering from hard times, she must nurse the baby herself. There are now eight children here, and you can imagine how difficult it is for the parents to feed everyone properly, and me as well. But God has also clearly helped this year, for although the planting was hit badly by frost and the rye was washed out of the field, the wheat grew well, as did the alfalfa, as well as part of the summer grain.

Anna recently wrote a cheerful letter to Emmy that she had found a good job again in a dressmaker’s studio, so good that she has also rented her own apartment. A letter to me dated August 26 was less cheerful about the many deprivations she has suffered because you did not send her the promised money , and that she wanted to accept a job as a governess in northern France. As you can imagine, nothing came of it because she can’t speak English. I fear our dear Anna will never not be content for long, because this requires a contented heart, regardless of whether things are as we would like. I am very pleased that Curt has been such a faithful support to you, may God reward him for it. His letter made me so very happy and I thank him dearly for it. Our Blanka has been in Melz for the summer and has recovered there quite well, as has her little boy. He had several attacks of croup, which weakened him, so much so that Blanka was very worried about him. Ferber has been transferred to Freiburg for eight weeks, where he will represent the district councilman. This is a great honour for him, but he did have to sacrifice his holidays. I always hear good things from Clara. She is well and the Karbes cherish her. May God keep her this happy. My health is good overall, although I do have a lot of pain from gout in the joints of my hands, which then also swell. The doctor has given me an iodine rub which helps. Now farewell, greet Curt and give him a loving kiss from me. May you have a happy birthday, and think of me, who will be thinking of you with love from far away,

Your loving, old wife

B v Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: I will write to Curt later. My fingers are very stiff today, as we are having very icy, inhospitable weather and my room is cold.

Side note, page 2: Blanka’s address in Dresden is Bangen Str. No. 80.

Side note, page 3: Write to me again soon. I waited so long to write this time, but writing has become very painful for me, also I experience so little as I don’t leave the house.

Side note, page 4: How is your friend Flemming? You haven’t told me anything about him in a long time. You are still living with him.

Envelope:

Via Hamburg or Bremen

Herr von Schmalensée

Milwaukee Wisconsin

U.St. of North America

551 Market Streetas

Friederickenthal, November 30, 1880

My dear husband!

Regarding the Russian-Polish papers, the relinquishment you sent from Costa Rica was not sufficient because it was not drafted by a notary. Emmy is now traveling to Koenigsberg tomorrow to see our lawyer, who wants to draw up the relinquishment like the Warsaw Bank requires, which will be included in this letter. Then you can probably only give it to a lawyer in St. Louis. It now looks like the Warsaw Bank will unfortunately retain some of the money, about 1,000 talers, for inheritance taxes, and it is unclear what any other charges would amount to. If you are able, please take care of it right away and sign the relinquishment over to me as soon as possible. There are fears that there will be war with Russia, and then any prospect of getting the money would be lost. I was so very pleased by your dear letter from St. Louis, especially that our dear son Curt is looking after you so faithfully. God bless him for that; may He always protect him. I would write to him again now, but am rather unwell today, feverish and suffering from a severe cough and sniffles. But since this letter needs to get out, I could not wait until I am in better health. I received a letter from Blanca through Emmy. I have not written for a long time, and accordingly did not receive a letter in return. Ferbers have been transferred to Freiberg in Saxony, a mile from Dresden, and Blanca is completely content with this change. She appears to be quite well, as she wrote a long letter to Emmy. This is always a good indication of her health. Clara is also doing quite well. She wrote a letter for Emmy’s birthday and sent her an apron that she made herself and a nice homemade cake. Anna seems very satisfied with her position. God grant that it lasts longer this time, but we can hardly expect it given how peculiar she is. I understand that you would have liked to have had her there with you, but it probably wouldn’t have been possible to get the necessary funds together for this undertaking, at least that is what she wrote to me. Emmy thanks you for your kind wishes on the birth of her youngest ,and I should greet you from Graus. Adieu for today. Farewell and keep in your heart

Your faithful old wife
B. v. Schmalensee

Side note, page 1: To our dear son Curt heartfelt greetings and a loving kiss
Side note, page 3: My son-in-law just told me that regarding the relinquishment, which must be reissued, it will not be enough, but it would be good in any case
Side note, page 2: if you would grant me a general power of attorney and send it to me immediately, as we cannot know whether it will be even necessary for the sake of our children. When you have a chance, write me something more precise about this, perhaps it would be good to make enquiries about this matter. Ferber is a lawyer and could help with that.
Page note, page 4: Blanca’s address is Freiberg in Saxony, Annabergstraße

Friederickenthal, January 13, 1881

My good dear husband!

Many thanks for your kind wishes for the New Year. Yes, may it be a bountiful year for you and yours, as well as for me and mine. May we all be free of worry and distress. And for you, too, with all my heart I wish the best of luck and blessings for the New Year. May you enjoy the best of health and find your fortune, so that you can finally support me. The poor Graus with their eight children have it too hard with me. In the seven years I have been with them, you have only sent them 40 talers and me 10 marks.

Grau recently expressed his great indignance that you, as a husband, have placed all the burden of my keep on his shoulders, have allowed me to starve, and that you certainly should have fulfilled your obligations. It was very difficult for me to hear this, and I was terribly upset. Yet, I must admit he was right, because you were able to send money to Anna. You already had saved up so much to have her come to America, albeit with Curt’s help. Yet, even when you do have money, you never have anything for your poor wife, and when it is all gone, all you do is complain. You can rest assured that the good Lord will not reward you and your efforts until you fulfill your duty to your wife, whom you have neglected long enough. I am not angry with you, but I did need to say this to you. Grau has incurred many costs with the Russian papers, but he is happy to bear them if it means he can get the money. Emmy recently told me that if you had ceded your rights in Costa Rica before two witnesses, then the matter would have been in order. If possible, please accelerate this process, because there is a chance that we might still get the money. I hope you received my letter from the end of November. You may already know that Anna intends to go to Magdalenenstift in April and is quite happy at the thought of it. She thinks she has already seen enough of the world to be completely content. Anna is of a peculiar nature, and it is difficult to live with her. I just hope she finds peace. You are again doing Anna Koschkull an injustice if you think she is tricking Anna into going. She has better things to do than that. There are a lot of young girls who end up in Magdalenenstift. My heartfelt thanks for your dear long letters. You have made me so very happy with them. Please write me again soon. So little happens to me, that I don’t have enough to fill long letters. Goodbye for today. Sending you a heartfelt kiss from your deeply loving

Wife

B von Schmalensée

Side note, page 2: Please give Curt the enclosed letter, also give him a warm kiss from me.

Side note, page 1: Emmy’s eldest daughter is 19 years old, the second 12, their names are Else and Agnes. Then there’s Fritz, who is 10 years, Blanka 8 years, Arthur 6 years, Emmy 4 years, Alexander 3 years

Side note, page 4: and Paula 4 months. They are all sweet children, very well-mannered. You had asked me about them.

My beloved Curt!

I send you the warmest, most sincere wishes on your birthday. May God grant you good fortune and blessings, and may you continue to love me like a son. My heartfelt thanks for your kind wishes for the New Year. You have made me very happy, and I would be grateful to live long enough to see you again. It has been so long since I last saw you, I believe it’s been eight years now, and you have grown so big and strong in that time that I would scarcely recognize you. Please, please send me a photograph of you. I’m sure you no longer look anything like the last one you sent me. God will reward you for taking such good care of your dear father, and for brightening his life. I have in Emmy an equally faithful daughter, who does everything in her power for me and with her eight children. She would rather go without than let me do without anything. From the bottom of my heart I wish there were someone, who could lighten her burden and do something to support me. Emmy sends you her heartfelt regards. From me a heartfelt kiss, and I remain your tender

Loving, always faithful

Mother B von Schmalensée

Friederickenthal, April 1^st, 1881

My beloved husband!

