June 2, 1944: “I must be strong and have patience and hope that the beautiful days will arrive soon”
See/read a postcard written by French forced laborer Clèmente Roumieu, June 1944
Clémente Roumieu, French forced laborer, WWII, Carolyn Porter, Service du Travail Obligatoire, Ludwigshofen, Bar sur Loup
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June 2, 2020 In France, Germany, Handwriting, Service du Travail Obligatoire, World War II

June 2, 1944: “I must be strong and have patience and hope that the beautiful days will arrive soon”

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Roumieu
Bar sur Loup, close to Grasse, Maritime Alps, France

Ludwigshofen, June 2, 1944

 

My very dear parents,

I’m sending you these few words to share some of my news. First of all, I can tell you that we are all in good health and I hope that this letters will find you the same, my dear parents, as well as the Fécaud and Giordamanga families.

I haven’t received anything for several days. But with the bombings that have been taking place in France, mail is delayed. I learned in the newspapers that there were bombings almost everywhere and especially in the south. And I learned that many people died. I wonder what these English [people] want to do. But I believe that down there [where you live] things are more calm although you must have heard the noise. I thought about Marie, about Rice, and the Mauchaud family in Marseille and when you know anything about them, please let me know. As for us, there are more bombings. I think that you already know this, but right now you have received the card in which I talked about that. Last week there were three bombings within twenty-four hours and there was one alert after another, but you can tell the mother of Jean Ricard for him that he’s fine and in good health. It has been raining for two days so we don’t worry about the alerts very much. We hope that it will rain [side 2] a lot and often. I see that you are eating a lot of peas, beans, artichokes and I can tell you that I would love to eat one of those stews. But I really believe that this year again I will not be back home, since already the month of May has ended and there’s still no leave. And as I already told you, I mustn’t count on it. But I must be strong and have patience and hope that the beautiful days will arrive soon. As for us, still the same work, Papel and Joseph work and I have a few days of rest because my feet hurt but don’t worry about that, since they get tired from wearing wooden shoes. And on these few words I will stop for today and hope to hear from you very soon. Sending marvelous caresses and hugs and kisses to you as well as the Giordamanga and Féraud families.

Clément

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To see/read another postcard from Clèment, click here.

Note: Be sure to look at the censor marks; I see four, maybe five (three pencil marks + the “287” + the chemical censor stripes).