May 13, 1946 - Munich, Germany

This post is dedicated to the survivors of Dachau Concentration Camp (link ), as Halsey will discuss in the letter, and the work done by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to keep the memory alive (link)

Dear Readers,

I believe this letter was written on May 13, 1946, but it is rather hard to tell with the cross-outs. I have tried to share notes on the days they were written (73 years ago). But exceptions must be made as done previously in my "Dear Folks" post, this post, and probably more in the future.  As I along with my older sister's family and aunt will be off on a cruise, I wanted to share this letter with you now instead of waiting. 

Halsey is back in Munich, Germany and though on the first page he writes "I don't have a lot to say this is the longest letter I have transcribed for him (7 pages). There is a sad portrayal of German citizens scavaging through trash just to sale on the black market and description of the Dachau Concentration Camp he visits. This part gripped me the most to think about not only him seeing it, but the horrors that came from the reality of WWII, and I couldn't help what his parents outside of Liberal, KS thought of all he was writing. After describing the concentration camp, he goes on to talk about farming, 

In this letter, there are a few parts that are crossed out, but I could still read them, so I have included them, but they will look like this. If I cannot decipher the cross out, I will write [cross out]. Also, I am trying to as best as I can transcribe this letter how he wrote it 73 years ago, sometimes spelling, capitalization and commas are wrong.


Thanks to all my readers who helped me transcribe the words that caused me problems. 

Picture of the crossed out date- and yes you can almost see my desk through the thin paper.

Munich G 

11 PM

M [cross out] 13, 1946

Dear Folks, 

                         packages*

I just received 3 boxes from the states 2 from Norma containing 4 rolls of film, candy, also a coffee can with chocolate flavored cookies. 

My little radio is playing pipe organ music (Bob Mitchell^ at the Consol) while I write. Its quite a lot of enjoyment to me. 

I don't have a lot to you in a letter at this time of night. But today I took a truck and hitched onto a trailer load of old grocery boxes and garbage and was to take then to the junk yard and when I got there. There must have been about 75 or 100 German children hunting around in the tin cans etc.for what they could find and when my truck pulled in the people came running

{2}

toward me like a group of hungry cattle. I stopped and left my truck about fifty feet. I really didn't know what it was all about. I was unarmed, but I picked up a heavy 2x2, the people were only after what the could find in the rubish they jumped into old trailer men women and all and began to dig + throw trash out. It was the first time in my whole life I ever saw people act like that. These people didn't appear to be dirty but are just salvaging what they can and are selling in through the black market + trading it. I took a photograph* of that sight which I'll send as soon as I get it developed. 

Last Sunday a boy + I took the truck and drove to Dauchau^ about 15 miles out of Munich

{3}

There is an old concentration camp, and there we are keeping P.Ws, and it was formerly during the war used as the Germans used it as their prison camp and crematorium there is enough billets there to house about several thousand but the sad part of it was the place for cremation. I took some pictures of this I will send to you. It was a place with a cement wall about 8 feet high which was enclosed about 1/2 square block. There was a place where they shot their prisoners also a large building with a room where half shot prisioners were pushed into. The walls were dirty from blood and I could see where the half shot prisioners had scratched the walls with finger nails. The next room was a large room with

{4}

several large brick furnaces with a sliding tray which the Germans would place a person then push him into the fire. From the storys that some fellows tell me here the prisoners would work for several hours pushing others into the fire then they would be placed on the tray and go through the same. I was told by an officer who was in some in some the raids around Munich that the Germans 

           about 280

 made about 280,000 go through this. There was also about a large chamber where they would put some prisoners go to take a shower so they could clean up then when they would get in they would turn the gas on them + kill them. With in this are they also had a pen where

{5}

they kept a lot of large hungry dogs. If a man escaped or didn't perform his duties as he was ordered they would brutally treat him then through throw him over to those hungry dogs. Some of the boys in my outfit saw part of this also see some pictures of bones etc. Seeing this and hearing the story. It puts blood into my bones + makes one feel like he'd like to ____ _____ ___ _________ ______ any German he sees. But [cross out] well maybe they were forced the same as I am to do what I am, but I'm beginning to understand enough German [cross out] I can tell when a German is talking good to my back or not.

{6}

These Germans look like very ordinary people but I never saw any thing that looked like any more like a Democrat

Ha*

Papa you asked me if farms were very big I don't know how big they are I've never been able to talk to a farmer. They don't go for live stock here and they don't have fences around places but it seems to me that grow in styles about 5 or 10 rod wide + 20 rod long. I'm going to try to get some pictures from the air so I can explain them to you. I've never see but one tractor working in the field but I have seen several oxen + horses working. One who never has been here would expect to see one thing but would see another. 