Today, I received your dear letter dated March 12th. This time it arrived several days after my birthday, and I was so worried as you usually write earlier. But I could not have imagined that I would hear such sad news about our dear son Curt. Apparently, the grace of God protected him once again and mercifully spared us from the terrible misfortune of losing him. God be praised and thanked. How terribly you must have suffered, for I am in such a terrible state that my hands are trembling as I write this, even though I know that our dear son should make a full recovery. I am most grateful to you that you did not write until you could give me good news. My heartfelt thanks for your and Curt’s dear wishes for my birthday, they touched my heart. I received Blanca’s letter the day after my birthday. She is well, although she is still somewhat weak and I am glad that the air in Freiberg agrees with her. She thinks the air in Dresden was not good for her. Her little boy gives her a lot of joy with his bright, droll nature, but he often puts his mother in a tizzy. It certainly isn’t easy to contend with in such a small city apartment like the Ferbers have.

Ferber is said to be very busy, indeed, he has no peace even on Sunday. But he is said be most content and feels completely in his element.

From our Clara I had a lovely long letter with some nice needlework and a homemade cake. She writes to me a lot about how happy she is in the Karbe home. They treat her like a daughter, going even so far that Frau Karbe sometimes dresses the same as Clara and when she buys something, she orders the same thing for Clara. Whenever Herr Karbe travels to Berlin, he brings the same things for Clara as for Frau Karbe. Since you did not receive the last two letters I sent from here, I will now have this letter brought to the post office in Koenigsberg. You got all the letters I sent from there. In both letters I asked you to make an official declaration to the Consul in Costa Rica, but in front of two witnesses, because this is definitely required and your previous declaration in Costa Rica was invalid because it was not performed in the presence of two witnesses. If you can, please send me your declaration as soon as possible, I really would like to have the matter resolved soon.

Anna has been with us since February 4th, this will surprise you, as we believed her to be in a very good position. She suddenly wrote that she was robbed of everything and could therefore not stay there any longer. She said she had the money to travel here and asked Emmy to take her in for a while; of course, she was graciously invited to come. Everything went rather well during the first fortnight. She was very amiable to all of us, but soon began to tell Emmy all sorts of malicious things about Blanca and Clara. Emmy was so upset that she came to me and told me everything. I recounted to her my experience in Lichtenau, that Anna did not tell the truth, twisting facts to fit her plan as cleverly as possible. I was able to reassure Emmy. But that’s not all, Anna also tried to get me in her clutches, telling me the worst lies, not only about Blanca and Clara, but also about you, Herr v. Kriegsheim and Adelheid Arnim. When I refused to believe her, she got into one of her moods and tried to speak ill of me to Emmy. She might have succeeded were it not for the fact that Emmy loves me so much and told me about it. You can imagine how I have suffered; I became so nervous that Emmy insisted I see a doctor. Things will hardly improve until Anna leaves again. She does not want to go to Magdalenenstift* for now, and we probably should not to blame her for it. She has searched in vain for a job that suits her abilities, although Emmy has offered to do everything to help and advise her. But Anna cannot stay here for too long, then she must go to Magdalenenstift and thank God, that she has a place to go. Graus are doing so much for her, she will never be able to thank them enough and I am afraid she will malign them badly for it, as she has done to all of us. In her letter, Clara wrote how appalled she was about Anna, when she had heard how badly Anna had spoken about her. Emmy had told Blanca all about it and she wrote to her about it. I am deeply sorry that you have had a falling out with Blanca because of Anna. But I hope that this will change again soon, because it is all just a misunderstanding. Blanca’s situation is by no means ideal; indeed, she must cut corners a great deal just to get by and may not run up any debt. Blanca and Clara sent Anna some their used clothing and undergarments at Emmy’s request. But do you think she was grateful for any of it? I have been extremely distressed by this new experience with Anna, and I am very concerned about her future, but people cannot help her and, besides, I just hope that she keeps her distance from her relatives. After all, who can protect themselves from such a dangerous slanderer?

Blanca told me you might be interested to know that Kriegsheims are living in Wiesbaden and are very happy there. They lost everything and pretty much only have Frau v. Kriegheim’s money left; hence, the Lögow estate has been leased. Herr von Romberg has also lost everything and is now going to live in Brunn, which is leased. Gerdauen was sold not long ago. Dannenbergers are in Berlin, but they are expecting to be transferred, as he is to be named divisional commander: Their daughter Clara is still unmarried, the eldest daughter Alwine has two boys, her husband is a Major in Frankfurt an der Oder.

You previously wrote that Curt was employed in the fire brigade, now you write that Curt fell down a shaft. I would insinuate from this that he is now working for a mining company. Please tell me more about it. You haven’t written to me about your friend Flemming in so long. According to your last message, you wrote that he had had a stroke and was doing poorly.

I haven’t heard from Salviatis in a long time. Anna thinks that their daughter Anna was married to a wealthy estate owner who is supposed to be rather old. I am deeply sorry that you are plagued by poor health, but age unfortunately brings all sorts of infirmities, my 62 years are also wearing on me greatly.

Heartfelt hugs and kisses to you and our dear, good son Curt. God willing that he will be completely well again soon and that He will keep him from further harm. Farewell and remember your faithful, loving wife

B Schmalensee

Side note, page 1: I would have liked to have written to Curt, but I do not have the strength. Give him hugs and kisses for me.

Side note, page 4: Emmy asks to pass on the accompanying letter to Curt. I had congratulated Curt on his birthday and had included that letter in the letter you didn’t get.

Side note, page 6: Have you heard anything from Seitz?

* Magdalenenstift was a boarding school for protestant nobility.

Friederickenthal, May 16, 1881

My dear husband.

Today I received your dear letter dated April 27 of this year, and I thank you very much for it. I wrote to you just a few days ago, in which I asked you to send me the relinquishment, but as I can see from your letter that you need a copy of your declaration from St. José, Costa Rica made to the Consul. Emmy has written a copy of it and I am attaching the same, but this must be marked with the signature of specific witnesses in addition to the notarized signature of the Consul, otherwise it will not be valid.

If possible, attest to what Emmy has written on the paper. This paper is so important because it will pass through many hands. Please try to send the document to me as quickly as possible because things have been chaotic there since the decree of the previous emperor, and we hope to save as much of the money as we can. It will not be a lot after all of the deductions. Grau will take this letter to Koenigsberg, so I must close. Farewell, give Curt my best and remember with love

Your loving wife

B v Schmalensee

Side notes:

I will answer your dear long letter in the near future.

Graus send their regards along with 10 marks.

Hopefully it will be enough to cover the costs.

Dear Kurt

Writing this in haste, an intimate greeting. Did you not receive my reply to your letter in which I wrote after your accident, my poor boy! Anna is now working in a very good job in England. I’ll write more later! Please ask your father to take care of the matter discussed in my letter to him as quickly as possible. It is so vital that Mama is taken care of, and things have gotten worse here over the years, and it is quite expensive for my husband to take care of so many. May God grant that the business earns something substantial in these adverse conditions, the bank will also collect inheritance tax!

Warmest regards to you both

Your faithful sister

Note:
This declaration must contain the signature of two witnesses in addition to your own and then be notarized by the consul, who must not sign as a witness.

Friederickenthal, May 19, 1881

My dear good husband!

I have unfortunately waited in vain for a letter from you, as I was hoping to learn of Curt’s condition. Also, a meeting is to be held regarding the payout of the Russian-Polish papers and everything is in order, except for your missing declaration carried out before the Consul in Costa Rica in the presence of two witnesses, and it is therefore insufficient. If my letter from April 18th of this year, like both of the other letters, did not reach you, send me your declaration immediately, because the matter has now been pending long enough, has incurred a lot of costs and efforts; I long to bring this to an end.

My thoughts are with you and Curt quite often, and it saddens me greatly that I only receive news from you very rarely. I really would like to know if Curt’s condition is still satisfactory and that it has not gotten serious. I must not allow myself to entertain such bad thoughts, because what good would it do me? I therefore place my trust in God and in His wise guidance. He has never abandoned me and will continue to stand by me.

