AMSTERDAM
Dear Mies and Toon
Each day, there is less and less to be had. Famine is at the door. Yesterday and today there was not enough bread to go round, so the Sisters and the 3rd class residents had to make do with porridge from the Central Kitchen, and again for their mid-day meal. It is still available for those in 1st class, but only so long as the stocks last. Yesterday we had thin soup with capucijner beans, which were not cooked sufficiently owing to the shortage of fuel. The Island of Texel has taken pity on Amsterdam and sent a barge full of provisions: 10 whole sheep carcasses, many Kilolitres of potatoes, frozen vegetables, and flour and oats, for which Amsterdammers are tremendously grateful.
Marie Bos came to see me yesterday and brought me 2 Kl Apples, and 1Kl of what is called Blokmilk, which consists of skimmed milk plus 48% sugar, in solid form. Is is rather tough and doesn't have much taste, but it fills you up leaving you with the feeling that you have eaten. For the latter I had to pay 17 Guilders, and the 2Kl apples together with the 1Kl Blokmilk, cost altogether 21 Guilders. I was very glad to get it, and every now and again I have a piece with my tea or coffee substitutes.
All the electricity has been cut off, so every evening from 5pm until we go to bed, we have to sit in candle light. However we are not allowing our spirits to fall, and each evening I go downstairs with my candle for a game of bridge with Mrs Harm, Father Meeuwen and Miss van der Sand. We play until 10pm, each with his own candle. If the candles run out, well then we will have to go to bed around 7-30 pm. We comfort ourselves with the belief that all these miseries must come to and end sometime. Since October, special prayers for peace have been, and are being said daily throughout the whole of Holland, and this will continue until peace is restored. This week many Amsterdammers took part in a Silent Procession through the city. May be you heard about it (known as the Miracle Feast), and that as a result of it Amsterdam will be spared. It was very moving to see all those people praying silently as they walked through the street. They were in groups of 2's and 3's, men and women. The procession started as the Begijnhof and continued along the Kalverstraat, The Dam, Nieuwendijk, Martelaarsgracht, Warmoesstraat, nieuwbrugsteeg, Rokin, Rosmarijnsteeg, Rokin by the Oude Zijds Chapel (where the miracles happened), The Wijdekapelsteeg, Kalverstraat again, and so back to the church in the Begijnhof. No-one was allowed to speak as all until the procession was over. I also took part with Mrs Harm.
Bye Bye, Mies and Toon, loving greetings
from your loving
Mother
