AMSTERDAM
Dear Mies and Toon
Marvellous to have received such good news from you on Nov. 1st, via Mies Roona. I heard it from both Vic and Ton, and later I received a copy of your letter from Mies. Next Wednesday Nov 10th. I am going to the Hague, and with Vic, I am going to Rijswijk, where together we are going to send you a letter by the same route, through Mies in Venlo, hoping that you will receive it.
So Pegs now has a second baby. Is it a girl? I am so curious to see the little ones. If I survive and visit you, then we will have a large photo made of the four generations. I am so proud about it. No-one believes I am a Great Grandmother. I keep myself going in the hope that I will be able to see you all again now.
It is maintained here, and generally believed, that by next Christmas the war will be over. If it should turn out to be so, what an outburst of joy there would be. Who would have thought it would last five years? One day, there will be an end to this misery. If only everyone would realise that we have to pray for it, but the majority do not do so, and that is such a great pity.
The day Phientje Bos's husband returned from Germany so over wrought, was the last day of a Novena, which Phien had held with her children. And so her prayers and particularly those of her children, for their father, were heard. He has to rest for a few more weeks. We only hope that the war will be over by then, so that he doesn't have to go back, that would be terrible.
There are hardly any newspapers to be had at the moment, owing to the great shortage of paper, and yet, when I was still living in the Hague, they did not hesitate to use an enormous amount of paper by pinning notices on all the trees in the "Ouda Scheveningsche Wag", which said "Death to the Jews" - How utterly shameful. But they did not stop there. They proceeded to send many, many Jews to be gassed. Also those Jews who were of mixed marriage, were forcibly sterilized, both the men and the women. They were told they could choose between death or that. Yes the Heavens will call for revenge on such inhuman deeds. Animals should not be treated thus, let alone human beings.
Now Mies and Toon, once again I have unburdened my heart. I hope it won't be long before I can send you these letters, because I am getting very forgetful these days, and would never be able to remember all the things I have written about.
Hoping to see you soon.
A hug and love
From Mother, Grand and Great grandmother
