Di 25.10.1932, Brief von Anneliese an Walter: “such a bad girl as I am”

“Burleigh”, 25. X. 32.

My dear Walter!

Thanks ever so much for your nice birthday letter. By mistake they sent it up to Winchester and therefore I did not get it before 7 o’clock in the evening. Will you please write on the following envelops [sic]: Chandler’s Ford near Southampton. I thank you for the enclosed snap, I always like very much to get pictures from you but in spite of the clearness I don’t like the snap so much as the one where you are sitting at the table reading a book. I think there is rather a queer, odd expression on your face though I don’t exactly know what it is.

Of course I would have like much more to have you here on my birthday because I felt very homesick. In England a birthday is not the same as in Germany. English people don’t make such a fuss about family-festivals, it’s a pity; I think they are a bit too lazy. And so it happened that my birthday was not at all different from any other day; of course that was a great surprise for me because I am so very used to be spoiled at my birthdays. But never mind I hope I’ll be at home on my next one. Of course I had a lot of letters and postcards from my friends, the dear family Cox was ever so surprised at my heaps of letters. The parcel from my parents was very nice, oh, it is so lovely to get presents when you are away from home. And I was awfully pleased when I saw the nice bedslippers your mother and sister had made for me, I really think it was too much work for such a bad girl as I am.

By the way Ena gives her love to you and there was no need to envy her because of my staying with her – that is only fun – of course – because we like each other very much. She wants you very badly to come to visit me here at “Burleigh” because she thinks that Mr. Cox and I are teasing each other too much and she wants you to speak very nicely to her. Don’t you want to spend your holidays at Mr. Cox’s?

By the way – yesterday a very nice German girl was visiting me for tea. She heard of me being here when she was at the police-station. Then she wrote to me and it was very funny for me to find a hand posted letter when I came back from London. The ride was lovely, the autumnal colours of the trees were really wonderfull. To-day – this morning – I was in Southampton, the first time on my own and I enjoyed the visit thoroughly. To-morrow I am going to have tea with Olga Naujock and perhaps we shall go into Southampton in the evening. Miss N. knows several people at S. and she wants to introduce me to them. There is even a German Club. You see, I am having a very busy week. Do you know that Leni intends to come to England? I put an advertisement in tonights newspaper. I hope she’ll be lucky!

Yes, I do sometimes read the newspaper, but I think I ought to do it more often. But there is really not much time left and besides I am rather tired in the evenings. I am glad that you think I have learned a little because I often think that I could have learned much more and I always think when people are assuring me that I am doing very well that they do not speak the truth. Please don’t expect too much from me when I come back.

I am glad that you like my article, it was rather difficult for me to find the time for writing when I was staying at Dulwich. – I do not deal your opinion about driving a car. I think there is danger all around you, you have always to be careful – of course – but if you would always try to run away when danger is about you would never be able to face a danger in case you could not escape. By the way it is sometimes much more dangerous to walk in England because of the many cars!! What do you think about it? What happened when Stud. Lorentz was assisting your lesson?

Much love.
Yours, Anneliese.