November 15th, 1918
Letter from Frank to his mother and sister
Frank wrote this letter on November 15th, 1918 to his mother and sister. He wrote the letter while he was serving in France during World War I.
Frank begins this letter by saying that the war is over – something that he had been anticipating for a while. He is not sure when he will be getting home, but he believes it will be sometime before Easter. It is interesting that Frank, a Jewish man, is referencing Easter, a Christian holiday – the holiday that celebrates Jesus rising from the dead, instead of a holiday, such as Passover. This could perhaps due to the culture Frank is living in and the people he is surrounded by. He also mentions twice that he is going to stop writing so much. It is possible that now that the war is over, there is a lot more to do (i.e. clean up and reconstruction) and he doesn’t anticipate having a lot of time. It is also likely that he doesn’t feel the need to write so often because the war is over and so that fear of what might happen is dispersed.
He complains about the letters he is receiving from his mother and sister. He says that he wants to hear news from home – information that is relevant to him and the family. This is something that Frank has complained about in past letters. It appears that Frank feels cut off from home and knowing what is going on helps him feel relevant and connected – as if he is not an ocean away.
The letter is based off of what Frank is thinking and feeling. The war is finally over and he is anticipating going home in a few months’ time. But he is still in France, separated from his family and feels that distance.
Frank Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives, Box 2, File 1
World War I
English
November 7th, 1918
Letter from Frank to his mother and sister
Frank wrote this letter on November 7th, 1918 to his mother and sister. He wrote the letter while he was serving in France during World War I.
Again Frank mentions the fact that he still has not received a letter from them and he doesn’t understand why. He said that he had received a letter from his brother, Meyer, and that he had recently gotten a long letter from his mother and sister. Frank appears to be experiencing a hint of jealousy because his brother recently received a letter and he has not, but he also expects to be getting one soon. Frank probably feels the distance between him and his family and he wants to bridge that gap by receiving letters from home. He also speaks about the weather and how it is getting colder, but that they are in a good location and they will likely remain there throughout the winter and until the end of the war. There is the common belief that the Allies will soon be victorious over the Germans. He tells his mother and sister that the soldiers all have bets about when the war will end. They expect the Germans to surrender soon and they anticipate that they will all be back in the United States within a year’s time. Frank appears to be looking forward to the future in this letter. When he talks about leaving France, he says that he hopes to go back one day. He also begins to make plans from when he finally does get home. He tells his mother that as soon as he gets home he wants to move into a new home and so he asks her to get a few things together so he can make the place look real. He also says that when he gets home he will be able to help his mother in the kitchen. In a seemingly joking tone, Frank adds “The experience I have had in the kitchen will enable me to go on strike if I am not satisfied with the “mess” you put out.” He is making plans to attend a school of journalism when he gets home and is planning on arranging it all while he is still in France so that his plans will not be disrupted once he is home. He finishes the letter by saying, “if anyone is sore at me, tell them to get over it, for when I come home I will be to busy to look em up and apologize.” Frank is anticipating coming home and all sorts of plans once the war is over.
This letter, written by Frank, is based on his experiences. Throughout the letters, he continually expresses his frustration because he does not receive regular letters from his mother and sister. The lack of communication leaves Frank feeling separated from his home and from his family. Something quite unique in this particular letter was his looking forward to the future. He can see the end of the war is near and he is preparing for when the day comes and he gets to return home.
Frank Eisenberg
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives, Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives, Box 2, File 1
World War I
English
Dec 16, 1944, letter to Art Eisenberg from Robert Schanke, Camp Braemar Director
<p>Regarding the war, Robert Schanke said to Art, "A call to your Mother let us in on the know concerning your nefarious activities. Ship’s photographer, radar man, the Lothario of fleet all rolled up in one. Quit a program for little Artie.</p>
<p>Got a few letters from Vic Storberg, George Thompson, and George Coffin – all S 2/z with Coffin in Amphib, Storberg in Aviation Gunnery and Ordance and Thompson already on the high seas.</p>
<p>Not much to report from this home front. <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>My brother was killed in action</strong> </span>according to latest reports and that was tough to take but so many thousands are that way and so many more may be the sacrifice while not less seems just part of the whole evil pattern. Hope the “old boys,” will get their bellies full of this slaughter and make a decent world and that you guys will keep it that way."</p>
<p>After telling Art about magnificence of Breck's military formal, and a Colonial's daughter and other news, he mentioned that his own brother was killed in action, and that the sacrifice was to be expected. </p>
<p>In the beginning of the letter, Mr. Schanke mentioned that Art sent a telegram. An example of a telegram has been included. The telegram was the selected mode of communication used by the federal government during the war to inform families their loved ones had been killed in action. Many individuals during that time also used telegrams to convey bad news; to receive a telegram was usually a very frightening experience. </p>
Robert Schanke, Braemar Camp Director
Upper Midwest Jewish Archives: Archives and Special Collections in the University of Minnesota Archives.
Box 449, File 13.
Dec 16, 1944
.doc
English
November 1st, 1918
Letter from Frank to his mother and sister
Frank wrote this letter on November 1, 1918. He wrote the letter to his mother and sister while he was serving in France during World War I.
He starts out the letter by again wondering why his mother and sister hadn’t written. He had gotten letters from two different people that had said everything at home was fine and didn’t understand why they were not responding. So he said he was going to stop writing so they can “think the matter over.” Then later says that if he does not receive a letter by November 11th, he will stop writing until the New Year. He goes on to say that he and the other soldiers think that the war won’t last for more than a few months longer and that there is a rumor that Turkey has surrendered. Frank also mentions his cold and the weather. Again he mentions the YMCA entertainment. They hosted the Orpheum Circuit, and had a waffle party – the men were so excited to have waffles, they waited in line until after 11 just to taste them again. He said they were going to have a basketball game.
The letter is written based on what Frank is feeling and experiencing while serving over in France. He spent a lot of space in this letter talking about the fact that neither his mother nor sister is writing to him. He seems to be trying to make them feel guilt, saying “I am sending you a little reminder that I am still here tho I am there to you.” It is like he feels forgotten – like he thinks his family has moved on and adjusted to life without him in it. The document also focuses a lot on the YMCA events. They seem to be something that all the soldiers really enjoy – particularly the waffle party, because the waffles weren’t something the soldiers got to eat. This letter shows how the little things mean so much to these soldiers. One wouldn’t think that eating waffles or playing a basketball game would necessarily be significant, but these men are far away from home and deprived of many of the things that one would normally take for granted.
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 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
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
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