Vmail from Parents: December 5,1944
To: Staff Sergeant 32008956 Henry K. Silberman I,10,- G,2,= Co. 0, 2nd 2,0 ,E.C.A.Regt. Eer Tork-01t A.P.0. 658. c/o Postmaster, New York C1ty
From: Eugene Silberman, 611 ,113 str. Apt.51, New York C1ty
December 5th 44
No 31.
Dear Heinz,
This letter is considered to be supplementary or better as substitute in case our birthday's sent off a week should arrive delayed, written as air mail letter. Anyhow "Doppelt halt besser"[1] , besides, the multiplicity of our congratulations may have more chances of fulfillment of our wishes concentrated in the one to be reunited next year.
Alice will sure to come see us on your birthday to spend in common thoughts of you.
We just received your letter of Novb., 25th referring to our trip to Nyack and the reproduction of the statue of the Manneken Pis[2] you have bought. When we saw it in Brussels about 1928 nobody could have anticipated what we should have to face and endure 5 years later. At that time Nazism has been a negligible party, and if not the Rhenish industrialists had backed them, they would have disappeared lacking constructive ideas but those of gangsters. What most I am sorry for is the fact that Hitler and his gangsters have been fawned upon by politicians abroad as bulwark against bolshevism, that even by the Bishops at a meeting in Münster[3] Hitler has been glorified as man "sent by providence"and by cardinal--as far as I remember of Salzburg or was lnnitzer[4] as "Godsend" yet a period the baseness, infamy and criminality of their nefarious actions of the nazis were well known all over the world. Did not Henderson[5] boast of being invited to tea by Goering not afraid of shaking hands with a perjurer etc, With a view of consequence besides the collaborationists also those should be called to account who flirted with the nazis inspite of knowing their crimes, in many cases for the sake of invested interests in Germany.
Happily here in America the government does not take the side of those who have invested interests in Germany, takes the side of the people in the freed countries, not from the point of view of reactionary elements. Last night I heard Mr, Steele[6] broadcasting who has guessed my thoughts about Englands attitude In the freed countries condemning it, to provoke revolts, as not otherwise to be expected. Now enough about politics and wishing you the best and to spend your birthday joyfully.
In love
[Handwritten] Your father
[Handwritten] Dear Heinz, I wish you a happy birthday and send you my best congratulations. I hope we will be together next year. All my love your mother.
Notes:
"Two is better"
The Mannekim Pis statute is in Brussels. So did Alice live in Nyack?
Allusion to the Archbishop of Munich?
Apparently, Innitzer was correct.
Neville Henderson, British ambassador to Germany.
John Steele(?), London correspondent for Mutual Broadcasting Company.