Quote by Keirn326 View Post
Hello, Carl. I chose to buy this item a while back, but I was asked about it the other day and have a question. Given the limited freedoms of the inmates at concentration camps, why would a prisoner be allowed to send mail to their family? Again, any information would be appreciated.
It was allowed, yes. Prisoners arrived following their deportation and were permitted to submit the details of one contact. This contact would then be registered and mail (letters and parcels) could be sent and received every 2-4 weeks. Money transfers were also common - only the SS claimed the actual money order and gave the prisoner credit tokens that were circulated within the KL, for food rations or even visits to the Lagerbordell. Regarding the letters, one must remember that certain text was mandatory. Phrases such as "ich bin gesund" (I am healthy) and "alles in ordnung" (all in good order - with regards to receiving a food parcel for example) simply had to be added. Every letter was sent through an SS postal control office - each major camp had its own office of clerks who controlled and hand signed the letters. Anything concerning hard labour for example, was removed. The text was heavily censored. The letters served as part of the ruse that the inmates were not being treated so badly within the camp(s).

Carl