Lodz, 24 April 1923 Devoted and most beloved nephew, appropriately named Sol Zissman, You will most likely wonder about my promising in my previ- ous letter to write you a special letter about all my deal- ings, earnings, etc. Truly, dear child, I feel that you, and only you, are interested in my past and my future. I am convinced that you long to hear that your uncle lives hap- pily. But, dear Shloymele, even more than you want to hear good tidings from me, I want to tell you about my health and my life, etc. Lately, though, dear Shloymele, I have suf- fered greatly to the point of practically forgetting who I am and where I stand in the world. I don't mean, G-d for- bid, that I was sick; it's something else. But never mind. Since you, my dear child, have urged me several times in your letters to let you know about all that is happening to me truly and accurately, I feel compelled to do just that. You know full well that I came to Lodz not seeking great things, but only a means of subsistence. My goal was a sim- ple employment, a decent life. And the main thing was that my children have a decent education. Seeing that I couldn't conceive of having any of this in Konskie, I moved to Lodz, and I honestly don't regret that I did. In Konskie, I couldn't accomplish anything, since I had no money and no apartment. I was down and out. I had no household posses- sions. I was constantly on the lookout for any opportunity to make a living for my family. I went to work for my brother-in- law as an employee, and I earned a bare living wage. But, dear Shloymele, when I thought of the kind of life I had and what it would come to without an apartment, without any pos- sessions... How long can one go on working for someone else? I was constantly looking for a way to become indepen- dent. Then you came along with your support. Upon receipt of the $150, I was so overwhelmed that I didn't really think in a businesslike way what to do with the money. I was certain that I was saved. First of all, I took $50 and exchanged it for one and one-half million marks. One-half million marks went for shoes and clothing. One million marks I immedi- ately gave to a cabinet maker in Opoczno as a deposit on a pair of beds and a dresser. This cost three million marks, which means that I tied up three million marks. That left me $100. I wanted to build something firm with that money. I became a 25% partner with my brother-in-law in a large business. It was already operating with a capital of thirty million marks, that is $800 to $1,000, but I figured, "What can I lose?" I work harder and more ener- getically than anyone. I'll wait and see how things stand at Passover; then I'll decide whether or not to remain a partner. I wrote to my brother-in-law, Lazer, asking him to come to evaluate the whole situation, the whole partnership, etc. But, dear Shloymele, imagine how much heartache I've already had from this partnership. First of all, I went into it and now I can't get out. I could write a book about it. If you want to be fully informed about the situation, then you must ask my brother-in-law in Opoczno, because it is hard for me to communicate everything to you. I know that you don't derive any pleasure from it. Secondly, when I wanted to take out a half million marks during the intermediate days of Passover to pay the cabinet maker, they wouldn't let me. We argued for eight days straight, and it seems that we haven't finished yet. The whole problem with the business is that they have remained backward. As you yourself write, they do not carry the business forward in a true businesslike fashion, but like tailors. I wanted to put the business on a firm foot- ing, but I see that I'm not dealing with the right sort of people. So, I decided that, if I could live and not eat my heart out in the process, it would be best to withdraw from the partnership, since partners should be suited to one another. If not, then the whole thing is worthless. In any case, dear Shloymele, I beg of you not to worry about me, although I know full well that you will not derive any pleasure out of reading this letter. I would also ask that, in your letters to me, you not mention anything about these matters since all my letters wind up in their hands. I am hemmed in on all sides, but I live in hope. I hope that I will be able to shoulder it all and survive it all. May G-d only help me to achieve an apartment and be able to bring my few possessions with me. Then I will work with all my might to achieve the plans of which I've been dreaming for the fourteen years that I've been married. (I've concluded that) all partners are useful for Erev Yom Kippur (that is, as a kapore). I know that I won't accomplish anything through anger. I must therefore take the punishment. I can see now, dear Shloymele, that I will accept everything, that I will with- stand everything--until the time that I reach my goal, even though it will be a hard piece of work to put up with (these people). It is like harnessing a frog, a fish and a donkey with the same yoke. Can any good come of that? I must also make you aware, dear child, how difficult it is to conduct business here these days. For example, if I wanted to start some sort of business, to be able to make a living, it would be impossible to get a store and an apart- ment unless, of course, I were to flash thirty or forty mil- lion marks at someone. That's about $2,000. You can ima- gine how much money is needed to start a business. But it seems that everyone is a millionaire, since everyone talks about thousands of millions. On the other hand, what are our millions worth these days? The dollar plays a big role here. When the value of the dollar rises, the Polish mark immediately falls, and the cost of all our products rises accordingly. A thousand of our marks can purchase what three to five of the old kopecks could buy. In addition, I want to tell you that life itself becomes tiresome--to live in a country where nothing is normalized (is difficult). It is a land of milk and honey, but one can't take advantage of it. Meanwhile, everything is very expensive. Remember that my family is composed of five peo- ple, that is, I, my wife, and three children. So it is impossible to make do on only 2,000 marks a week. In the old times, didn't we used to live better for eight to ten rubles a week? Tell me, Shloymele, is life where you are also so abnormal? Did the war change your lives so much too? By what percent are things higher than they used to be before the war? About your writing that you still hope to come to Europe to see the family, may I hope that G-d will grant me the honor to fulfill the desire I have to see you before me once again? Believe me, Shloymele, if you were to make the jour- ney, you would make enough speculating here to pay for all your expenses. Many Americans come here for business and for pleasure, to rest a bit or to find a bride. You asked that I describe my children to you. I must tell you, first of all, that they are not yet mature. My oldest daughter, Balcia, is eleven years old. She goes to school and doesn't know how to write Yiddish. The second, Rifka, is seven years old. She also goes to school. She is in the first grade and also can't write any Yiddish. I also have an only son, Joseph, aged 2 1/2, a fine fellow with every good trait. May G-d help me to be able to raise him the way I would like to, as I think right. Don't think that these are the times of yesteryear. Even here there has been pro- gress, not ten years' but a hundred years' progress. In response to your request that I send you a photograph, I would like to do so, but you must have a bit of patience since I work very hard and don't have any time. I know that's not much of an answer. There isn't a thing that would cost me too much or be too difficult for me to do for you. But, Shloymele, I'm sure that you will forgive me if you receive the photograph a few weks later. Concerning the anecdote that you wrote me about a man who paid (a fine) for yelling "Dirty Jew," I too can write you news. Right before Passover, I was walking down the street when a stranger, a Gentile, slapped me in the face. But instead of the Gentile being punished, insult was added to injury, and I was fined 20,000 marks. How's that for a Cossack's justice? And you say that we do not live in a free republic! That's the difference between America and Poland. I close my letter with heartfelt and loving regards. My wife and children also send warm regards. Write me your father's address. I want to write him a letter, but I don't know if I should still use the old address. It is just as well that you didn't write to my brother-in-law, since a good man requires no letter and a bad person doesn't deserve one. I send you heartfelt regards from my sister and from my brother-in-law. They were here during the intermediate days of Passover, and they asked that I send their apologies in my next letter. They say that they didn't mean to imply that you should send them money. I myself don't know what to think, but let's leave that for another time. Please write me a letter about everything, about your health, your livelihood, etc. Your uncle who prays for your happiness, Wolf Lewkowicz P.S. I am enclosing a clipping from a newspaper showing how the dollar compares to the mark. A dollar is now worth just short of 50,000 marks. All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.