{7}

People don't live on farms so much but in small communities or small towns then go out to farm garden plot. I don't know what the people expect to live on I don't see any large acreage of anything. 

It's now twelve o'clock. 

So will sign off, 

Your son 

Halsey

You might make this {a} R.R.

{Reverse side}
Please send
R.R. then to
720 N. Wash ^

Pic of Munich in 1946 vs. 2017 link

*- Halsey wrote packages above the word boxes, so I was showing how it looked in the letter.

 Bob Mitchell- link

^- Robert (Bob) Mitchell- October 12, 1912 – July 4, 2009) was an American organist and choir director whose career spanned 85 years, from 1924 to 2009. He was one of the last original silent film accompanists, having accompanied films from 1924 to 1928. Mitchell revived the art from 1992 until his death in 2009, usually to wild acclaim. During the 1930s, he organized the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir, who were cast in many films from the 1930s to the 1960s. (Wikipedia)

*- If I come across any photos from Halsey, I will post them, but thus far I have not found any.

^- Dachau Concentration Camp- was the first of the Nazi concentration camps opened in 1933, intended to hold political prisoners. It is located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory northeast of the medieval town of Dachau, about 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Munich in the state of Bavaria, in southern Germany. Opened by Heinrich Himmler, its purpose was enlarged to include forced labor, and eventually, the imprisonment of Jews, German and Austrian criminals, and ultimately foreign nationals from countries that Germany occupied or invaded. The Dachau camp system grew to include nearly 100 sub-camps, which were mostly work camps or Arbeitskommandos and were located throughout southern Germany and Austria. The camps were liberated by U.S. forces on 29 April 1945. (Wikipedia)

Survivors of the Dachau concentration camp demonstrate the operation of the crematorium by pushing a corpse into one of the ovens.- Link 

Polish prisoners in Dachau toast their liberation from the camp.- Link

.

Poles constituted the largest ethnic group in the camp during the war, followed by Russians, French, Yugoslavs, Jews, and Czechs. (Wikipedia)

*- This "Ha" is written off to the side and not in cursive (which Halsey wrote this letter in), so I imagine it was added by the reader.

Don't worry I didn't mark this letter up, added this line on my phone

^- I posted this picture on Social Media, and the number of responses I got was a beautifully overwhelming, so I wanted to say thank you once again. The most guesses were: "you might make this a RR." RR was either guessed to be "Rural Route" or "Railroad" and given some investigation I would believe it is Rural Route.

Rural Route- is mail delivery in a rural area. The Condit family lived on a farm outside of Liberal, Kansas however a letter sent earlier that year (pic below) was addressed to 720 N Washington, but then was sent on to the farm or even sent around for others to read, as was common, and Halsey has responded in past letters of his parents sharing his letters with the newspaper. As I am still learning more and more about Halsey, Liberal, KS and the lingo of 1946 I will see if this appears again. I did try to Google Map "720 N. Washington" (link) I could find much, so I am still in the dark.

Envelope from February 5, 1946

April 30, 1946

 Dear Readers,

 In my last post, I shared a letter from Norma Condit from February 1946, now I sit at my desk transcribing this letter from April 30, 1946. At present, I do not know where he wrote this letter from, but if that changes, I will update this post.

In this letter Halsey Condit writes of his discontentment about Army life, giving an example of having P.Ws shovel coal, and a flippant remark he makes about the authorities that could have him receive a court-martial. It just doesn't seem like a letter to write to your father, however it is interesting to point out that he doesn't write to his mother and father, but to just his father. 

An example of how thin the paper was

April 30, 1946

Dear Papa:

Let me tell you a little just this army works. I'm not working in this supply room anymore, but the Battery Commander* told me to clean out a 2 room in basement. He said he didn't care how I did it, but he wanted it done. So I had to spend half a day getting 6 P.W.s^ to help me then I had to beg another half day for a truck, and by the time I got a truck, it was time I got a truck it was time for the PWs to go back to camp. The next day I got two P.Ws early in the morning also a private who was to be P.W. guard after so much begging I got a truck with a driver

{2}

 then I the P.W.s to work shoveling the coal out of the basement room up on ground then into truck. I got one load hauled by the end of the second day. Now, there was approximately 8 men which stood around 8 hours to get one load of coal hauled. Now I hope you can understand but that one example of manpower shortage or over power of men but this thing is no good. 