Anna, who has been here for nearly a quarter of a year, embarked on her journey to England on April 22, where she has accepted a position as a German teacher with a Mistress Dethridge, who has a daughter of eight years. She arrived there safe and sound, and she really likes it there. A Frenchwoman was there for three years before Anna arrived and I hope that Anna will stay there for just as long. She seems to have every intention of doing so, and probably would not enjoy constantly changing jobs. Emmy has behaved in an exemplary manner towards Anna; she mothered her, because most of Anna’s things were stolen in Warsaw. She wrote to the sisters asking for clothes and undergarments and even Emmy gave what she could, so that Anna was well equipped to travel. I am afraid that Emmy will not receive any thanks from Anna, who never lets a good deed go unpunished, and she will also treat others as she has treated me. I wish her all the best now, but people of such character never learn from their mistakes. I wish from the bottom of my heart that this letter finds you and Curt in the best of health, and also that you are satisfied with your circumstances. Give Curt hugs and kisses from me, sending you a warm embrace from your wife

B. Schmalensee

Friederickenthal,  June 14th, 1881

My dear good husband!

You will be surprised when you receive this letter. It is the third one regarding the same matter of the declaration you made in San Jose, Costa Rica, which was also found to not be in order in Warsaw as it was only signed by the Consul. Grau fears that my two previous letters may have been lost (it was four weeks ago from yesterday that I wrote my first letter with the same content) and with the copy of your declaration included in this letter. He wants me to also tell you that the proceeding must include the signature of two witnesses, and that these signatures should also be notarized by the Consul. Grau is currently suffering greatly from rheumatism. He is also very worried about the next harvest, since the grain has suffered a great deal of damage from the drought. Hence, it is now doubly imperative for us to get the money from Warsaw. Now it is my hope that of these three letters, one will end up in your hands. Perhaps I will even receive a reply to my first letter this week and all the worries about this are over. I would also like to be able to do justice by my children Emmy and Grau for my nearly eight-year stay. My situation on this earth is so lamentable and I have hardly dared to get even the barest necessities because I may not incur debt. Emmy is such a loving daughter, she always cares for me faithfully and prefers to do without to provide for me. But if I do get the money, then I can, to some extent, pay her back for her devotion. Several days of persistent rain have alleviated this great drought and some crops might still turn out well if we don’t get too much rain now. I have not had any news from Blanka or Clara in a long time. Yesterday I received Anna’s first letter from London; she is very happy with her new position. The child that she teaches is an angel of perfection; she does not need to correct the child in the slightest and the child is cheerful and well-behaved from morning to night. Anna finds her position very pleasant with a lot of variety. She has had very nice weather in the six weeks that she has been there and is able to go sightseeing in London in her free time. I am now so very happy that she is doing well.

My health it is still not the best, because I always feel very weak and have constant rheumatism in my right hand. It has made my hand so weak and stiff that it takes a lot of effort to write legibly, which troubles me greatly. My heartfelt regards to my dear son Curt. I think of him often with tender love. May the dear Lord reward him for taking such good care of you. Now farewell, may God keep you healthy and keep dear,

Your faithful loving wife,

B v. Schmalensee

Side note, page 1: A horse-drawn railway train route has now been opened in Koenigsberg, which is to be expanded farther.

Friederickenthal, February 9, 1882.

My dear good husband!

Yesterday, I received through Blanca your dear letter dated January 1st with the enclosed note from Curt. I cannot begin to describe to you how incredibly happy this made me, as I had not had any word from you since June 26^th, when I received the cession of your claims from you, accompanied by just a few words. I have only heard about you indirectly through Clara. I sent several letters to you a few weeks after receiving the cession, including a rather long letter at the beginning of October for your birthday, which I gave the postman myself, because I had no chance to get to Koenigsberg. But this letter sent via Koenigsberg was also lost. My last letter for Curt’s birthday, which was mailed in December, should be in your hands by now. I sent it to St. Louis because I was unaware you had gone to Chicago in the meantime. Clara informe me of this in her last letter, but by then my letter was already on its way.

My heartfelt thanks to you for your loving wishes for the New Year. I, too, also thought of you a great deal at the turn of the year, so our thoughts must have often crossed paths. I am very happy Curt is doing well, and may God also grant that he is soon be earning enough to support you. I am so very sorry that you are so unwell and that it is impossible for you to find a better position, where you could earn more money with less work. I have not yet received anything from the Russian-Polish funds, one month after another passes without receiving any payment. Emmy and Grau have tried everything, but still without success. Emmy recently had a conversation with the governor of the province, which prompted her to write on my behalf to the Foreign Office in Berlin. I do not need to tell you how urgently I need this money, because you know I have nothing and rely solely on the charity of my children. For now I must remain patient. Recently, Blanca’s father-in-law died most suddenly of a heart attack. But, as Blanca wrote to me, their circumstances have not improved as a result. Melz is so terribly run down, the horses and everything else are useless as well. Thus, they can expect to be spending more than they will be taking in for the first few years. Ferber has hired a capable inspector as administrator there. He intends to remain in the civil service for a few more years, as he knows nothing about agriculture and thinks this is the best thing to do. We also received a very good photograph in a larger format of little Hannes. He must be a handsome boy. I wish I could show you the picture. It’s so lovely. You may not have heard that Anna has been in England for nearly a year. She went to a rich family in London, where she just has to teach German to one daughter, eight years old, and she is very happy there. A few weeks ago she wrote to Emmy that she had gotten engaged to a young German, a Herr Emil Kuhn; he is not be rich. She has known him for three months. He intends to remain in England for another two months, then go to Petersburg to his parents and establish himself there, where they intend to get married at the beginning of June. I can’t tell you any more about it, as she hasn’t written since then. May God grant that Anna is happy one day and finds contentment, for she has been such a worry to me. If it is possible for you, please write me again soon but, above all, a proper long letter about what you have to do in your job, as well as how Curt is employed. I have no idea about any of this, yet am so interested in all that concerns you. Now farewell, Emmy sends you greetings and sympathizes very much with your pitiful situation. With the sincere wish that your circumstances will soon improve to your satisfaction, I remain always your faithful,

Old wife

B von Schmalensée

Friederickenthal the 19th March 1882

[In FFL’s handwriting:] Answered from Mr Lassig’s farm in Goodwin Dak[ota] Terr[itory] on April 13, [18]82 – FvS

My dear husband!

I already wrote to you about Anna’s engagement to Herr Emil Kuhn from Petersburg in my last letter, meanwhile the lovers have separated. The young man has traveled from London to his parents to establish himself in Petersburg and the wedding is supposed to take place on the 8th or 10th at his parents. But Grau now wants to hold the wedding here and also give Anna enough money to purchase some garments and other clothing, so she can dress relatively decently. You can well imagine that she has very little and is in urgent need of such support. Anna is very happy that her wedding is to be celebrated here and Graus, like I did not find it fitting for Anna to go to Petersburg before she is a married woman. Anna’s temperament is not suitable to contend with the many risks involved [with traveling there], and yet she probably did not dare to ask, because she is already deeply in Grau’s debt. Anna is still engaged at an educational institute in London until August 19^th, then she intends to come here and stay until the wedding. Your written permission is required for the wedding ceremony to take place, however, and I ask you to write it and send it to me as quickly as possible. You should not be unformiliar with the form since you already had to give your written permission for Blanka’s wedding. Anna has reconciled with Blanka and Klara and the three sisters want to give her the wedding dress. Klara wrote to Emmy that she had recently attended two balls and danced until daybreak. Now Karbes are holding a big social event, including the performance of a comedy play, namely “Die Liebhaberin” (The Lover). She is looking quite forward to it. She did not sound too happy in her letters about Anna’s engagement, above all at the thought of Anna going to Petersburg, to that awful city. It would be better if she remained a companion all her life than to go to Russia among the Nihelists. Anna is a puzzle to me, as is her decision to go to Russia. Well, we all know what she is like, so there is nothing more to say about her; she is going her own way. A few weeks ago, she wrote to me and sent me a picture of her fiancé, who is 29 years old. He seems to be a rather handsome man. She has also sent pictures to the sisters. With Anna’s restlessness, I hope from the bottom of my heart that she will finally find contentment, be happy and make her husband happy, because we are all tired of incessantly having to care for her. Blanka is doing well, at the end of March she will go to Melz for three months.

Now farewell, greet Kurt lovingly from me and hold dear

Your loving wife.
B von Schmalensée,
née v Studnitz

Side note, page 1: The letter for your birthday, which I sent to St Louis, came back a few weeks ago. I don’t understand why you didn’t you tell me you had moved to Cicago [sic] like you did before.

