American Red Cross Rest Station France
A Photo of a Postcard from the American Red Cross
A photo of an American Red Cross propaganda postcard depicting an American Soldier luring a German Soldier with Sausage (Bratwurst?).
American Red Cross
Box # 449, File 9. The Frank and Art Eisenberg
Collection. Upper Midwest Jewish Archives.
June 19, 1918
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English
"I Would Be True," by Art Eisenberg
An excerpt from a letter written by Art Eisenberg and is part of a hymn called "I Would Be True"
Art Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives: Archives & Special Collections of the University of Minnesota Archives.
Box 449, File 1.
unknown
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English
"The Saga of the Good Ship Bergen," by Art Eisenberg
The Saga of the Good Ship Bergen tells the story of how the Japanese feared the crew of the U. S. S. Bergen more than they feared the atomic bomb.
Art Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Artchives: Archives and Special Collections the University of Minnesota Archives.
Box 449, File 17.
unknown
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English
Jan 3, 1944, letter to Art Eisenberg from Bob Weiss.
A letter dated Jan 3, 1944, to Art Eisenberg, Breck High School Senior, from his cousin, Bob Weiss.
Bob Weiss said in relationship to the war, “So you had to go and join up, too. They’ll probably get you soon enough, that is unless the war is well on its way to the end. How do you like the school? Do you have much military activity?”
Mr. Weiss apologized to Art for not writing sooner; mentioned Art getting Scarlet Fever around the holidays and how he had the measles last spring; suggested that Art consider the V-12 Navy program that Mr. Weiss was enrolled in at Illinois State Normal University, and said in passing, “if it's still in existence next summer”; told Art he could get two years college credit in that program; asked about Art's camera business and Elayne (a girl Art dated), told him to say, "Hello to Madge, (Relationship unknown); told Art about the fire in his building; their new living arrangements; said he hoped to see him around the first of 1944, and told Art to write soon.
Bob Weiss
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives: Archives and Special Collections University of Minnesota Archives.
Box 449, File 1.
Jan 3, 1944
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English
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V-mail (circa April 16, 1944) from Dick Sachs
<p>Art Eisenberg's cousin, Dick Sachs, corresponded with him via V-mail (Victory mail) and said, "I suppose the President’s death hit you all hard. I know it sure it me hard, all of us. Just the same Pres. Truman is doing a swell job and everything is turning out good."</p>
<p>The 32th President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, died on April 16, 1944.</p>
<p>Dick liked to joke, and called Art an Admiral. Dick's envelope shows that Art is now stationed aboard the U. S. S. Bergen.</p>
<p>Dick told Art how he was on the road with his Dad, had fun joking and looking at pennies. (Frank Eisenberg was a serious penny collector. In one of his letters to Art he told him about finding a penny worth $6.00.)</p>
<p>Dick also tells Art that he got a job as an usher at the Lyceum with a group of other boys and is thrilled. Interestingly enough the 1930 child bride blockbuster , "Dust to Dust," played at the Lyceum in Minneapolis & St. Paul. <br /><br />YouTube link to "Dust to Dust.": <a title=""Dust to Dust!"" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFGOZB634rI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFGOZB634rI</a></p>
<p>V-mail stood for Victory mail. V-mail was used to reduce the volume of mail transported overseas and censor the mail going to service men.<br /><a title="V-mail" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-mail" target="_blank"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-mail</a></p>
<p> </p>
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Dick Sachs
Upper Midwest Jewish Artchives: Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives.
Box 449, File 17.
Unknown
V-mail
English
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Dual letters to Art from Mom and Dad, July 29, 1944
Frank & Sarah Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives: Archives & Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives.
Box , File .
July 29, 1944
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English
October 6th, 1918
Letter from Frank to his mother and sister
Frank wrote this letter on October 6, 1918 to his mother and sister. He wrote the letter while he was serving in France during World War I.
