Letters Nany and Jean to the Hausermann-Rosario 2nd sem 40

Nany in Germaine and Jean Hausermann in Rosario

Vierville6 July1940FridayNo. 4

This is my 4th^nd I hope that this will happen to you soon, our correspondence is limited to the q.q. departments bordering Calvados; the mail with Paris and the rest of France is removed and we know nothing about the state of our poor country, nor what remains of it really French. You certainly know more than we and must be scorned about this collapse of our entire army, and of the invasion of the greens of grey which were shake hands to these dear Spaniards, as traitors those than the Macs. (? macaroni?)I also know that the Midi itself is invaded, what have become of yours, my little Maine? I don't need to tell you that I have nothing of them, nor of our Phil, is it prisoner? We claim that we have 1,600,000 prisoners in Germany. Nor did J.C., Suzon had a letter from G. of June 8. By which way did she pass?... We are without any relationship with the outside. Our little town is largely occupied by a large staff, but there is the greatest order. All the villas are inhabited, they were all empty of their owners; We forced, without any more, the doors of those who were without guards, I did not hear that we had looted the cabinets, the slightest robbery is punishable by death, it is said. So I am still in fact at the door of our old house which would have suffered the fate of those who are empty, they were filled with soldiers immediately, and it must be said that it is quickly damaged by all this soldieress. G. de P. (Pierre's Gullemette, Gruchy) in 45 We can hardly see any of them, but our sky is crippled by others, which we can hardly estimate at more than a hundred.

I'm working on bringing my whole world back here, we'll all be less unhappy by shaking elbows, but J.P.'s situation is serious. The cantons of Trevières and d-Isigny, as close to the seafront, have been emptied of all young people from 20 to 32 years old. (notary of Trevières) who replaces Breed, too old, at the town hall of Trevières and who must have been well seen at theCom.(Kommandatur ??)I would like to get what some have got here, to keep their sons on condition that they get them to work and come to the Com. Laterrier spontaneously accepted my offer to take our 3 boys as agricultural workers.(they are 17 and 18 years old), the question remains whether we can obtain permission for J.P. (he's 20 years old)It takes for the Vs. (Grey Greens) I'm not the one who will blame them. Let.(Lterrier) saw his eldest son return this week, first – prisoner – to Mortain's woods with a whole EM, after blowing up bridges of M. and C. After a week they were still in an old castle lost in the woods. The Gen. and his officers decided to surrender, and let their men try to reach their homes. Louis L. walked 12 days to get here sick having little or no food, and his father is working to keep him at home. Everyone here is without news of his soldiers, this gives us hope for ours, but what moments of anxiety and anguish for all hearts! When will I read you my John? May God help us! Tenders to you four of your N.

(PS)Gasoline is completely gone, we're back to the carts, but the horses are rare and because of this! by order The transport is done in horse cars... for us, because I see others who travel our roads in beautiful cars. I'm going to about understand, and you dears? I didn't get what you had to send me on the 1st.^ir June. All the public funds are empty, and the officials are not paid. Where are we going? What misery there is going to be.

Vierville 15 July 1940(addressed by Nany – in Vierville – to his son Jean Hausermann – in Rosario)

My Jean – I have received your letter of June 15th, and I wonder where it comes from, because here it is impossible to use this fast way! It would be very comforting to feel closer; the events that have just passed have broken up with us all, I see it in your little piece of letter and yet you have not had the worst... Tell you what has been for me, for all of us, this horrible debacle, our France invaded the 3⁄4 and the green-grey installed here, ...as everywhere! and they come out like locusts. We don't have to complain about their presence here, (Major State) I have been able to keep the old house empty so far. I don't know if I can get it to the end, I repeat what I have already written to you several times: I had courteous relations with my neighbors, but it is not without a huge heartbreak that we are in compliance with their laws. – I also repeat that we had the joy of having news of Phil who is at the engineering in Chateauroux Indre safe, and that J.C. (Jean Cordelle) We have been in the heart of the Dordogne for more than a month without fear of the worst. (Georges Chedal) But he didn't fear anything. (Bizerte in Tunisia)When will we meet again? (Suzanne and Simone) - I'm not. (Paris) with the little ones (Brigitte and Yves) and Ms. C. (Mama). Communications are almost impossible, gasoline is not found, and road trips defended, Iron Ch. no longer exist in part. (Jean-Pierre and François) are eligible for the X(there are 22 out of 60 in C high school. (Coutures)) but they have to go to Toulouse for a speech! How convenient! It was necessary to authorize the Kommandatur so they'd leave, it didn't make Suzon any trouble and they left all 3 July 12th; they are for 4 or 5 days of travel, must be hosted at the Polyt School. ( ??) And they shall pass their orals as they come. in the heapThe young people are being taken by the village of Mil. All. Here, all the young people between 20 and 32 years old are being taken without harm. The boys will remain in the Midi, the Cords. have good friends in Toulouse: the Matuseks who are sure will be busy organizing the material life of these children until everything stabilizes in the North.