Side note, page 2: Do you know where Fritz is living and how he is doing?

Side note, page: My strength often fails me right now. I’m not sick, but am frail. From the bottom of my heart, I hope to get good news from you once again

Friederickenthal, November 10th , 1882.

My dear husband!

Thank you very much for your dear letter, which our Clara sent to me. I see from it that you have again endured much misfortune. Now, thank God, you are at least healthy and full of new hope regarding your lease. I would have liked to have answered your dear letter, but was again so miserable and weak that I was unable to write. Yes, even today now that I feel a little bit better, I was afraid that I would write an incoherent letter, but did not want to make you wait any longer for a response. Unfortunately, I must tell you that it still not has been possible to redeem the Russian papers, although no effort has been spared to achieve a positive outcome. So far, our hopes have all been dashed; now perhaps we will succeed, albeit much later. You must realize just how sad it is for me in my old age to have to rely on the charity of my children. But I don’t want to complain, that would not help me. Besides, you have your own sorrows to bear and must work so hard just to live. Now the dear Lord is clearly helping you even if you have also had to endure a great deal at the hands of cruel people. He will send you help again. Your dear letter interested me very much. You know how to describe so lively and wonderfully what you have experienced, that it is always such a pleasure for me to read your letters. I am deeply sorry that Curt has been so ill. God grant that he is well now. The poor dear has had so little luck, hopefully things won’t get worse. I don’t have much to tell you about my life. I can’t leave my room and go outside in the winter, because for almost two years I have had such a severe pain in my right hip when I walk, especially in cold weather. I can walk around in the house, but always just a little. My hands are also so painful, so that I can do very little, which often makes me quite unhappy. Even writing is quite difficult for me, my fingers get stiff, so that my handwriting is very bad. Neither home remedies nor the family doctor have been able to help, and so I must endure with patience that which cannot be changed. I received your letter through Blanka and answered it. To make sure that it reached you by your birthday, I sent it to Clara and she mailed it for me. I fear, though, that Herr Lassig will not have given it to you, for at that time Clara did not yet have your new address. You will probably already know that our Blanka is expecting and will give birth at the beginning of the year. God grant her postnatal bliss*. Little Hanni will be quite pleased to have a brother or sister. Now farewell, my dear husband, sending you a heartfelt kiss from

Your old faithful wife

B v Schmalensee

Side note, page text 1: I am putting this letter in with Clara’s so that it is more likely to make its way into your hands.

*Wochenbett = puerperium, childbed, lying-in: refers to the period of confinement for up to six weeks during which a mother recovers from childbirth.

Rohrfelt, July 1^st, 1884

My dear husband!

I was so very pleased by your dear letter from May 25th, which I received on the 18th of June, and that you are now satisfied. God keep you. We have had a very miserable spring here, constant rain and cold, so that the winter grain, which was already in bad shape, does not promise a good harvest. The summer grain has also suffered a great deal and Grau has a lot to worry about, which of course we share. I deeply regret that in the beginning you suffered so much pain from your injured leg and yet it is amazing that you are able to carry out such arduous work with such a terrible injury. Although the dear Lord has given you a lot to bear, he has also helped you so wonderfully. I wish from the bottom of my heart that you will have a lot of buyers for the lands, so that you have a lot of income and that you have no worries in winter. Or is your position the kind where you also have employment in winter? I haven’t gone anywhere since I arrived in Rohfelt, but we have a very pleasant relationship here and thus there are many things that make me happy: The garden is very pretty and the most beautiful meadows bloom with of all kinds (of flowers) and in great abundance. There is also is a lot of small fruit available, to the joy of the children. This is also very dear to me. There are some fruit trees as well. There are enough beautiful places out the front and in the garden. We have a large covered veranda in the garden with Virginia creeper, the whole backyard is also covered with it. Wine grapes grow on the front of the house, which are said to be very sweet. We also have a large staircase in the front with Italian honeysuckle, which is a nice place to sit. The forest is also very close. There is a river surrounded by beautiful meadows, and where one can also go swimming. Unfortunately, I am rarely able to go into the forest, because my strength is waning. I recently received a lovely letter from our little Clara. She visited Blanca for three weeks, where she had such an enjoyable time. At the start (of her stay), the two children were sick with whooping cough and there was great concern about them. The little girl was most seriously ill, but then they recovered. She (Clara) then experienced happy days. Recently, Clara went to a large wedding, a Fräulein v Klitzing married a Count Königsmarck. For the occasion she received two beautiful ball gowns as a gift for her birthday, a pink silk dress with violets and moss roses and a light blue dress. Clara has little time to write. I hadn’t heard from her for a quarter of a year. From my handwriting you will see that again my right hand does not do what I want it to and hurts when I write. Now fare most well, warm regards to Curt from me, and think sometimes of your old, faithful loving wife

B v Schmalensee

Side note, page 1: Anna was quite ill. I had no news from her for a quarter of a year. She is supposed to give birth by December, her little child has turned one.

Side note, page 3: If you can, write to me soon and a great deal. You have so much to write about, I don’t have anything interesting to report.

Side note, page 4: Thank you for your long letter, which I found very interesting.

Rohrfelt, January 8th, 1885

My dear good husband!

I was very pleased by your dear letter from December 9^th of last year. I had already been extremely concerned as I did not receive a reply to my wishes for your birthday. I therefore wrote to you before Christmas. That letter must already be in your hands. I received your essays and the letter announcing them, but no other letters. I wrote that I had received the essays in the letter for your birthday. I read them with great interest. I am also convinced that you would be able to write a wonderful novel, but you would need to have an interesting subject that is contemporary, but that should be no problem for you. I sent the essays on to Clara. The poor soul is currently worried about Frau Karbe, who is seriously ill. She supposedly has a brain condition. She talks all day long and mostly nonsense. The doctor himself is not quite certain about her condition. I am very happy that our dear Curt is living so happily with his wife. May God keep him so. I am sorry that he had to give up his small business so soon, because it would have been better for the young people to be able to live alone for a long time. But one must hope for the best. I am just very happy that you are staying with Curt. I am deeply pleased that you have kept your land business, and if your writing earns you a lot in winter, then you will have no worries. I was very happy that Blanca wrote on your birthday. She visited Clara and is said to have been pleased there, not only because of the kindness she was shown, but also by Clara’s pretty appearance. Clara made me happy this Christmas with a picture of herself, which is supposed to be a good likeness, and in which she looks very good. I haven’t seen her for seven years now. I thank Curt and his wife sincerely for their kind greetings and wishes for the New Year. May the dear Lord bring them and you only happiness and joy in the New Year. Warm hugs and kisses to you, Curt and Marie from your old, deeply loving wife

B v Schmalensee

Side note, page 1: We are having a particularly cold winter here.

Side note, page 3: Please write to me again soon.

Side note, page 4: If only I could have a photograph of you, Curt and Marie

Rohrfelt, July 23^rd, 1885

My dear husband!

I would have liked to have written to you sooner, but I have been feeling so weak and worn out for weeks that I was unable to do so and must hope that you will forgive me. Your dear letter from May 31st gave me much joy, also the prospect of our dear Curt becoming a father, and I wish with all my heart that his dear wife will get through it all happy and healthy, and that their child will be lively and strong. Can you imagine that my old sister-in-law Betty has had a stroke on her left side, and dear Emmy brought her here four weeks ago to die. She is 80 years old, and the doctor believes she can only last a few months at the most. The fresh air here has been very good for the patient, but her helplessness is lamentable, and one very much wishes a swift end to her suffering.

I had a dear letter from our Clara. She wrote me that you had written to her, but she thought your letter had been rather short, that you were angry with her that she had not written for so long. But her letters to you have often been returned because you have moved so frequently, so it really is not her fault. Thank God that Frau Karbe is well again. I haven’t been in correspondence with my sister for seven years, nor do I know where she lives. Through Blanca I learned that she is living in Hanover with her son Carl, but nothing else, only that Herrmann is very happily married to a Fräulein von Bodden who has some money. They have a son. Anna had a second daughter on October 31st of last year, named Elly. The child was born too soon and was very weak, but she has recovered. I wrote you about this, but perhaps the letter was lost. She seems to be happy and appears to be in a good situation as they want to buy a house. Her husband is very diligent and frugal. Now fare well, my dear husband, God keep you healthy, and think sometimes of your old faithful wife

B v Schmalensee

Greetings to Curt and Marie

Side note, page 1: Regarding Emmy’s annuity bonds, she has already taken care of a lot, but there is still no prospect of her receiving anything.