I almost blew my top the other day to the coloner [Colonel] + told him that the only reason that these big officers were in the army was they couldn't make a living in civilian life. Guess I got him told off. 

{3}

I might have been court-martialed for making such a statement, but I don't like to be anyone elses fool. I happen to know a fellow who made a similar statement and got his stripes taken away from him which knocked $20 a month off his pay.

Today was payday I drew another 500 marks* these marks sure seem funny but after 6 months seems quite custom to spend them.

Well, folks the eighth of next month Germany fell^, and that was the day I left Norma at Cortey to go to the army. These were the days I'll long remember. Just one year in the army. 

Will write more later

Halsey C 

German POWs (Independent)

  *- Battery Commander- has varied in history but is usually a Lieutenant, Captian, or Major. (Artillery Battery- Wikipedia)

^-  P.Ws is the same as POWs - I can find information of Germans being held in POW camps during the war in the United States, and lots of information about US soldiers being held in POW camps, I, however, cannot find information about German PWs after WWII held in Germany. One article I did find talked about how in Germany Allied Prisoners were released right after the war; however, it was not the same for Germans being held in England:

"Resentment and distrust between the Germans and their captors spilled over into the post-war period, especially when Britain ruled out any immediate prospect of the prisoners being repatriated. While the Allies blamed all Germans for starting the war and for the horrors of the concentration camps, individual German servicemen resented being made scapegoats for atrocities which, in the main, had been ordered and carried out by others. In May 1945 reconciliation seemed an exceedingly remote prospect." -  "The day that Deutschland died: Retracing the fate of captured Axis soldiers at the end of WW2" Independent (April 30, 2015)

*- I talked about marks in my "Letter no.1" post

^- At 10:00 on 8 May, the Channel Islanders were informed by the German authorities that the war was over. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made a radio broadcast at 15:00 during which he announced: "Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight tonight, but in the interests of saving lives the 'Ceasefire' began yesterday to be sounded all along the front, and our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today."
News of the imminent surrender broke in the West on 8 May, and celebrations erupted throughout Europe and parts of the British Empire. In the US, Americans awoke to the news and declared 8 May V-E Day. As the Soviet Union was to the east of Germany, it was 9 May Moscow Time when the German military surrender became effective, which is why Russia and many other European countries east of Germany commemorate Victory Day on 9 May. (End of World War II in Europe- Wikipedia)

Axis-held territory at the end of WWII shown in Blue (Wikipedia)

Lugano, Swiss- March 10, 1946

Picture of the letter

March 10, 1946

Dear Folks,

You asked me about putting things in the paper. Really I would rather not have things published from the standpoint that there are so many fellows who have been overseas and they know the score over here and what I say might go contrary as the way they have found it. But I am planning on writing Maurine Loug a letter soon to be publish, anyway, so I'd rather not have anything as to the conditions put in the paper over here. However, you may put this in the paper, that I talked by telephone from Lugano Switzerland to Garden City when it was supper time in G.C. at 6 PM. it was 1 A.M. here, imagine 7 hours apart.

Now, Remember I'll tell you off and on things to publish after all this in a time of emergency we have been warned and talking by newspapers might cause me trouble personally.

For instance, I thought in that note I slipped to Uncle Holmer when I wI app I went through Liberal made it clear that that military move was secret (.) I appreciated it very much for you to call Wanie. But the officer in charge of me could have gave me a court marshal over that one thing.

So tell Mrs. Tate I write a letter to be published in the near future.

(Page is missing)

hear her as if she was in the next room. I 've been getting all the newspapers, but they don't help me at all, they only stir up my emotions and make me feel worse than if I hadn't read them. That sounds strange, and it also seems strange but that true.

Yours. Halsey C

 I'm going to check + see if you aksed me questions I can answer. 

About two weeks ago I went into the service club + sat down at a table, and a bright-eyed red head young fellow said " I've seen you before. I only kidded him for a moment or so then said I think I know  you too." I really couldn't remember where but he said his name was ___________ Williams from Liberal Kansas. I immediately knew his dad was Tom Williams. I'd seen this boy around Liberal a lot of times but didn't know his name. Tom Williams was the one who hauled grain + also ran "Pops Bus" put that in news if you wish.

Village scene, Lake Lugano, September 1945 - Winston Churchill

Munich, Feb 22 1945

Picture of Letter - Middle is to show how thin this paper is (practically see-through)

Munich Feb 22, 1945

Halsey Condit

Dear Folks, 

Mail has been coming through OK. Just seen (soon) that I can get the spirit of unity now. 

