All Blogs – Carolyn Porter

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Learn more about the book "Marcel's Letters" and the font P22 Marcel Script, which is based on the handwriting of conscripted WWII laborer Marcel Heuzé

Carolyn Porter, Marcel Heuzé, Marcel's Letters, Graphic Design, Font Design, P22 Marcel Script

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August 13, 2023

May 2, 1943: “I will be fine working in this new job until the liberation.”

To: Madame Pierre Hericher, Paris, 20e, de Ménilmontant 110
From: Monsieur Pierre Hericher, Prisoner No. 21.523, Stalag 19

At camp. May 2, 1943

My little wolf¹,

I got out of the infirmary this week. My fingers still need to be massaged to get back their movement. I get them massaged every evening after work because I am now living in the camp. I work in a military store with paper supplies, light work that suits my hand that was handicapped² by these two accidents, the one of last June and this one. I think that I will be fine working in this new job until the liberation. I was thinking a bit that I might be discharged but I’m probably not injured badly enough. No problem, I’ll just wait.

May 31, 2023

“Please Write”: What a Delight

I recently had the pleasure of attending the launch party for Lynne Kolze’s new book, “Please Write: Finding Joy and Meaning in the Soulful Art of Handwritten Letters” (Beaver’s Pond Press, 2023). The book is a gem — and I’m not saying that because the book uses the font P22 Marcel Script (more on that later) or that Lynn had the best launch party swag (more on that later, too).

May 16, 2023

Beautiful Billheads

We’re all familiar with the business term “letterhead,” right? But what about “billhead”? I’ll confess I only learned the word a couple of months ago.

September 1, 2022

September 1, 1943: “We have become lathe operators in a war factory”

Mr. and Mrs. Jean Maurel and their son
1 Cours Gambetta
Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône)

Munich, September 1, 1943

We’ve been working for a month now in our new function as specialized workers. We have actually become off-line lathe operators in a war factory in Munich. We never knew we had such talents!READ MORE

July 4, 2022

July 4, 1944: “I’m also very happy … you are taking care of us, the exiles.”

July 4, 1944
(From Joseph Planche to Rene Cabirou)
.
My dear friend,

I just received your letter of March 22, 1944, which pleased me a lot, to see that I am not forgotten by a workplace friend, and I would like to be with you, as in the past. I’m also very happy that you told me that you are taking care of us, the exiles.

March 22, 2022

March 22, 1943: “I miss my little family a lot”

March 22, 1943
.

My dear little sister,

This evening I received your letter of March 16. [It] pleased me a lot to have news from you after so long.

March 11, 2022

Saving Private Ryan + French Forced Labor

Saving Private Ryan, 57:40 ©Dreamworks Pictures and Paramount Pictures

I’ve met with any number of book clubs where someone remarked how little they knew about French forced labor during WWII before hearing Marcel’s story (…hey, me too, sister. Me too!) A number of readers have also remarked that — now that they know more about what happened to conscripted French civilians — they’ve ‘picked up’ on references to it while reading other books.

February 21, 2022

August 6, 1945: “I’d like to be Danzig in the dark under a pail moon …”

Who doesn’t enjoy a pictogram? You know what that is: it’s where a picture represents a word, concept, or instruction. Gosh, I remember having so much fun with those kinds of books as a kid (…a big shout-out to the Verona Public Library, where, as a kid, I’d check out books by the armful).READ MORE

November 2, 2021

October 10, 1942: “I’m keeping the little blanket close to me because it smells like the air of the surroundings of Nogent!”

Saturday, October 10, 1942
.
My dear Mom,
.
Today no letter from you, but a package for which I thank you very much: a padlock, Felisedine, slippers, hard candies, envelopes, a blanket, in short, everything that was written on the little paper inside, everything except the ‘Comedia’ that you may have taken out at the last minute.

If that’s the case, you were right, for the reading of ’Echo de Nancy’ is enough for me. Again, thank you but please do not deprive yourself of anything for me, for I don’t need anything else and I wouldn’t fear asking you if I did. So please don’t go without something for my comfort, promise?

October 26, 2021

July 2, 1944: “Nobody counts on the return of Roland according to the events of June 6”

Elbing, July 2, 1944

Dear Madame and Monsieur Roland,

I received your kind letter [which] gave me great pleasure to have your news and information about the arrival of Roland. Thank you very much for the information about the [unclear] young lady. I’m in good spirits, don’t worry.

July 13, 2021

Join me! Smithsonian National Postal Museum Postmarks & Paperbacks online book club: September 13, 2021

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. (I mean really—how fun was that email to get?!)

I am ridiculously honored to learn they chose ‘Marcel’s Letters’ for their September Postmarks & Paperbacks online book club. The book club meets virtually on September 13. The event is totally free but you have to claim a spot. JOIN ME!

June 22, 2021

Service du Travail Obligatoire intake form, 1943

People often ask whether I’m still actively searching for information on Marcel. People seem disappointed when I tell them I am not trying to find additional information on his life or his time in the Berlin-Marienfelde labor camp. I feel I have enough information to understand who he was and what he may have experienced. And I believe that even if I were to find additional documents (or letters!) it would not fundamentally change the man I came to know: a kind and loving husband and father.READ MORE