Side note, page 2: Write me soon how you are doing, your letters give me such great pleasure.

Side note, page 3: Hopefully you have received my last letter, if not it was probably lost because you moved away, and I will get it back.

Side note, page 4: We have such a heat wave here, up to 30 degrees Reaumur*

* Similar to Celsius.

Rohrfelt, December 30^th, [18]85

My dear good husband!

I send you heartfelt wishes for happiness in the New Year. May it be a happy and healthy one for you, and I wish this with all my heart. Give our dear Curt congratulations on his birthday also in my name. May God grant him good luck and joy. I will be thinking of him on this day, and I am so very happy that he is healthy and always hard-working, then he will also get ahead and prosper. Greetings also to his dear wife from me and give my granddaughter a warm, heartfelt kiss in my name. I was so very pleased by your good humor in your last letter. May God keep you that way, then life will be so much easier. You don’t write anything about our daughter-in-law and I’d like to know if you love her, and if she makes our Curt happy. A few days ago, I received a dear letter from Blanca. She visited Clara and found Herr Karbe to be a very kind, fine old gentleman. Clara has suffered a great loss in the death of Frau Karbe and has gone through many difficult days, so much so that she was quite miserable. Now, thank God, she is quite well, and must now fully take on the role of the housewife. This coming summer Blanca plans to visit us with Clara, which pleases me greatly. Did Blanca write you for your birthday? I can imagine that Anna did not write on your birthday, with her character. We only correspond intermittently, which is not my fault. For today, however, I must close because I have been uncomfortable for a long time and have little strength.

Now fare most well. With heartfelt greetings and kisses, always

Your old faithful wife

B von Schmalensee

Page text 4: I hope to receive a letter from you soon.

Rohrfelt, April 16, 1886

My dear husband!

I was delighted by your dear letter with your wishes for my birthday; it just arrived here on March 29th. I thank you for your loving wishes for my happiness and well-being. They have warmed my old heart so very much. Your happiness and your joy in our dear granddaughter have truly moved me. Your description of the dear child is also so wonderful, that I truly long to hold the sweet child in my arms, especially since the dear little soul is so well-behaved. I spent my birthday very pleasantly, receiving various letters from my dear children, which held good news for me. My grandchildren also delighted me with some pretty handicrafts, and the day passed quite merrily. We were still having cold weather up until a few weeks ago, but the seeds have come through the winter well, and now that we are having nice warm weather, the seeds will also begin to sprout. Tilling and sowing also began yesterday, people are also working hard in the garden. Unfortunately, I can only walk very little, as I have been suffering severe pain in my left hip during this harsh winter. The pain does not always let up, so that I usually must walk with a limp. All my strength is gone, also my hands are very weak and painful. But I always remain positive and tirelessly exercise patience. I am happy at the prospect of receiving pictures of you and dear little Eva. I am very glad that the little one has gotten her first tooth, then she will also get her other teeth as well. I was very pleased by Curt’s letter, and since writing letters is likely not his passion, I was doubly pleased by the length of the letter. The fact that our dear Clara has adjusted so well following the death of Frau Karbe and that she is taking such good care of Herr Karbe will be advantageous for her situation. How I wish that she were provided for when Herr Karbe is no more. In heartfelt love, your ever faithful

Wife, B v Schmalensée

Rohrfelt, the 17^th of April 1886

My dear Curt!

I was so very pleased by your dear letter, as well as by your loving wishes for my birthday. How dearly I would have loved to hold you close to my heart, and you could have told me in person that which doesn’t come close to sounding so dear on paper. How wonderful it would be to have Papa and all my children gathered around me for my birthday one more time in this life, and even if there is a prospect of this happening, it is also not impossible that fortune will smile upon you and make you a rich man. Some poor men have also found their fortune in America. As you are so hard-working and industrious, you are already favored by the dear Lord, and since you are taking such good care of your old father and enjoy having him with you, the dear Lord in Heaven will always reward you. Please give my heartfelt regards to your dear wife, who you can be certain is a dear daughter-in-law to me, and I thank her very much for her wishes for my birthday. Your description of her tells me that she is a simple, faithful housewife, which makes me love her twice as much. I cannot bear flighty people, and I would not at all have liked a real American woman like you have described them to me. I hold your little Eva so very dear in my heart, also because Papa loves the sweet child so much. She will help him while away the idle hours and make your life all the more contented. You wanted to hear something about your acquaintances and yet I am hardly be able to fulfill this wish. I live such a secluded life. Perhaps you could write some specific questions in your next letters and tell me which people you are interested in. I have heard that Aunt Laura lives in the city of Hanover, Carl is a Major, Herrman is married to a Fräulein von Bonin and has a son. Since I do not correspond with your aunt, it is rather difficult for me, because she has only envied me and tries to harm me with malicious gossip. I don’t wish her any harm, but I am vigilant when it comes to her. Now farewell, greet your dear wife and keep in your heart your loving

Mother v Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: Graus send you their warm regards.

Side note, page 2: The youngest Hatten lives with her parents and is said to be quite pretty. Mehlsack now also has a railway.

Side note, page 3: Old Herr von Hatten is quite blind and lives in Prunnsberg. Frau von Hatten visited me in Koenigsberg. Rosa von Hatten is an educator with relatives in Berlin.

Side note, page 4: Georg von Hatten is a lieutenant in the infantry and is stationed in Insterburg. He has been here several times, but I don’t care for him.

Rohrfelt, August 11^th, 1886

My dear husband!

Your dear letter from July 18 pleased me greatly, for in it I see that you are well. May God keep you that way. You wrote to me about the tropical heat, and how you suffer from it. Here it is just the opposite. We had some hot days the end of May. Then June and July were fairly cool, rarely a warm day, as well as August, and we must to wear warm clothes so we don’t freeze. The fields are doing well. The rye has been harvested, and the planting of barley has begun, but we have had rain almost every day, so it is difficult to bring in the grain. We also have a very pretty garden here with all sorts of flowers, beautiful matthiola and the like, long-stemmed roses, which give me a lot of pleasure. And yet I would like to see your dear, little flower garden and take in its sweet scent. Your description of our dear little grandson has pleased me greatly, and if I could see the dear child, I would certainly have as much joy as you do. Kiss the dear child in my name quite warmly. I have been very worried about Emmy lately. She is very poorly due to anemia, and now takes effervescent iron baths and iron pills from a very good doctor from Insterburg, but the condition is only going away slowly, and it is still questionable whether she will ever be completely cured. Yesterday I received a letter from Blanca, after she had not written for a long time, also a larger photograph of herself and her two children, which pleased me very much. She has had a lot of worry with her daughter. The little one has had small ulcers on both eyes, on the cornea side of the lens, which could easily ruin her eyesight in both eyes. After consulting a famous ophthalmologist, she had to go to Kreuznach for six weeks where the dear child was then healed, thank God. Blanca, however, not well at all, probably as a result of her many worries, and suffers from rheumatism in her joints. She also has anemia. Our dear Clara is fine, may God keep her that way. I haven’t heard from Anna in a long time, hopefully she’s doing well. Now farewell, heartfelt greetings and kisses from your dear old wife

B v Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: My health is now doing well, I am treating the rheumatism in my hip and back with water, which is helping. I must endure the infirmities of my old age.

Side note, page 4: I was very pleased by Curt’s dear letter. I want to write to him. I was pleased by the newspapers he sent me, and

Side note, page 2: I thank him for it, Grau enjoyed reading them very much.

Rohrfelt, the 11^th of August 1886

My dear Curt!