(Here are François's specific memories of this: "(around June 19), We went back to Coutances, without meeting any Germans. Then, to hide ourselves, we were all four in the house of the Dupuis, in Agon.
We wanted to go into the free zone, but we thought we had to have a pass from the occupant; one day, we read in the newspaper that the X's orals were going to Toulouse, where the candidates were asked to go; I do not remember that the applicants were being accommodated, because Mom immediately thought that the Matuszek could accommodate us, and so the question did not arise. It was proud to have a valid reason to go to the free zone, and it was by wanting to do the steps that we learned that no paper was necessary, that there was only one ticket to take at the station... That was correct, and that's how we all went to the Coutances-Toulouse route, in three days and three nights, because the trains were not fast, they didn't drive at night for fear of bombing (but we stopped at the yard at night, which didn't seem like a good choice if we feared the bombs). I have already told you about our stay in the south-west and our return to Paris; I think I failed to say that the son Matuszek, Jean, who was supposed to be a little younger than us, joined us all summer, but I think you understood it."

Phil after his demobilization will join them and J.C. is not so far away that he can also go to them. So your sisters have a little peace on this side, I am very happy they were (especially) an excessive nervousness, it must be admitted that there is something about which, besides the concerns suffered, one does not attend such a collapse of his country without suffering. What happened? We know nothing or almost, the TSF is German and we are forbidden to take the English. I am like you, I have a torn heart and I feel very lonely in this large house which, without my presence, would be long occupied from the cellar to the attic, and without any doubt more or less looted. All empty houses were opened by force and inhabited, but I must say that many did not suffer greatly from this intrusion. The officers hold their hands, fortunately, I sometimes had to resist certain demands and the gates are now locked from morning to evening. I wrote a little everywhere to all those we love without having any news yet, I am very worried that you tell me about little Elisabeth and Rémy. God have mercy on them all. I have received the beautiful card of France from my Titi, she will be amputated alas, I thank him for working for me. Goodbye my dear children, I kiss you very much all 4.

Your Nany

I just spent three days in my bed with a liver attack.

Nany in Germaine and Jean Hausermann in Rosario

Vierville19 August 1940(for) Hausermann1070-25 de dicíember Rosario (Rep. Argentina)

