3rd January 1937

3rd January 1937

Leustetten to 27 Queen Square, Bath

Dear Madeleine!

It was awfully sweet of you to send us that nice book. Thank you ever so much for it. I read it immediately and I like it very much. It is very interesting and well written. I love D’Arcy but Lady Catherine de Bourgh is just a haughty and stupid woman. Lizzy & Jane are both very good girls, almost too good to be true. Shall I tell you how we spent our Christmas? The whole day of 24th our sitting room is closed and only Mami, Ludwig & Deidi may enter it in order to help the “Christkind” as we call Jesus. Rasso is told it is him who brings all

the lovely things and the Xmas-tree down from the sky.

Only in the morning, about 6 o’clock, the whole family

assembles and on the sound of a bell, the door opens

and we all enter the salon. Some people sing, but as we

are all incapable of it, we don’t. We all admire the

Xmas tree and the (I don’t know the word for it in

English, Krippe Creche in French). Ours is very sweet,

all figures in wax. It stands beneath the Xmas tree. All

round the room stand tables covered with white linen

cloth. On them are displayed all our gifts. We got ski

outfits, all of us. Muck and I got evening frocks. Mine

is most beautiful, light blue resembling the Empire

fashion, Mucks is a taffeta in the colour of her hair.

And then I got a book about the Churches, Castles and Hotel de Ville of Flanders and a bag of silver leather for the evening and some yards of yellowish wool to make a dress of it, but I wont make it

myself. I have had enough of the pinafore, which I really did finish myself. The others also got books and such things. Baby got a book about the famous Admiral Byrd, who explores the South Pole. She is very fond of it and admires him very much. The other day we went to see the circus. Rasso was very excited and admired it. It was the first he ever saw. Then we took him to the opera to see “Christ-Fairy” and “The Princess and the 7 dwarfs”. Tonight we go to see “Rienzi” over again or maybe Deidi and I go look at Richard II by Shakespeare. They play many Shakespearean plays here and I like them very much. They are much better than some Germans. My favourite will always remain Schiller but I don’t like Goethe. My first film I saw since I am here was “Burgtheater” with Werner Kraus. He is the most famous actor in Germany. I saw him also on the stage in King Lear. I was greatly impressed by it. The film is one of the best. Sorry you have no chance of seeing it. It was worthwhile. Next week carnival begins and I hope I may enjoy some parties and balls. I am so fond of dancing. I sometimes hear on the radio some of the records we used to dance at Middelkerke “The music goes round & round”! Le plus beau de tous les tangos du monde. Tous va tres bien Madame La Marquise”. You remember them don’t you? Do you know the record “Lollipop Shop”. I heard it at Radio Luxemburg.

Give my best regards to your family With best love

Lolli-pop

Please tell your Aunt Eileen we all thank her very much for her cards and wish her a happy New Year. Love

Loll