[This letter was written in German. This transcription is the English translation, thanks to Steven Schuyler.]Freiburg i/Br. 8.8.33
Dearest Miss Turner!
Day for day I am blaming myself for not getting back to you and thank you for your letter of your sad news of your illness. How sad we are dear Miss Turner. We have just one wish to see you with your health restored. Nothing is a heavier burden to carry than illness and I wish from all of my heart that you will be soon be completely healthy so that you can resume your vital work and you can enjoy your relationships with your friends.
I think I could write you an entire book that's how much I explain to you daily in my thoughts but then when it comes to writing a letter! Oh vey! Please tell the other two female friends what's new in my life so that they learn something of us. Just now came the first section printed of the second volume of the works of my husband. You should see how he works no one can disturb him when I help him edit the text. The work must be done by his 80th birthday. There will be a festival in Kaufhaus we've been told I'm so happy my husband is doing so well. He's always so robust as you know him. Gottwalt works this very hot August in Labratorium. Have I told you that he has a project with Prof. Spemann which interests him totally. Maja looks good. Unfortunately right after her stay in a spa in Bircher-Benner in Zurich she got grippe and felt so poor so that she had to again take much insulin. I find however now in the summer she looks healthier and she is trying to go a period now without medicines. Well my dear friend how happy would I trade places with her for her to regain health. That's continually the torment in me, that I am well and my daughter is not. My son got married again over Pentecost weekend and it is going well. She was his very diligent assistant who understands very much. He couldn't be alone again with the children, the poor fellow. I will send you a picture of me so that you can see the impact of the beautiful trip I took to Italy. I was invited by my dear sister and it was magnificent. She showed me so much new in Napoli and I was only four days in Capri. How beautiful it was on this magic island. I wandered/hiked all over and visited [...] San Michele and his little house which now belongs only in my dreams but made me so happy. Through the Holy Year it was very crowded especially in Rome where I did not stay because I had to go home. In Naples I was invited into many of the beautiful villas on this Posil[l]ipo one in particular was from the remains of an old theater where Wirgilius [ancient Roman poet Virgil] held his speeches. It lies high above the sea with the cliffs and islands and outcroppings. I came back from Italy like a bee which is filled with honey and just think my dear Miss Turner I have made photos with the camera of my husband and they turned out very good. I am playing with them the way you do. In the fall one day a lovely young lady will come to you. She will have greetings from us for you. I met her with her mother on the street. They asked me about the museum which I showed you a little bit. After that they came to our house for a visit for a few hours. They live 1.5 hours away from you. Her name is Eleanor Cook and collects folk songs and carries them beautifully in the style of the lost folk tradition. She gathers folks songs from the Black Forest and you must see them and hear them. She is passionate and does this very well. She was in Smith College and I hope she comes this winter to Holyoke College. My husband was very impressed with her and she could sing in the dialect as he. It would please me very much if you could see her at your house and could give her greetings for us.
You know my dear Miss Turner what I did every time when my husband came over from his atelier with a sad face a pain went through my heart. It is certainly sad that one had to give everything away but there is so much more that is worse in life. We can be happy with how things are here. I thought always up until the 80th birthday on the 2nd of December the atelier must be beautiful. As I returned from Italy so full of energy I arrived during a long period of rain. The atelier walls were filled from bottom to top with his beautiful sketches. There were 162 plates and they only a small portion of his life work but it looks magnificent and is all his own work. It made him very happy and now he can show [Semanderie?] his work. Wasn't that a good idea? If I made photos of them I'll send you all three. Now I'm organizing the other rooms and next time when you come you can see more of our lovely display.
And now my dear Miss Turner I can not tell you also with joy that things look better and brighter in Germany. And we don't have faith in the future. It will be a difficult year but one may believe in the future and you will see that people will appear happier and not so depressed/repressed. It is beyond measure to envision this one man has accomplished. Don't forget one thing, he saved us in the last hour from Bolchivism. You don't see so many out of work people on the streets. It is a definite improvement. He is very intelligent and what he does is very wise. I am sorry that foreign nations spread such lies about Germany. It would be good if you could see it with your own eyes. You know of course I have been an admirer of his for a long time and I was right. May he remain with us for a very long time, that is my warmest wish. And so now I have related to you my politics, I don't understand but this is how I feel about this. Please give the other photograph to dear Miss Haywood and I will copy another for Miss Sampson.
We had very beautiful performances on the Munsterplats in front of the Cathedral of the medieval play "Jedermann". It was very atmospheric with the old cathedral and the old little streets and moon shining, music and song. I wished you would have been with us. Now we send you my dear Miss Turner the heartiest greetings and best wishes for a rapid recovery. We send from my husband and me
your loyal friend
Maya Geiges