Opoczno, 7 April 1939

My devoted nephew, as well as dear brother, Sol,

You will surely be surprised that my current letter to you
doesn't come from Lodz, but from Opoczno.  So, I write you that
today I am in Opoczno.  I will write in this letter to you of
the reason for my being required to come here to Opoczno for the
Holiday.  So, as you know from my earlier letters, dear and
devoted Sol, I have been working for the last three months, and
I feel like the luckiest person in the world when I am working. 
Although I am working harder than my strength allows and make
barely enough to eat from my work, even so I don't have any
fantasies and don't anticipate any sort of success in my life. 
My desire and feeling are for work, and when I am working and am
healthy, then I am at peace with my fate and everything is all
right...  The best evidence of that, Sol, is that as soon as I
begin to work, I immediately write you that I am working since I
know that you are my best friend in the world, that my happiness
is your happiness.  

Surely, Sol, you have recently noticed in the press how Europe
appeared after the German military marched into Czechoslovakia. 
From the moment that Hitler seized Klaipeda (Memel) from
Lithuania, a black cloud spread over Poland in general and over
Polish Jews in particular.  It spontaneously sparked such a mood
of war in the country that it seemed just like it was in 1914. 
Everything came to a sudden halt; all the factories, trade, the
banks; the payments; everything stopped.  The entire population
prepared for war.  Even though no mobilization was openly
declared, nevertheless thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of
military troops were sent to the border with Germany so that the
talk was that Poland had put one million soldiers in place ready
for war with Hitler's Germany.  You can imagine the extent to
which the Polish people had resolved to defend its independence;
the Polish Jews were prepared to struggle aginst their greatest
enemy with all their might in order not to allow them to enter
Polish soil.  Polish Jewry did not wait as did Austria and
Czechoslovakia; rather, they were prepared with potential
casualties and with money, etc.  Therefore, it's no wonder that
everything came to a halt so spontaneously, so instantaneously,
at the sight of the danger which threatened Poland.

Naturally, when this sort of mood is present in the country, a
worker is the first sacrificial lamb.  It happened to be two
weeks before Passover.  We had things to buy, to do, to pay
rent.  (In addition,) the Master of the Universe provided for
His people and also sent a mood of war into the country for
them; a fright, a confused situation, and (everything came to) a
standstill. 

At the same time, Uncle Eliezer, of Opoczno, happened to come to
Lodz for a business purpose.  He also wanted to see his son who
was serving in Lodz before they sent him up to the border.  I
was very happy to have my brother-in-law because I had not seen
him for several years (sic).  We sat and spoke of many things
about me and you...as well as of the current mood in the country.

Uncle Lazer said to me, "Wolf, I have a plan to ease your
worries a little."  I looked at him and asked, "What do you have
in mind?"  He answered, "My proposal is that you should not
prepare for the Holiday at home.  Since you're not working
anyway, everything has come to a halt, no one knows how long
this will last, it would be better if you and the children were
to come to Opoczno for Passover."  It was not so easy for me to
accept the invitation of my brother-in-law.  Nevertheless, I
discussed it with my children, and we decided that Rivkele and I
should go and that Joseph should remain in Lodz.  And, in fact,
Rivkele and I arrived in Opoczno on the eve of the Holiday, and
Joseph will eat in a restaurant there (in Lodz).  

Now you surely want to know how we're doing here in the small
town of Opoczno.  I can write you that (the answer is) very
well.  Joining with my sister, brother-in-law, their children,
and Moshe (Zilber)spitz, we had two fine seders, i.e., the first
two days.  Today is an intermediate day of Passover, and I am in
fact sitting down and answering your last letter that I received
three days before Passover.

First of all, Sol, I thank you for your generosity which you
extend to your uncle.  You were not able to sit down there to
celebrate a seder until you had carried out your responsibility
to your uncle.  Yes, Sol, this has become a custom of mine and
yours, of mine as a taker...and of yours as a giver.  The last
few dollars that you sent recently were of even greater use than
they usually are.  I really don't recall when your dollars were
not of use to me...but recently things had become
extraordinarily bad...  Therefore, I in fact send you my
extraordinarily good thanks for your generosity.

Dear Sol, I am sitting now and writing this letter to you.  My
sister and brother-in-law are sitting at the table along with
Moshe (Zilber)spitz.  I have revealed everything to them
concerning my situation, concerning Rivkele.  They suggested
that they write a letter to you about Rivkele.  However, I
rejected every third-party mediation between you and me.  

Uncle Eliezer also showed me letters in which you didn't want to
loan him $50.  His son, Wolfche, in Palestine, and a cousin of
his in New York did loan him $50 which he has already repaid to
that person's brother in Kielce.  It irritates Uncle and Aunt a
little that you didn't want to extend credit to him, but they
are not angry with you, chas v'cholilah.  I pointed out to them
that you did not come to a common understanding and showed them
from your recent letters that the two of us are engaging in a
battle, just as if we were on a field of slaughter.  Neither of
us can retreat from our positions.  I, as the father, rely on my
justifiable contentions, I appeal to your conscience "Is it
possible, after all...," etc.  And you, as a nephew, also have
your justifiable contentions.  "Is it possible, after all..." 
Is there no limit?  Why have I weighed down upon you?  What do I
want from you and from your few dollars of savings???  And both
of us have two sets of justifiable contentions, eh Sol?  Well, I
ask you, Sol, can an intermediary help or be effective in any
way in this matter?  I think not.  

Our cousin, Pinya Lewin, also wanted to be an intermediary
between you and me.  My thinking won't accept that I, your
devoted uncle, who knows my nephew for so many years, who
brought you up from childhood, whose relationship with you has
not been interrupted during the whole time that you have been
away, (and) you, Sol, who have already helped your uncle so many
times in a time of need without anyone acting as an
intermediary, (need an intermediary now).  I believe and have
confidence in you that an intermediary is also unnecessary in
the current situation...  

I am prepared to stand against you on the field of slaughter and
to wage the battle against you with honor and with respect, as
is appropriate for a poor, devoted father in order to improve
the situation of his child.  I believe, Sol, that you will not
feel insulted by what I have written.  You also do not need an
intermediary to instruct you as to what you ought to do because
you are intelligent and sensible enough to understand your uncle
thoroughly.  I would prefer to lose to you without any sort of
mediation rather than win through mediation...

Well, heartfelt regards for you and for your dear wife and
Leonard, sisters, father, et al.  Heartfelt regards for Rose.  I
thank her sincerely for the $4.  I will write to her separately.
 I send regards to her dear husband as well as to Ruth and her
husband and Bryndl and family.  Uncle Eliezer, Aunt Estherl,
Moshe (Zilber)spitz, my Rivkele and Joseph send their heartfelt
regards.  I will remain here the final days of the Holiday. 
Then I will return to Lodz.  The talk is that the danger of war
has already passed.  It's possible that, after the Holiday,
circumstances will permit me to go to work.  Please respond
quickly to my address in Lodz.

		Your uncle,

		Wolf Lewkowicz

Taking advantage of the opportunity of Uncle's presence here in
Opoczno and his writing to you, I am (also) writing a few words
to you.  Perhaps you want to know who is writing.  So, I
introduce myself:  Moshe, the child of Aunt Chaya Rifke.  I send
you regards and let you know that everything with me is all
right, bless G-d.  I have entered into an engagement contract
for a daughter, bless G-d, and will make a wedding soon.  I
close, 

		Your cousin, 

		Moshe Zilberspitz


All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.