The Sidney herald., 1959-03-25
MRS. GENE BRESE WRITES
TO PARENTS FROM BERLIN

MRS. GENE BRESE WRITES
TO PARENTS FROM BERLIN
Following is a letter in par
written by Mrs. Gene Brese from
Berlin, Germany, to her parents
MIR. and Mrs. Augustine MinjareS
Mrs. Brese left in December b,
plane from New York with he
little family to join their husband
and father, who is stationed il
Berlin. In a former letter she tell
of the lovely trip by plane, theil
stop at the Azores for breakfast
their flight over their arrival a
Frankfurt. Here they were assign
ed to spacious rooms in a beautiful
hotel, where they spent a couple
days before going to Berlin.
The following was written after
their arrival there:
"Tve seen almost all of Berlin
except the Russian zone. The girls
were so happy when our a came
that they laughed until they cried.
We were happy too. W. drive a
lot and enjoy it.
There is a great big park right
in the middle of Berlin with a
lovely lake. The park is IL miles
long. Everyone in the city seems
to spend Sunday walking or driv-
ing. The women walk on the out
side here. Gene says it is to pro-
tect the men because they are SO
scarce.
Maybe l should have learned
German before / came over here
but it is fun this way. / have a
fine time trying to talk to our
Iandlady. When she gives up try
ing to understand me she throws
her hand up in the air and laughs
and goes back upstairs.
1t showed here and she bought
two sleds for the girls and they
have had a wonderful time. She
is always doing something nice
for them. She had nine children of
her own and only one is living.
All of her sons were killed in the
war. Her daughter is in German
opera and appears in Berlin often.
The girls have a lovely big
fenced in yard to play in. They
miss you greatly and cried one
day when they found they could
mt go to see you.
Rent is cheap here but utilities
and appliances r high, and the
later are very old fashioned. Only
the newest houses have hot rum
ming water. We have a heater in
the bath room but have to build
a coal fire in it to heat the water.
No refrigeration. So far it has
been cold SO we don't miss it.
Will sure be glad to get moved to
our government apartment, which
is almost ready.
1t has been nice living in a
rustic German home for a while.
It has been well kept inside and
is very nice except for the huge
old fashioned furniture-very
uncomfortable. About 80 rooms in
the house, all formerly occupied
by Frau Schultz (my landlady)
and her family. Now she rents
the two upper floors, shares the
first floor with another couple,
and we have the basement. 1t is
not like our Easements at home
almost all above ground.
You should see our bed-it is
s fl. square like all German beds.
The mattress is in three pieces,
fitted crosswise on the bed, and
very uncomfortable.
The new government housing
will be real nice. They all have
and the top floor is all
quarters. Each family Is
Allotted quarters for one maid
There is a big playroom separate
the apartment on each floor
or children, and each family has
|, ero in the basement. We
will have a four bedroom apt. be-
.ause of our large family. Also a
bathroom and a half. ! can't wait
move.
| really wouldn't have had to
,ring anything over except clothes,
IS they issue everything including
bedding, towels, dishes, pots and
PANS, even highchairs, etc. There
ire also washers and dryers IN
he basement.
| have met a few of the men and
heir wives in Genes company,
out not one an American. They all
'eem TO marry German girls.
We are allotted 100 gallons of
gas a month at lac a gallon, which
S plenty for us. Coffee, c~igaretts
md tea are also rationed. We get
J lbs. of coffee, / Id. of tea and 2
of cigarettes. We can buy
more on the German market some
INES but they cost much more
here. Our alottments are plenty
o meet our needs.
The air mail doesn't fly direct
,ut of here. 1t goes by train to
and then by plane. They
fly anyone in or out of Ber-
in. They have planes here but
ust for use in case of emergency.
If anything eve happens here
won't have to worry about
Is. Genes company has been as
igned TO defend the dependent
area in case of trouble.
They have II tanks and 1000 in
anury to help to defend and eva
iuate at the earliest possible NOM
= - ---- - =.