My darling children

A friend of JeanC. : Mr. Matusek you must have heard about, had the attention to write this morning to S. and propose to pass on news. All My letters to your address – plane or not – come back to me because our winners feel our hearts anyway, they know how to do it, if I dare say! to put you to the test and we wonder when and how they will end. I hope that this thin sheet of paper will reach you to tell you that we are all in good health after having had our trials like the others! Suz. could not without great difficulties pass in France unoccupied to go to the bedside of our Phil at Chateauroux hospital about ten days ago with a pleurisy. The brave child who retired from the Loire in very harsh conditions by walking in a formidable heat and still worn out of these heavy khaki cloth clothes while the boaches were in shirt arms, armed with machine guns, our poor genius soldiers had rifles of greasy one shot (we'd cry to write the failure and armament of our army!) The retreat for him was carried out in a den discovered where they received a beating rain all day. The brave child wrote me a bitter letter describing everything he had seen, because they were all close to the fugitives from north to south, some on foot, others in cars, others in bikes, others in cars, others in cars, deploring our fate if We had taken the same path, but I refused to leave V. knowing that at the first turn of the road it would have been necessary to leave your sisters there. (Coutures) And it was then the invasion and how fast! of all the greened troops, well armed, and all motorized. Even our little village is invaded; and well m'en took not to leave the old house that I have hitherto preserved from unwanted hosts. All the villas on the beach are inhabited by an E.M. officers and men. Up to here it is courteous. (the mayor) A little German, he is up to his task and he is a fierce defender of his fellow citizens. (from Pierre to Gruchy,) had 50 men at her place; with all the disadvantages that follow. Your sisters came to meet me here with the little ones, because the two seniors eligible for the X had to go to court Toulouse. They failed, Michel had the contest of Navale cancelled, Cherbourg was bombed from morning to evening, so the three boys are in the vicinity of Toulouse as trainees of one of the construction sites led by Mr. Matusek who runs a strong electric company in the Midi. They will stay there another month before returning to school. J-Pierre hopes that it will be received at Centrale and that it will return to Paris, she spent winter in Angoulême. Georges was still in Bizerte a few weeks ago, I-I hope he was able to join Suz. near Phil, we warned him. Thanks to God the cry was less bad than one feared and the liquid quickly sank. The good Gilbert demobilized had the loving kindness to go near the child's bed, with Claudon, before going back to Paris where they are now reorganizing the office of the street of L. (London) with Challon, J. Cord., Richardetc. old The two of us were left in the white room where they seemed to be in the best position, because they didn't gain any energy, it is said. J.C. demobilized used a lot of time in this new arrangement. We saw him for 24 hours. He had to walk with his suitcase by hand the 20kms that separate us from Bayeux because the gasoline is not found for us. (Both) which are Never On foot, how sad my dear children are to see our dear country on such a yoke. We all suffer, and my health is not bright. Mr. Godard died in Sablé as he was fleeing with his own in the south; the 2^nd Grandson of the Sauze (?) I've been in the middle of a long time. I've finally heard about Toulon. What pains?! My dears, when will I see you again. I kiss you tenderly... ((if any, illegible words)

Nany in Germaine and Jean Hausermann in Rosario

Vierville22 Sept 1940

My darling children

I take advantage of J.C.'s trip to get his family back to Paris and drive back to the car, to send you some news he hopes will pass through in a free zone, so address you. We I am always cut off from the rest of the world by the will of our victors who have the harsh grip. But first of all, I am without anything directly from you since June, what a torment! However I was able to know by J.C. who knew about Gilbert (Hersent) that a letter from you, dated late August, has arrived at the Bl.(The White, seat of Hersent in free zone)So you live and, I hope! in good health. It certainly is not worth your weekly mail, but it is at least q.

So I didn't move here and as a result the old house is still intact, it's occupied by officers whose courtesy is sufficient.^nd And have their meals in their mess at Than's mansion. Your sisters were with me since August. Georges is still in Tunisia and we don't know when he'll be back. (Philippe) I wrote to you, who had a cryesis caught in the battle and retreat!! Unfortunately! from the Loire. Suzon had gone to join him at Chateauroux where she spent a month near him, she wrote to you at that time. The 3 boys returned these days from Ariège where they spent 3 months as trainees in an electricity company run by a friend of J.C. who took care of them as a real father her eldest son was with them, so they spent the summer in various construction sites in Ariège.
Comments by François: "When we were in Toulouse, Jean-Pierre, Michel and I The X's oral, we were received by Matuszek, a comrade of Papa's boss of the Pyrenean Electric Energy Society, who then sent us for a month on his site at the Arn in Montledi, near Mazamet, where we made mainly topography above a gallery. This was our first salary. The situation in the occupied area was not clear, so we were then on the dam of Naguilles, above Orlu, in the Arriège, where, until we returned to Paris (the high schools were returning to the capital), we went mainly with the barrage guard, which was mostly hunter of isard and very probably smuggler (it was known as "Cacahouette"), and who knew perfectly theIon.

J.P. returned to Centrale where he was received, too, but took a one-year leave to represent himself at l'X (both failed in the oral.

