Cooper, Ethel – January 1916
4.1.16
My dear Emmie,
On the 28th Frau von Bose had a little dinner for two or three English people. It was quite nice, and on my plate I found a kangaroo, as it was Commemoration Day in South Australia!
9.1.16
My dear Emmie,
I have had three letters from you since I last wrote. It is vexing to know that for 7 weeks you have heard nothing from me. All your news of Howard interested me tremendously- I wonder very much where he is, now that we have had to withdraw from Gallipoli–in Salonika, or in Egypt, I suppose.
I must go and scratch the evening meal together –the inevitable potatoes and sausage! Coffee is running short, and the remainder has been taken by the Government, to prevent the prices being driven up too much.
16.1.16
My dear Emmie,
No letters this week from anywhere outside Germany – not even from Hungary. There is a spy-scare on, and every letter is read, every border – even from Austria here – is crammed with inspectors who seem to make life as impossible for the traveller as is imaginable. In every tram, railway-office, waiting-room – everywhere it is possible to stick it you read –
‘Spies’!!
‘Soldiers! Be careful in your conversation!’
23.1.16
My dear Emmie,
Quite a lot of letters were waiting for me at Frl. Ludicke’s today – yours written on December 5th was very interesting, and I am delighted to have the little photograph of Howard with the Arab and the camel. It is so very nice –he is quite a man now, isn’t he?
Poor little Herr Zalisz writes broken-hearted letters-it is rather a terrible thing to have convictions and an over sensitive nature here. He is in Lorraine, was in the trenches for a fortnight- then they had to retreat with heavy losses. He writes, ‘I have been forced to sacrifice every principle I possessed- I wish I were dead with the others- I shall never have clean hands again!’
There is a bad outbreak of diphtheria and scarlet fever here- yellow notices and instructions are being sent to every house- several schools and hospitals are closed.
30.1.16
My dear Emmie,
I heard yesterday from a Jewish banker’s sister that in financial circles it is openly said that England has won the war already, and every day that it goes on after March can only make the ruin of Germany completer- no matter what her military successes may have been or may be.
