Note that Friesch is now a Leutnant [2nd Lieutenant]. Here's what the letter says:
"17th August 1944
Dear Mrs. Häckh!
I do not remember a Maier who was two classes below me. I know two men of that name. One is from Köngen, the other from Dettingen an der Erms. I cannot form a judgment about either one, as I don't know them well enough. The one from Köngen is or was employed as an agronomy teacher in Göppingen, which is also where I met him when I was travelling from the military hospital at Bad Boll to Cannstatt. He looks like our former Oberlehrer in chemistry and physical science Mr. Mack, who later became a Schulrat in Backnang*. I haven't seen the other one since 1928. That is all that I know.
When I read about the raids on Stuttgart in the High Command communiqués, I thought of you and your home in the Leibnizstraße. According to the accounts I got, Stuttgart must look horrible. But in most cases, people have no idea what the cities in Northern- and Western Germany look like. Thus, everyone believes it was his city that has been hit the hardest. You were actually lucky insofar as only your roof was blown away and your doors and windows damaged. Under such circumstances, that is actually a fortunate outcome. If I should give you the impression that I take notice of this without any sense of compassion, I ask for your forgiveness. It is with sorrow and deep grief that I think of all those who have been affected by this terrible war. It feels so egotistical and narrow-minded to me if one learns that fortunately nothing has happened to one's own dearest while being confronted with the destruction of millions of houses and the deaths of thousands of people. I am at a loss for words when it comes to the incomprehensible turn for barbarism, cruelty and inhumanity this war has taken. Thus, my thoughts are with all those who are dragged into the war like this.
Andf so, I do not begrudge you the peace you enjoy in the garden of the parish house in Marktlustenau in the slightest. I would gladly share this peace with you for just a few hours with the greatest pleasure. My Sundays were mostly filled with very unpleasant things, so that the longing for the bright hours in our lives is fulfilled less and less.
Last night, a rain of bombs - to which one is not used from the Russians - fell down on our little town in the east as well. Despite the 50 to 60 bombs that were dropped within a narrow area, despite the fact that the planes were able to select their targets without hindrance, not too much has happened. However, no bombs of the heaviest caliber had been dropped. By now, we are used to these visitations, which occur on an almost daily basis.
Now I wish you a pleasant mid- and late summer, for the sake of the harvest alone. Gertrud is nearly bursting with eagerness to help with the harvest. How then must Eckart, the future farmer, feel!
I greet you most cordially,
your
Friesch."
*) An Oberlehrer is a senior teacher; a Schulrat is a schools inspector/superintendent. By the way, judging from the references to a teacher and a student known both to Friesch and Mrs. Häckh, it would appear that they know each other from school. He always addresses her as "Frau Häckh" and by the formal "Sie", which would be odd if they were former classmates. It seems rather likely that Mrs. Häckh used to be his teacher.
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