Hamburg Ohsdorf

18th April 1916

My dear aunt! We received your very welcome letter on March 26th. I reported the receipt to you on the same day by postcard. I think. You will have received it. It is very gratifying that you are still so healthy in your old age. How you are favored by Providence in this way. would like to stay that way for a long time. Thank God we are all well. After we held the beautiful celebration of the children's confirmation in our house at Easter 15, where so many friends and neighbors had gathered and gave the children so many presents, the boy has continued to go to school since then. Now he is coming into the "Prima" and will leave school at Easter 17th. The boy (he will be 16th in October) grows out of “edge and ribbon”. He's a lot bigger than me. He's making pretty good progress in school. Then he wants to become a farmer. For which he later also has to attend agricultural schools. The girl was discharged from school at Easter 15. In the meantime, she has attended a housekeeping school and with quite good success. Both children are good natured and make up the sunshine in our years. I myself now have a lot of superfluous time. I do occupy myself with my small farmland and draw and grind. but that's not enough to fully satisfy me. Doing business is inadvisable during these bad times. so one has to submit to it. I will soon be close to 70 and one should also refrain from the "business". I would have liked to talk more to you, dear aunt. yes it is even a need for me. but we are not allowed to write long letters now. what else should I tell you. where our dear fatherland bleeds from many wounds. May it get better soon. and it gets better. because all the indications are that we will win. defies the great majority of our enemies. And now goodbye aunt always be assured that here in Europe there are people who remember you with love and admiration at all times. namely Your faithful nephew Gustav group and wife.