I am going on a  furlough tomorrow to Switzerland + Italy tomorrow so will try to write more later.

I received a letter from papa today. But of course just like he said I finally made it out. 

I received a letter from Wanie also today. 

I hate to hear about Mildred + Bob living like that but maybe it's OK. If they live like Norma + I theyed (they) have something. 

(Page missing)

to bitch about and I mean bitch.

There isn't anything that makes me feel so good as to hear of some like Price Daniels* or most anyone buys hogs and have them die. This army makes one feel like Nero playing while Rome burns.

You mentioned could Americans do something about these divorce cases like the Jew lady where the husband had to leave. But I don't think the Americans need to help these people in any way.

You asked me to send a request I don't know what to request I don't have any cataloges or anything to suggest to me anything

Over

So please suggest to me what you want to send.

{Munich June 19,1945 source}

{source}

*- Price Daniel- Marion Price Daniel Sr. (Oct 10, 1910- Aug 25, 1988), was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas... When the legislature adjourned in  May 1943, Daniel waived his draft exemption and enlist in the United States Army, serving in the Security Intelligence Corps. In this capacity, he saw service in Amarillo, Texas, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Baton Rouge, Lousiana... The army shared Daniel with the United States Marine Corps in 1945, the latter sending him to Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan to set up a Marine Personnel School. He received "outstanding authority" citations from both branches of service and was discharged in May 1946. (Wikipedia)

For more information:

