Letter from Germany, 1945 January 02

Creator

Robert D. Davis

Files

Creation Date

1-2-1945

Keywords

WWII, letters, World War 2, New Years Eve, New Years Day, Concentration Camp, Hitler, Army

Subject

World War, 1939-1945; United States--Army; New Year's Day; New Year's Eve; Concentration camp prisoners

Description

Davis writes about his New Years Eve and day. He went on a date with Miss Gessner (Inge), they had dinner, then went to the Major's party at HQ and listened to a Hungarian Gypsy band. At 5:15 am, Runte brought three violinists from the Hungarian band to EM quarters to play. Davis describes his visit with the Heckls. Mr. Heckl was the auto representative in Sofia, Bulgaria, who, Davis says has to start from the bottom again. Mrs. Heckl is a "famous beauty" from Budapest. Her younger sister (24 years old) was in a Concentration camp for criticizing Hitler.

Transcription:

Cpl Robert Davis, 18108121

G237, CoF, 3^rd MGR

APO 403,

c/o Pm. N.Y.

Mrs. R. L. Davis

1619 Muskogee, Oklahoma

AIR

Party

2 January 1945

Dear Folks:

I hope that you had a nice holiday period, and also that you had a pleasant New Year’s eve and day. I will now describe to you some of our activities on the 31^st and the 1^st.

I had a date with Miss Gessner, Inge, for New Year’s Eve. WE came over to the Hq., and all of us had dinner with our dates. It was a nice meal, with goose and turkey, and topped off with ice cream and cake. Also wine and egg nog with it. We had dinner at 9, sat and chatted over the table until 11, whereipon we went over to our quarters. Jim Hanes, Hornowski and we drank the new year in with champagne, following which we got in a jeep and drove back to the Hq. to greet Major Norins and the Officers and Brady (who worked taking care of the big party that the Major Had). Then we all sat around and drank with the Major for a few minutes, danced about an hour to the Hungarian Gypsy band that he had, and leaving the Hq., went over to Sonners housr. (Runte was at the Governors party) Celebrated with Sonner until three in the morning whereupon I took Inge home, and went home and went to bed.

At 5:15 a.m. there was a big clatter in the hall, and violins began to play. I knew of course, it was Runte. He had gotten the three gypsy violinists from the Majors orchestra and brought them over to the EM quarters. I got up and dressed, and we went around to every door and got the people up. There was one group that was still up and going strong, and pretty soon we had our living room full, with a very lively party in full swing. It was typical Runte. The celebration lasted for a couple of hours, and busted up at seven. We all got up at about 1 p.m., and ate lunch whereupon we went down to Sonners, met Runte, and Keller and Brady and I went out to the farmer’s Heinrich, where we ate several fresh fried eggs, with some wonderful smoked wurst and plenty of fresh milk.

In the evening Brady and I had Runte and Ursula over to the Hq. for dinner, and after that we went to visit the Heckls. We had a very nice evening there, as they are both charming people. Mr. Heckl, you know, is the man who was the auto representative in Bulgaria, Sofia, and has lost a million mark fortune twice in his life. He is the most energetic and lively man I ever saw. Now he’s starting out from the bottom again, and will build it all up. Mrs. Heckl, is a famous beauty from Budapest, who has done nothing but travel for the last 15 years. She was some kind of dancer, but comes from a good family in Budapest. It is quite amusing to hear her compare her sister’s looks with possible competition. (Her younger sister is 24, and stuck in Hungary, was in competition, was in Concentration Camp for criticism of Hitler). “Irene was the most beautiful woman in Sofia, there was no doubt of that. She was one of the most beautiful in Budapest, but then I wouldn’t say she was the best looking one in Budapest,” she mused last night. And having seen the photo, I can easily believe it. But it tickled me, such a matter of fact discussion, as if the women could quite definitively be assigned numbers of beauty. But Frau Heckl is a terrific woman, must be 35 or so. Tremendously animated and graceful, she a speaks a curious sort of imperfect German, but in such a musical voice and with such gusto and poise, that everyone loves to hear her talk. And from her travels, which were mostly in the Balkans and the Near East, she has the most interesting fund of experiences and stories. Things like reading fortunes from coffee grounds, which she did yesterday evening.

We had an enjoyable evening with them, from about 8 till 12, and came home early and went to bed.

Love, Bob

Bob