Clemens Family Collection
The Clemens Family Collection features several letters written by Fritz Von Versen to his cousin Mary Clemens of St. Louis from 1914-1919. Versen was the captain of a German cavalry regiment during World War I, and was the son of prominent St. Louis native Baroness Alice Clemens Von Versen. Alice was a cousin to Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) and met Fritz’s father, Max Von Versen, a General in the German Army, while on vacation in Europe.
Versen corresponded with his cousin throughout his service in the German Army. His letters to Mary offer a unique German perspective on life at the front.