Frank begins the letter by saying that he finally received a letter from his mother and sister after waiting six weeks. He mentions the fact that he hasn’t been writing very often, but says it partly because no one seems to respond in quick manner. He also says that he was appointed secretary for the YMCA. He said the reason he applied for the position was because they hadn’t had any entertainment for over a year. Since Frank had become secretary, he had gotten new books for the reading room, as well as a piano and an Edison with three different records. Also, he said that the YMCA arranged to show movies and provide other services for entertainment.
Frank is writing this letter based on what he knows. Living so far away from his family, it seems that letters from loved ones act as a Frank’s link to home. So when his mother didn’t write for six weeks, Frank was hurt and he retaliated by not writing as often. He probably asks his mother and sister to write sooner because he feels isolated from his family and the letter bring him a sense of connectedness. The letters – as well as his new job as secretary and the YMCA entertainment – seem to act as a break from the mundaneness of his daily routine.
Frank Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives, Box 2, File 1
World War I
English
October 12th, 1918
Letter from Frank to his mother and sister
Frank wrote this letter on October 12, 1918 to his mother and sister. He wrote the letter while he was serving in France during World War I.
In this letter, Frank talks about the weather and says that there is really nothing to do, but he arranged a movie showing through the YMCA for tomorrow. They are likely to stay where they are for the rest of the winter, but they have a nice reading room now and lots of sports – like boxing matches and kangaroo courts. Also they get to keep the Edison for a few more weeks. Frank also asks about how everything is at home. He asks his mother and sister to write a long letter. He says “put a little news in it besides the old formula.”
The letter is written from the experiences and feelings of Frank. It’s interesting that Frank talks about the weather, because generally one talks about the weather when they have nothing else to say. In the letter, Frank even says that there is nothing to do, so weather is one of the few things he has to talk about. Frank generally tries to focus on the little excitements that break up his everyday routine – like the YMCA entertainment. It seems that Frank’s day-to-day experience is fairly dull and bits of news, rumors, and entertainment from the YMCA help to make life as a soldier in France slightly more interesting.
Frank Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives, Box 2, File 1
World War I
English
"Those Who Die!" by Frank Eisenberg.
“Those Who Die”, was a poem written by Frank Eisenberg. The deaths of those in the protagonist's life who died fighting in World War II are acknowledged. Those who died included the grocer's son, the baker, the laundry man, the fruit man, the plumber's son, and the newsboy, many of the working class people in his life. The poem also acknowledges the deaths of three schoolboys, a neighbor boy, the rich boy up the street and classmates of his son. The poem ends on a positive note and asks that their sacrifice not be in vain and that "greed, lust and hate”, be conquered and make "Honor rise again."
Frank Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Artchives: Archives and Special Collections the University of Minnesota Archives.
Box 449, File 15.
Aug 6, 1944
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English.
October 24th, 1918
Letter from Frank to his mother and sister
Frank wrote this letter on October 24, 1918 to his mother and sister. He wrote the letter while he was serving in France during World War I.
In the letter, Frank complains that he still has not received a letter from his mother and sister, and says he even inquired with the Red Cross to see if anything is wrong at home. Frank also mentions the YMC entertainment. The night previous they a 16 piece minstrel show and tonight they are going to be hosting 4 actors and actresses from home. He also mentions that he took a trip to place of the First Battle of the Marne. He saw the graves of French and German soldiers and passed through destroyed villages.
Frank is writing based on his experience and what he knows. He has been stationed in France for over a year and is not seeing a lot of action. When talking about the destroyed towns, Frank said he has been removed from the effects of war for a year. Throughout his letters, Frank often wonders why no one is writing to him. In this letter he even threatens to stop writing so much if he doesn’t receive a letter from his mother and sister soon. The letters seem to be something that Frank really looks forward to receiving because it is a break from the mundane. Frank also mentions the YMCA entertainment and his trip out to a battlefield – both of which brought a change of pace to his everyday life. From the document, one can infer that life as a soldier is not all that exciting. Often when learning about war, one hears about the action and the glory stories. But in reality, there is a lot of sitting around and waiting for something to happen. These letters are important because they show the reality of being a soldier. They point out that sometimes it’s boring and soldiers look forward to things like receiving letters.
Frank Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives, Box 2, File 1
World War I
English