Opoczno, 15 February 1924

Dear Shloymele,

You will doubtless be surprised that I am writing you this
letter not from Lodz but from Opoczno. Nevertheless, dear
child, don't ask me any questions, since it would be very
difficult for me at this moment to answer any of your ques-
tions. I can only tell you one thing--my situation is seri-
ous, even critical. The latest events, the latest happen-
ings, the reason for my leaving wife and children, my
quarreling--all these are all bound up together and have one
origin.

You will find hints in my previous letter (Letter 15) about
my situation. I should let you know that I was forced into
my present step, since I could no longer remain in the posi-
tion I was in. It is not an easy thing to wander about aim-
lessly in a vagabond fashion, without any income, without
any means of support.

I (still) hope that I can make something of my life, and I
will struggle until I find a (decent) livelihood, but I have
no idea how long this will take.

Before I continue, (let me caution you) not to write any
letters or send anything to my previous address. (You may
write) either to Uncle Emanuel Lewin or to my brother-in-
law, Lazer Chmielnicki, in Opoczno, although I will not be
here long, since it is a small town and the embarrassment is
very great.  I will either return to Lodz or go to Warsaw.
You can imagine, dear Shloymele, what a depressed mood I'm
in now and how sorely I need a savior at this moment. Can
you imagine, Shloymele, if it were possible for me to go to
America now how I would jump at the chance? In short, the
situation is serious; the moment critical; the time tragic;
the decision gruesome. And what will come of it all? Well,
we'll see what time will bring, since time is the best
remedy for everything.

So dear child, this is how your uncle has come up in the
world after being married for fifteen years. Dear child,
you are not a fool. (Tell me,) do I still have a reason to
live?  Do I still have some hope that I will be able to
live? Is there still a place for me in this wide world or
not?  Won't my children suffer because of me? Will it be
easy for me to separate from my wife and children, mother,
sister, and so on? And where shall I go? Where? To whom?
With what? By what means?

Please answer all my questions, dear child; my need is great
and every moment (I wait) too long. Every minute seems like
a year.

From me, your devoted uncle,

        Wolf Lewkowicz



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