I thank you for your dear letter, which delighted me deeply, as well as for the newspapers that above all Grau reads with great interest. In our newspaper I read about the many riots in Chicago, and was concerned about you. But soon after I received news from Papa, putting my fears at ease. I am so very pleased that you are well and that you are happy in your home. May God preserve your happiness. Papa wrote me many interesting things about your dear Eva, who makes you all so happy, and I am looking forward to seeing the promised picture of her, but I would be especially happy if your dear wife would also be in this picture, too, because I would be glad to know what my dear daughter-in-law looks like. My regards to your dear wife. I am deeply grateful to her for taking such good care of Papa. I also thank you very much for providing for Papa. God will reward you for it. Thank God our crop is good, but it is difficult to harvest, as it is raining almost every day. Now fare quite well, my beloved son, with a heartfelt kiss, I remain with heartfelt love, your old faithful mother

B v Schmalensée

Side note 2: Graus send you their warm regards.

Rohrfelt, October 1^st,1887

My dear good husband!

I send you the most heartfelt and sincere wishes for your upcoming birthday. May your further journey in this life bring you only happiness and joy, and may you have none of the infirmities of old age, spend your birthday happy and content surrounded by your children, and remember with love your wife so far away. You left me waiting a long time for news from you, and Clara also did not write that she had received a letter from you on her birthday. So, I was rather concerned about you and was very pleased by your dear letter. As you probably know, Clara had a nasty cough and the doctor sent her to Bad Elster, which really helped her, and I am expecting a letter any day now which will hopefully bring me good news. Unfortunately, this year the summer heat did not bring me good health, as I am suffering a great deal from rheumatic pains with red welts on my hands and feet, which the doctor says is gout. I was unable to use my right hand for weeks without severe pain, so I was unable to do any handiwork or even write. Even now I may not exert my hand, otherwise the pain and the lumps will return. Also in my feet, so that I limp and must walk very slowly. Clara wrote me that Blanca had to go to Berlin to seek a doctor’s advice for her illness. She was suffering too much to write herself. The doctor believes her problem stems from the last childbirth, and has treated her internally*, and she is supposed to eat as much food as she can bear. Anna wrote to me that she has not been well, so her husband sent her with the children to the seaside resort of Margate. Your description of little Eva amused me very much, and I thank you very much for it. Now farewell, greet Curt and his wife cordially, to Eva a warm kiss. Write soon to your loving

Wife B v Schmalensee

Side note, page 1: I wish Curt’s wife an easy delivery, and a son.

Side note, page 4: When you write to Fritz, greet him warmly from me.

* innerlich gebeizt = internally stained, perhaps an intra-uterine iodine treatment or a ‘d and c’ procedure.

Rohrfelt, November 11th, 1887

My dear good husband!

I did not immediately reply to your dear letter of September 20th, as I had just sent a letter to you roughly a fortnight ago. I am very sorry that you were concerned about my health because the major weakness, brought on by severe joint pain, got better once the pain had subsided, and my strength returned. But I am still greatly impaired, as my right hand is still very painful when I use it, but I hope that will also get better. Your dear letter delighted me immensely, especially in its length and detail, and I wish from the bottom of my heart that your new home brings happiness to you all. Won’t you be running about too much for your age? You have been very sedentary with your writing and may not be that used to so much activity.

I was very concerned about Clara; I believe she was very ill, because Herr Karbe would not have sent her to Eltester if it wasn’t necessary. Thank God, according to her last letter, she came back home quite healthy. Blanca has also been very ill; she was always complaining that she was extremely weak from anemia. So she decided to travel to Berlin and consult a gynecologist. After examination, he determined that she had a dangerous condition in her lower abdomen, which was caused by an oversight on the part of the midwife during her last delivery. Had she not sought treatment, it would have turned into cervical cancer. She has spent a long time in the gynocological clinic in Berlin, where she received chloroform and was operated on. Several spots on her uterus had to be cauterized. She then received iodine injections, which was excruciatingly painful. The poor soul is still not well and must return to Berlin periodically to be cauterized.

Little Karina’s eyes have also gotten worse. She spent four weeks in an eye clinic, which has been a cause of great concern for Blanca. Don’t be angry with me that my handwriting is so bad, but I cannot write any better with this hand and it is still painful. My heartfelt regards to Curt and his wife, for whom I wish an easy birth.

Now farewell and hold dear,

Your faithful old wife,

B. v. Schmalensee

Side note: Give my dear little grandchild a loving kiss for me.

Rohrfelt, January 11^th, 1888

My dear good husband!

I was very pleased by your dear letter from December 13^th of last year, as well as by your wishes for the New Year. I, too, thought a lot about you at the turn of the year, and I asked the dear Lord to make this a very happy and merry year and give you vigorous health. I spent Christmas happily and contentedly with my loved ones, delighted by my beautiful Christmas gifts. I also thought of you and the happy Christmas I spent at your side, where you did everything in your power to delight me and the children. That was a wonderful time, which will likely never come again. Clara hosted the entire Karbe family at Christmas in Adamsdorf. There was a lot of hustle and bustle and, for her, a lot of work. Herr Karbe gave her a very nice fur before Christmas to wear while Christmas shopping in Szczecin to keep her from catching a cold. Our Clara is very much loved in the Karbe household, and although her position is strenuous, Herr Karbe is also so very grateful. Clara has responded well to the treatment she received at the spa in Eltester, and she has returned home healthy. May God keep her so. Every day I have been expecting to receive news of the happy delivery of our daughter-in-law. It would be quite a shock if it turned out to be twins, because that poor mother would have much more to worry about. But [it will be] as God wills, what he sends us is all good.

The card Curt and his wife sent me for the New Year made me very happy. May God also give them a happy and satisfying New Year. I have not had a letter from Blanka since the end of October. At Christmas she sent me 15 marks with the remark that a letter will follow, but none has arrived yet. I received good news from Anna. This summer she was in Margate with her three children at a seaside resort, which did them all good. I send Curt heartfelt wishes for his birthday on January 15th. May God always keep him happy and cheerful. Sending you loving hugs and kisses send from your

faithful old wife

B v Schmalensee

Side note 1: My warmest regards to Curt, Marie and little Eva.

Rohrfelt, February 9th, 1888

My dear husband!

I was very pleased by the good news that Curt’s wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy. God bless the dear child and may he be a great joy to his parents. I can well imagine that little Eva is quite delighted with her brother. Now she has a playmate, who will be the best plaything of all. Curt will now be quite proud to have a son and Eva will be very much out of the spotlight, but that’s the way things are; a father wants to have a son and heir. I am very sorry that poor Marie had such a difficult delivery, but a strong body, as she is said to have, will recover from everything more easily. Give her my warm regards, as well as Curt. I wish them good luck with the dear child. My second grandson, Arthur, thirteen years old, joined the Culm Cadet Corps a few weeks ago. He had already registered four years ago but there was no room. But because two cadets died of diphtheria, Arthur was conscripted, to the joy of everyone. Emmy brought the boy to Culm and was quite pleased with the wonderful facilities of the cadet corps. Arthur himself likes it very much and writes letters often. I received good news from Anna. She is healthy, which had not been the case for a long time. Her little Herbert is thriving very well, as are the two girls who appear to be pretty children, according to the pictures I have of them. A Fräulein Dittmer from Hamburg lives with them to learn English, and she helps Anna in the household and with the children; she also knits very nicely. I haven’t had any news from Blanca in a long time. Clara wrote that Blanca had written a letter to her, in which she lamented a great deal; the poor soul is very miserable. Now farewell, a heartfelt hug and kiss from your loving old wife

B v Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: We are having a harsh winter.

Rohrfelt, April 4^th, 1888

My dear good husband!

Thank you for your heartfelt congratulations on my birthday. I had already received your dear letter on March 28th, and was doubly pleased that you wrote so promptly. You wrote that the older you get, the faster the time passes. It is the same for me, although my life here is very quiet. I am so happy that you are well. May God keep you that way. I feared you would be coughing and sniffling a lot this winter. It was very cold here, 20 degrees* at the beginning of March, even 24 and 28 degrees, and now the vegetation here is still quite dead, no flowers. I also thank Curt very much for his congratulations, and I am very pleased that he is taking care of you so faithfully. May God bless him for it. I can imagine that the little children give you so much joy. It is the same for me here, only with the difference that my youngest grandson here is eight years old. Emmy’s two younger sons of are in the Culmer Cadet Corps, the elder son went there already in January and received good grades at Easter so he was transferred. The younger one has only just joined the corps. God grant that they will be diligent. There has been more flooding in the north than they have seen in a hundred years, and the newspapers have been reporting on this great tragedy.

