Polish letters from the pre and post-war years and from during the war, taking Rhine-land-Palatinate as an example
Along with other letters, a letter from 6 March 1939 has been preserved in which Władysława and Cecylia Kuźniak contacted their employer in Mauchenheim.
“Siemanowice 6/3/39
Mr Boos
Thank you for the letter which I received. I was very happy that you answered my letter. Everything is OK with us just that you sort yourself out there so that I can come to you there as quickly as possible because I am really bored here. I dream every night that I’m there at yours again. We have lovely spring weather here so that the work in the field has started
Please write to me when you hear something new
Warm regards
Wład[y]sława to
Mr Boos and wife and your children.
Heil Hitler
Warm regards to Leonhardt
To Ruth and Otto as well.
Mr Knoploch [Knobloch]
Thank you for your letter that you have written a reply to me. I am very happy Zella [Cecylia]
that you sent me the
contract. I would like to come to work
for you as quickly as possible. The main thing is that you have sorted well. Warm regards
to Mr and Mrs
Hanz grandmother
grandfather
from Wadi u Cyla
When you hear something new write to us straight away.
Such a truly heartfelt exchange was motivated on the one hand by the desire on the part of the Poles to improve their financial circumstances by working in domestic service and in agriculture abroad and, on the part of the Germans, it came about because additional labour was required; but it also shows two self-reliant women who were prepared to work far from their homeland for a long period of time on their own or at least with their sister in the same place. Of course, such a journey, combined with all the new people that they got to meet met, was also a special experience, and the fact that Władysława Kuźniak had also received a warm welcome at her place of work was part of this experience. The children Ruth and Otto, who were mentioned in the letters, are the siblings Ruth Becker, née Boos (born on 14 September 1928) and Otto Boos (29 September 1926), who today still hold fond memories of Władysława.
