PC/3/4/9 - Letter, PC to her parents, 24/11/1947 (envelope stamped 5/12/1947)

PC/3/4/9

Item

Letter, PC to her parents, 24/11/1947 (envelope stamped 5/12/1947)

24/11/1947

14 pages; 7 leaves Letters (MS)
1 Photographs (monochrome)
1 Menu

Pohl, Oswald, 1892-1951

I.G. Farben Trial, Nuremberg, 1947-1948

Crampton, Patricia, 1925-2016
Wood, Vera Marionrecipient
Wood, Leslie John Cardewrecipient

THIS DECRIPTION AND PARTICULARLY THE ORIGINAL LETTER MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION WHICH SOME READERS MAY FIND UPSETTING. MS. 14 pages. 7 leaves. The letter is started on Monday 24 November (or before) and is written across the following week until at least Monday 1 December. With envelope stamped 5/12/1947, marked by PC as no. 9. Includes a photo of PC on the side of an ice rink. Also includes a Thanksgiving menu card.

PC relates court proceedings. They had rushed through an affidavit from a French doctor from Auschwitz, who was himself a prisoner but who had been allowed to continue practicing. Freddy (Mac’s roommate) had done a brilliant job of interpreting a Norwegian man’s accounts into German, English and Norwegian, alternately. A shrewd and canny Yorkshireman was also in court who ‘produced an atmosphere of unbending hatred.’

PC thinks not enough people know or remember the things they are translating and hearing in Court. She describes the gassing of Jews and the work, living conditions and horrific abuse of the prisoners. This included the injection of diseases in order to test vaccines.

Many Germans were unaware of the atrocities, ‘the ones who now know are having nervous breakdowns trying to convince sceptical friends and relatives.’

PC had just been translating a final plea for a character who has been sentenced to death. She is hearing many pleas by German officers who proudly claim they knew little about their jobs, thought they were playing an insignificant role in an insignificant job, or were too busy to read what they were signing.

A macabre and melodramatic event occurred when a shackled [Oswald] Pohl came into the witness box ‘for the Prosecution!!’ He was there for ‘his big scene, his final curtain … He had nothing to lose … he played with the prosecution.’ As he left the Court he bowed ironically to the I.G. Farben defendants as if to imply ‘You next’. [I.G. Farben (private German chemicals conglomerate)].

She writes of items for each other, a Rolex watch, a sweater, chocolate and candy. She will be in England from 24 December to 4 January. She hopes to meet up with Hans and Hanna towards the end. If her father could get 7 tickets then they could all go to a show. England has a reputation in Germany for being austere. She discusses presents and the duty on bringing them to England.

Discusses her parent’s upcoming silver wedding anniversary. She describes dancing with Hans, Hanna and Mac in the Marble Room. The previous weekend they had been to Heidelberg, drank pink champagne and lunched in the V.I.P. Mess, a hotel above the semi-ruined castle. She encloses a menu of the American Thanksgiving dinner.

Wolf [Wolfgang Hildesheimer] was working on the design lines indicated by PC’s father. Her sister ‘Small’ [Jennifer] had sent photos of Nyon and a ‘sophisticated’ letter.