I also received a dear letter from Clara. She is very fond of the Karbe children, who are now back in Adamsdorf (I think there are two or three of them), because young Frau Karbe is very ill and cannot take care of the children very much.

Clara wrote that she hadn’t heard from you in a long time and is still hoping for a letter from you. The death of our dear old Kaiser Wilhelm brought so much sorrow throughout the land as well as great mourning. I can imagine how much you are mourning him. His successor, Kaiser Friedrich, appears to be following in his footsteps and is gaining the love of the people. There are differing opinions regarding his health, and the newspapers cannot always be believed. Now a loving hug and kiss from your old faithful wife

B. Schmalensée

Page text: Greet Curt warmly from me.

* Reaumur was the scale of temperature used prior to 1901, when Celsius was introduced.

Rohrfelt, August 18, [18]88

My dear husband!

I was very pleased by your dear letter, which I received through Clara, and I am so truly happy that you are well, and if old age is catching up with you, it is no wonder at your age. It is no different for me, and I thank the dear Lord for every day in which I do not feel my old age. As you know, our Clara was here for a few days, and we had such a nice time, only it passed too quickly. Eleven years had passed before we saw each other again. We also made use of every moment to share our thoughts. I was very happy to find Clara so mature, yes, so reasonable and thoughtful. She is happy and cheerful, but also an amiable companion, who likes to take part in every serious conversation. It is clear why that she is so revered and respected in the Karbe household, having made herself quite indispensable. Clara’s appearance has indeed changed, but she is still a pretty girl. She has a very slender figure, just like before. She still has her beautiful red curls and her good humor. Anna also asked if we would like her to visit, but had not discussed her plan with her husband. Then everything fell through, as he felt the journey here with the children was too expensive. There were some fatalities during Clara’s journey home. A dam was damaged by hefty cloudbursts in Elbing, which also meant that the train could not continue, and it was difficult to transfer the passengers. Blanca also wants to visit us in September, and I am really looking forward to it, but I am not quite sure yet whether she will actually come. I was very interested in what you wrote about our dear grandchildren. It does not matter that Fritzchen is not handsome. He will surely find a wife some day. My heartfelt hugs and kisses to my dear son Curt. God keep you well and give you strength, but now adieu. Sending a heartfelt kiss from

Your old faithful wife

B v Schmalensée

Side note, page 3: Our crops are failing here, we had frost when the rye was in bloom,

Side note, page 2: afterwards weeks of severe drought, and most recently constant rain with cloudbursts.

Side note, page 4: Write to me again soon.

Rohrfelt by Gumbinnen, Dec. 08, 1888

My dear husband!

Your letter from November 10th made me so very happy as I had not received a message from you in a long time, and I was already tormented by all sorts of worries over your well-being. But you wrote so cheerfully, and from this I can see that you are well and you are also healthy. What you told me about the dear little children interests me very much. Also, you are able to describe things so dearly that one imagines everything so vividly. I would like to have photographs of the little children because even if I can’t be with them, I would love to have pictures of them. Anna recently sent me a picture of her little one-year-old boy, which made me very happy. I already had pictures of the other children, as well as of Blanca’s children. Anna is doing very well, she is living very happily with her husband. Their circumstances are improving so much that he always gives her very nice gifts. She received a gold bracelet with diamonds and rubies from him. He is also said to always be very kind to his family and cares very much for the children. Poor Blanca is less happy with her husband; he is full of eccentricities. He is very loving to the children, but not to his wife, and this pains me so very much. For me, Blanca is so charming and kind and the separation from her was very hard for me. Who knows whether I will see her again in this lifetime.

Clara is living quite happily in the Karbe household, so much so that she probably wouldn’t trade places with anyone. Also Herr Karbe’s two grandchildren are also a nice plaything for her, but she is also raising them very well. I only worry about Clara’s uncertain future when Herr Karbe dies, and I wish she had married well much earlier.

Our letter will be in your hands by Curt’s birthday, so I ask that you convey to him my warmest congratulations. May the dear Lord give him much happiness and joy in this new year of life, increase his prosperity, allow all of his undertakings to flourish, and keep him in good health. I will be thinking of you a lot on New Year’s Day. May God also grant you much happiness.

Now farewell, remain cheerful and healthy and remember lovingly, your faithful

Old wife v. Schmalensée

Side note, page 1: A heartfelt kiss for Curt, also for his little children

Side note, page 2: How is your writing going? Write me something about it.

Side note, page 3: Grau is very good to me, but Emmy is probably the main reason for this and her self-sacrificing love for me. She cherishes and cares for me; if that were not so, I would have not lived this long.

Side note, page 4: I would like your wish to see me again to be fulfilled, because I would also like so very much to see you again.

Rohrfelt, August 3^rd, 1889

My dear good husband!

It was so long ago that I last had word from you. I received your last letter on my birthday and I waited time after time but always in vain, other times when you had made me wait so long for a letter, you would include a note for me in with Clara’s birthday letter, but this hope was also in vain, but I learned from Clara, to whom you had written, that you are well. I believe that a letter from you has been lost and I ask you that to write me immediately, because I am greatly troubled, and I want to know the reason for your silence. You now probably already know that our dear Clara is expecting and should give birth at the end of October. She writes that she is infinitely happy about this joyful prospect, and I share her joy, then a marriage without children is only in rare cases entirely happy. But I am very concerned whether she will withstand everything well and happy. Her husband will certainly provide everything possible to care for her. Clara is getting a nurse through her husband’s sister-in-law, a very good midwife, from in the village. She also has a very good doctor who will arrange a good wet nurse for her, because she should not nurse [the baby] herself as her body is too delicate, and I also concur entirely. I would also like to hear a great deal about our dear Curt. How he is doing, and what is his occupation, and are you still writing [stories]? Write to me in detail about my dear grandchild. Your description was so dear, that it is a real joy for me to read your letters. I don’t have many interesting things to write about here. The winter grain has suffered terribly from the long drought in the spring, so much so that the crop failed completely. Part of the summer grain did not sprout because of the drought and when the rain did come, it was too late. Please give Curt and the little children my heartfelt hugs and kisses from me. Now farewell, tender hugs and kisses from your old

faithful wife

B v Schmalensée

Page text 1: Do you have a little flower garden at your house?

Rohrfelt, October 2, 1889

My dear, good husband!

I send you the most heartfelt wishes for your upcoming birthday. May God keep you healthy and cheerful, and protect you from the tribulations of this life. Your dear letter from Sept 4th pleased me very much, but especially its length, because you can imagine how every little thing you write about is of interest to me. The description of our dear grandchildren was most charming, and I see them in my mind before me. (It is) a pity that I do not have a picture of them. I am deeply sorry that your letter to me was lost. Your letter before that one arrived right when I sent you mine. A few weeks ago, I received a dear letter from our Clara. She feels rested and refreshed and can eat a lot, which is certainly very good for her because that will keep up her strength. The furniture and things for her little one are also ready and said to be quite charming, and this gives her great joy. She fears that her little ward, Trudy, who has been with her now for several years, will be taken back by the parents once she has her own child. The little one has grown so dear to her heart. She therefore plans to resist and not hand her over voluntarily, which I think is quite right. I am very anxious and worried about Clara’s impending delivery, which is expected at the end of October. I hope to God that He will protect her and give her an easy delivery, but my mother’s heart is still sometimes apprehensive. Blanca also wanted to visit Clara for a period of time, and she is very much looking forward to the visit, because the sisters love each other very much. But the poor soul is also worried again about her Hanni, as he is suffering from an eye inflammation. She wants to talk to a famous ophthalmologist in Berlin about him. And I hope from the bottom of my heart that the boy will soon be healed. When you write to me, write the address Rohrfelt by Malwischren. Your last letters were always addressed to Malwischken, which is not correct, and that makes it harder for me to get your letters. Thank you very much for the detailed information about your and Curt’s jobs. You never wrote so specifically before. To Curt, I send heartfelt hugs and kisses, as well as to you and the children. Farewell and keep in your heart

Your loving
wife, B v Schmalensée

Page text: You asked about my health, but I prefer to remain silent on that subject as you don’t like to hear complaints.