• "Daniel, Marion Price"  Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 

•  "Marion Price Daniel, Sr. (1910-1988)" Justices of Texas 1836-1986

•  "Texas Governor Price Daniel" Texas Archival Resources Online    

~~~

Dear Readers,

For the most part, this letter is straightforward to read though there was one part that was so faded because the pages were bent that I did have a hard time making it out. I transcribed the line below as "divorce case."

Sorry this quality is not very good - still learning

         --Added line on the computer did not mark up letter

As I dig more and more into these letters, I get disappointed when I see that pages are missing, hope that one day I will find the missing pages and I will update this blog post. I want to understand Halsey's writing style and maybe understand if this line: "There isn't anything that makes me feel so good as to hear of some like Price Daniels or most anyone buys hogs and have them die" was sarcastic or not. I haven't yet gotten a feel for his voice. I have yet to find a connection between Price Daniel and hogs, but as the letter is not really about him, I might just have to let that go. If you know of Price Daniel Sr. please let me know. 

Thanks,

Blaire 

Letter no. 1 - Munich

The top of the box

Dear Readers, 

Halsey C. 1915-1948

I typed up my "Welcome" post a couple of months ago with big ideas of how I wanted this blog to be, then I got swept up in life (getting my drivers license and looking for a new job). So I feel I am just returning to the letters project. I originally wanted to start with the oldest letters from the 1890s, but I honestly found the writing and context hard to understand, so I got disappointed in this project even before it truly began. I still want to go back and transcribe those letters, but I think I need to give my eyes and brain time to re-learn cursive. Then a couple of weeks I re-opened the boxes and found this little yellow box, with the words "Halsey's letters." Halsey was my Grandma's brother born in 1915 (7 years before my Grandma) and passed away in 1948. I looked at these letters, and 2 things struck me 1) they were pretty easy to read and 2) he was writing from Germany and Switzerland right around of the end of WWII, so both these made for interesting starting points. I also figure working my way through this little box will give me a good goal to conquer.

The box on my desk

 
As I have been going through these letters, I have noticed pages are missing so I will indicate that in my writing. There are also typos that I have decided to keep for the sake of the authenticness of the letter. If there are any terms, people or various historical notes I will sight them at the bottom of the page, and any thoughts I had while transcribing this letter. I will also include any pictures I can find or think will be helpful/interesting to the context of the message (if they are not mine the source link will be in the caption of the picture). I am still new to the blogging world so stick with me. 

 THE CONDIT FAMILY: 

(L-R: Wannie, Troy, Juanita, Parda, Halsey, Winnie, and Vena (my grandma) in front) 

(Top L-R: Halsey, Winnie, Wannie, Troy Bottom L-R: Vena, Parda, Juanita, and Herman)

While I was digging through the box I found this letter from December 23rd, titled "Letter No. 1" and I thought this would be a nice place to start my blog. Here I go, I hope you enjoy. 
-Blaire  

P.s- The numbers above the paragraphs were his writing of page numbers on the top of the sheet. Thus far I have only seen this letter pertain this but I know my grandma did this when she sent me letters, so maybe it was a family trait. 

Letter No.1 

Munich G

December 23rd

read Jan 7

 Dear Mama + Papa, 

I just receive my first letter from you sure was glad to get it it was dated Dec. 10 and postmarked Dec. 11 it was no 17, so from the way u explain it, I will have 16 others held up somewhere that I have not received. I expect that they were addressed with a different A.P.D. No. I think it was 21373. 

Yes mom I'm sure glad to get your letters. 

2

I spent a very nice day on my birthday don't remember just what I did but went to church at the chapel then in the afternoon took and in the afternoon took a big nap. Of course I think every day of each and every one of you. Today I sent to cablegram to you. It didn't cost very much.

You might find out what it costs to send a message to me by wire. I received a wire from Norma* this week which was first word I got from states. 

Written on the side: Letter No. 17 was greeting card with best wishes for New Year printed Mr. + Mrs. PM Condit. 

3

I'm in hopes the this will be the start of my letters. But of course lets be patient and hope for the best. I haven't been numbering my letter to you, will start with this one as No.1 I am going to keep track of all your letters and let you know which ones I don't get. 

You mentioned sending me some airmail stamps please don't send me anything that way like money, I suppose it will be very hard for you to understand but I'm going to attempt to explain to you why.

4

My money is not worth anything to me here. The Idea is that I am going to try to manage to get as much of it back to states as possible. I can buy all the stamps I want here. 

 In order that you understand when I got to Germany I had about $3 on me. It was exchanged for German Marks* (1 mark=10¢). So my $3 go me 30 marks. I had a box full of candy bars. I sold 4 candy bars to

5

a German man who was working on the rail for 50¢ a piece on $2.00 for four. Now of course I can't tell you the exact figures, but this is just how it is here. I don't know what the penality is for black marketing but its just this way. A soldier can go to the PX and by his weekly rations which consist of about 10 candy bars, 3 or 4 bars of soap, chewing gum and a carton of cigaretts.* (There are some things which cannot be said in a letter.)

6

This soldier can go out and this carton of cigarets which he pays 50¢ or 5 marks for 200 marks of $20. He can sell his candy bars for 50¢ a piece or 5 marks so you see in a few weeks if he doesn't smoke or eat candy he can have a lot of money. But in spite of this large black marketing factor which is going on between all the soldiers and civilians a soldier cannot get back to the states with more money than his payroll.

7

If in the next year a soldier is paid $1000 all he can exchange is at the money exchange when he goes back to the states is $1000 for American money. So please don't send me air mail stamps. I thank you, but it also does not help me a bit. 

I sure hate to hear about the Kings luck with Gene's wife. Gene always seemed to be such a sincere sort of a fellow but I know what she looks like and I know just what this army can do to a fellow. I'm in it I've seen a lot of things in the 

8

past 30 days here in Europe if I was to tell you all in a letter you wonder, but I'll tell you all it when I return to the U.S.A. 

I am a Corporal now I got my new rating week I'm quite proud of it. In fact it added $16 a month more to my pay and being I'm overseas I'll get 20 0/0 more so you see with overseas pay and the extra 16 will be somewhere about 30 more dollars each month. 

I pay for my laundry with a package of cigarets. 

9

and a candy bar each week. I can get a shave and a hair cut for 4 cigaretts. Occasionally one can trade Cigaretts for a diamond ring or watch.

Its really on the strangest experiences I ever got into. 

I'm gradually collecting souvenirs and good for nothing articles some day I'm going to get a box and mail it all back to the states. 

Will close with this write more later.

With love,

Cpl. Halsey Condit

{Source - circle around Munich drawn by me}

1*- Norma- His wife, Norma Juanita Holmes Condit Dahlsten, (1919-2011) 

2*- German Marks- During the first two years of occupation the occupying powers of France, United Kingdom, United States, and the Soviet Union were not able to successfully negotiate a possible currency reform in Germany. Due to the strains between the Allies, each zone was governed independently as regards monetary matters. The US occupation policy was governed by the directive JCS 1067 (in effect until July 1947), which forbade the US military governor "to take any steps to strengthen German financial structure." As a consequence, a separate monetary reform in the U.S. zone was not possible. Each of the Allies printed its own occupation currency. (Wikipedia). 

Reichsmark {source}

3*- I know cigarets is spelled wrong, but from what I could tell he never spelled it correctly so I am going to leave it incorrect.

I have looked through other letters, and while he talks about numbering other letters, I have not found any with a number on them. If you are interested in occupied Germany after WWII, I do suggest you look beyond Wikipedia, but I was just looking for basic information.