Cath. Sabel letter to James E. Henschel - May 4, 1921
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4.5.21. My Dear Sir! You will excuse me that I only thank you to day for your lines from [December]. I was absent for two months and when returned home I did not feel well for several weeks. I hope you will understand what I mean to tell you in spite of many faults in expression and spelling. Very often I spoke of you to my friends and I was almost ashamed to add: I never heard from him since his departure. Your nice Christmas greeting gave me therefore great pleasure and I thank you very much for your kind words. To be sure, I shall never forget that young "Herr Leutenant" who intruded in my home and you may tell " to your dear mother that this very Herr Leutenant is one of the best men, I ever met with. I only regret that my son so repulsive in his behaviour towards you. If he only would have tried to know
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you, as I do know you, I am sure, both of you would have become friends for life. But that poor fellow has suffered too much during the long years of his hard captivity and all the terrible impressions were yet too strong in his memory at the time of his returning home. So you will pardon him. It is also my opinion, that kindness alone is able to reconcile people and nations, but this kindness must be mutuel, it must be shown on both sides. A French garrison is not what an American is and you may hear every day in the streets of our town: "if only the American soldiers were yet here." A short time ago I had differences with a young lodger and I went to complain at the bureau of lodgment. I had to converse with a French officer. I told him, that I had had two so very nice young American officers [ms illegible: 1 wd] he interrupted me brusquely answering with and averting movement of his hand: "Do not
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speack of these Americans, they do not exist for me? I was perplexed at this remark and I was about to ask "Well, Monsieur, what have become of you without these Americans"? It is very kind of you, dear mister Henschel to wish us better times, but I fear I shall not live to see them. But I will not complain hoping heartily that life will be less hard to my children and grant children. God bless America, that seems willing to help poor Germany and will not suffer the rising youth of our nation to perisch with hunger and misery. I should have liked so much to hear something more from you: how you do and what you are doing; if you are perfectly restored to health and in what way you are occupied. I also want to know whether you have found an other such sweet creature, the picture of which I so often admired upon your writing tabel. Dear mister Henschel,
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I hope you feel happy at home happier than you feel here. I so often thought by myself what is the matter with this young man who "amusing himself in his own way" stayed lonely dreaming at home while his comrads enjoyed youth and life. Whath ever may have been your grief, I hope it has gone and your heart is filled with perfect happiness. this my wish and my prayer for you. Yours truely Cath. Sabel. Trier Ostallee 39 Mosel Germany.
Details
| Title | Cath. Sabel letter to James E. Henschel - May 4, 1921 |
| Creator | Sabel, Cath. |
| Source | Sabel, Cath. Letter to James E. Henschel. 4 May 1921. James Edward Henschel Collection, 1917-1919. 1996.51. The National World War I Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Description | In this letter dated May 4, 1921, Mrs. Cath. Sabel wrote Henschel and thanked him for the letter she received in December. She talked about her son and her dislike for the French occupation. |
| Subject LCSH | American Field Service; Missouri. National Guard; United States. Army. Motor Transport Corps |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | 1996.51 |
| Contributing Institution | National World War I Museum and Memorial |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the National World War I Museum and Memorial: (816) 888-8100. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | May 4, 1921 |
| Language | English |