Deinau by Bastenburg, May 8^th, 1891

My dear Curt!

The news of my dear husband’s death shook me deeply to the core. He had indeed complained many times about his increasing old age. But then there were also times when he didn’t mention it at all, and wrote such cheerful letters that I believed he would outlive me by many years. For me, Father’s death is infinitely painful, but at my age we will certainly not be apart much longer, and will find ourselves together in the hereafter, which was not possible here on earth. I am deeply pleased that your dear father did not suffer too much from his illness, and that he was mostly unconscious in the final days; it makes dying easier. You, my beloved son, are to be deeply lamented, for you will hardly find such a faithful friend again as you had in your dear father. For this you had his complete devotion and he was proud of his son. From the bottom of my heart, I wish for you that your dear wife will soon be well again. You must have hope here, because a young person can recover from pneumonia much more easily. Your three little children brought so much happiness to your dear father’s life and his descriptions of the dear children gave me great joy. Well, I hope you will now write to me more often and follow in the footsteps of your dear father. Now, farewell, greet your dear wife and children, sending you greetings and kisses, your most loving

Mother B. v. Schmalensee,

née v. Studnitz

My dear brother!

Please also accept my deepest sympathies for your loss. May the dear Lord protect you from an even more bitter sorrow and spare your dear wife! It would probably be harder to lose the mother of your children than even your father. I was always so very interested to learn from your father’s letters to Mama about how you and yours are doing, and I hope that you or your dear wife will delight us by writing to us often. Give your little children a heartfelt kiss, to you, my very dear brother, as well as to your dear wife the warmest greetings from my husband and your faithful sister, Emmy Grau.

Deinau, March 15, [18]92.

My beloved little Clara!

Your dear letter, which included Curt’s letter, pleased me so very much: Thank God that he is doing well. I was already imagining all sorts of terrible things as I hadn’t heard from him in so long, but I could not have suspected that his letters had been lost. Papa always wrote very regularly, and rarely was a letter was lost. So far, I have not received a letter from Curt. Perhaps he will write for my birthday. Arthur is now a student in the Selekta*, and has also become a corporal at the same time, and will become a lieutenant during the year. He is very diligent and well-liked by his superiors. So, we can assume that he is happy and achieving his goal. He was in Rohrfelt for a few weeks. Now Fritz is there. Unfortunately, Arthur has to return to Lichtenfelde on 29 March. We will miss him very much. Emmchen is unfortunately very sick again, and is being treated by a gynecologist in Rastenburg. He has a very good reputation and hopes to heal her completely. Agnes is quite well again, although she must still use Carlsbad salt for a few more weeks like her doctor ordered, but this is just a precaution. You will have heard when Eltchen and Agnes are arriving. (I am sure) they will feel right at home. I also received a letter from Anna recently. She feels better now and takes hot salt baths that are very good for her. Her children give her a lot of pleasure, the two girls are not very hardy. Now fare well, my regards to your dear husband, and keep in your heart your loving mother B v Schmalensee

Page text Page 1: Emmchen sends you her warm regards.

Page text Page 4: You have made be so very happy with Curt’s letter, and I thank you so very much for that.

*A higher level class for talented pupils following completion of the actual school.

Deinau, April 7, [18]92 *

My beloved Curt!

I say to you thank you very much for your loving wishes on my birthday, I too would be so very happy if I were able to see you one more time, because it has been so very long since we parted. My health is still quite good in spite of my 73 years, although the frailty of old age has not failed to appear, and if it is what the dear Lord wills, I am quite content to live for a few more years. I am very pleased that you have resumed your old position at the Illinois State newspaper, and that you will earn your daily bread and will also be able to pay off the obligations that arose from the new position. I was very interested in what you wrote to me about your dear wife and little children, also that you are expecting a fourth child in mid-April. I also wish for you a son, as strong as your little Fritz. Girls may be delicate, but a boy must be strong. I read about the World’s Fair in Chicago in the newspaper and I am very interested in it. I can’t give you Aunt Laura’s address because I don’t have it myself, I’m completely out of touch with her, but I will send it to you if I happen to find it out. If you write to me again, please tell me something about [your half-brother] Fritz, also send me his address. I have relayed your greetings to Emmy and Grau. Their second son, Arthur, after completing Seleckta**, is a great joy to his parents, also the youngest has come after completing Obertertia***, both are in the cadet corps. To your wife, as well as to your little ones, my warm regards and thanks for their congratulations on my birthday. Now fare well, heartfelt greetings and kisses from the one who loves you dearly, your

Mother B v Schmalensée

Page text 1: I think it’s very natural that you miss Papa so much, I also think about him a lot, and I am so very sad that we have lost him.

Page text 3: Please write to me again soon, and send your letter through the post office in Chicago.

Page text 4: Graus send you their heartfelt regards.

* The date on the envelope (1893) does not match the letter.

** A higher level grade following completion of regular school

*** Later retired with the rank of Major and was famous for being the first director of UFA Film studios, at which time films, such as Metropolis and Nosferatu, were produced.
https://second.wiki/wiki/alexander_grau_filmmanager

**** The 5th grade level in Gymnasium

Deinau, the 2nd of March (18)93

My beloved Curt!

Soon it will be a year since I received your last letter from Chicago, it was from the 8th of March and I answered it right away, but I have waited until now in vain for an answer, and had certainly hoped that you would announce to me that your dear wife has delivered a baby, she was awaiting this event in a short while, but all of my hope was in vain, since sometime around January I received your postcard from the World Exhibition of Chicago, torn in the middle, and I had hoped to receive a letter afterwards, but also this hope was [in vain]. Now I ask you from the bottom of my heart to write to me immediately about how you are doing. Clara recently wrote me that she received a letter from you asking her to send Anna’s address to ask her for the 80 marks that she owed you from a while ago. I received a short letter from Anna a few weeks ago in which she told me that her husband was seriously ill with kidney inflammation.

This cold winter has taken quite a toll on me and I was very sick, I am now doing better, but I am very weak. Dear Emmy has the great joy that her second son, Arthur, took his officer examination and has passed.

For now farewell, sending you greetings and kisses from your loving mother

B. v Schmalensee,
née v. Studnitz

[Anna’s address]

England
Mrs. Kuhn
36 Wilberforce Road
Finsbury Parc
London N

Page text 1: Heartfelt greetings to your dear wife and little children
Page text 2: What did the stork bring you? a son or daughter.
Page text 3: Blanca also received a postcard from you from Chicago, and wants your address so that she can write to you.
Page text 4: Thank you very much for the Chicago picture

[Note included in this letter from Curt’s half-sister Emmy Grau]
My dear Curt!

Although you have not answered my last note, I did not want to let the opportunity pass without sending you and your dear wife heartfelt fraternal greetings, and at the same time expressing my wish that the dear Lord will remain particularly close to your dear wife during the approaching event! Mama has probably told you that our worries are weighing on us all the more since my husband is now 68 years old and very sickly, I am as well and do not have the strength to face everything with much energy – but God will continue to stand by us. With heartfelt greetings
Your loving
sister E. G.

Rohrfelt, 29/12/[18]93

My beloved Curt!

I send you the most heartfelt congratulations on your birthday, in your next year of life may God give you good luck and blessings, and make up for all the gloom that you have experienced this year. I have let you wait so long for an answer to your dear letter, but you had promised to write me again soon after and I was always so weak that it was impossible for me to write a proper letter. Now I am feeling stronger and when relapses occur, they pass faster and faster, besides I am also be very well cared for, your sisters send me wine as well as meat sausage, and at Christmas I am showered with presents. Even though it was sad, I was very pleased to receive your dear letter, please write to me again soon. Now fare well, greet your wife and dear little ones from me, and a heartfelt kiss from your loving mother

B v Schmalensée

Page text 1: Emmy send you her warm regards as does Grau