So Simon leaves this morning with Yves and her husband, to finally settle in his furniture, it is not the apartments that are missing in Paris and I hope she will find q.q. thing from L.(Lamball) Suzon spent some sad days with Ph.'s concern, fortunately there is nothing left of this child's country look, he can stay here as much as it takes. (Brigitte) I'm doing well and I'm trying to keep the little good caught here this summer, because I don't need to tell you that all these sad events are not meant for old people like me: my friends (old) stay there for the most part. Dr. Parmentier died in January, Mr. Godard stayed in Sablé fleeing with his family in front of the invasion; his poor wife regrets not having done as I did! At the Bousquet who fled, their Norman house was looted from the bottom to the bottom. No news of the Collards and not much of Toulon, only once I learned of Rémy's disappearance, the death of little Elisabeth and that of Mr Rousseau; then that Henry was a prisoner in Germany, sad balance, I pity you, I complain them and unfortunately cannot tell them, wrote to them 5 to 6 times, but what will they receive?The Batifol returned to Paris. (Juliette Bat.) Waiting for a baby by January. ( ?) We can't go home to Lille where everything is looted or occupied; Jean is a prisoner in Germany. Here the village is occupied, there are verderets in all houses; but without much looting, we begin to feel restrictions, because we have to feed in France several million victors and many provisions pass in Germany. Sadly, ours comes out; we haven't yet returned from this humiliation! Our guild. Not yet happens much, as for those responsible for this horrible defeat, they deserve death. Goodbye my four darlings, I think of you and kiss you very tenderly popur all the house.

Jean Cordelle to Jean Hausermann, (letter bell) 24 Sept 40, but did she arrive?

We haven't heard from you for a long time, and we wrote. Having obtained a pass to go to the free zone, I take the opportunity to let you know.

You will find attached a word from your mother that I left before yesterday morning in Vierville. She is still not healthy, however she keeps herself with tops and bottoms. The obligation to house Germans was for her a great cause of worries, annoyance as you can imagine, although everything happened in the least bad conditions possible.

As it had remained at the time of occupation, the Kommandatur of Vierville (Captain of ??? very correct) put no one in the castle; but by mid-August there were so many troops to stay that they had been accommodated without going through the Kommandatur, and so a first series which lasted 5 days was installed at home: 3 officers, 1 prescription, 100 hours in the woods, with about 20 trucks, cars, motorcycles, etc. This was the most unpleasant period, it made a lot of movement, noise, with some damage (minimally elsewhere) in the wood and the vegetable garden.

One 2^nd The series included a very kind captain, by whom we obtained that there were no more soldiers, but only 2 or 3 officers.

At present there is only one colonel who seems to be well and who lives in the room of Flondrois. This is the best solution, because it makes soldiers and other officers flee, and it is to be hoped that there will remain for a long time.

The attitude of the occupants is generally correct, seeking even to reconcile the population, but as soon as they feel they have to ..........??... with brutality.

Moreover, they have control over everything in occupied areas, and France is gradually emptied of its substance by the requisitions of food, raw materials and material, intended for the maintenance of the occupying troops and the necessities of war with England which naturally goes for the Germans before any other concern.

Simon, Suzanne, Mom and the children left Coutances for Vierville at the end of July. Fr., Mich. and JP had joined Toulouse on 15 July to go through the orals of l'X, passing from occupied area to free zone without any difficulty at that time. I myself was demobilized on 31 July and returned to Paris on 2 August without difficulty to cross the demarcation line. On 4, J'était à Vierville had made on foot the 21 km from Bayeux to Vierville.

Meanwhile I stayed in Paris, where Mom came back, to get back in touch with Chalon, ... and Gilbert came out of the way.

Suzanne went to Philippe's bedside sick of a cry in Châteauroux, reformed in early September, both returned to Vierville a few days ago.
Last Sunday, I broughtSimon, Yves and Clementine to Paris, having obtained a permit from the Kom. de Vierville to travel and gasoline as refugees returning home.

Finally, having obtained a pass for the free zone after a lot of patience, I went to Toulouse yesterday morning to bring Fr., Mich. and JP, but to see that they had just left for Paris the same morning. I was also in line with the indications I had given them by a friend, because I did not know when I had to get my pass. They took a train of refugees and I hope to find them in Paris when I arrived there tomorrow morning.

Fr. and JP both passed the orals of the X. Fr. is admissible, JP no. Polytechnic becoming civil school is installed in Lyon, we recruit there as before the qqes artillery officers and engineering XXXX to our new army and the engineers of the state, those that already exist and those that l'on created by replacing military bodies such as GM, Powders and Armament, etc. They were both received at Centrale, François 6^nd, JP 176^ndThe latter will enter Paris on October 7, François will try to get a one-year leave, to re-do a year of Special in Janson. Michel remains in default, the Navale contest has been cancelled and we do not know what will be left of it. I advise him to do a year of Special to see coming.

It is difficult to say what we will or will not do this winter, because what will the Anglo-German war give us? What are the consequences of the British attacks on us? Where is the fair play of the English?

The plans are to settle in Paris, Simon and Suzanne providing a permanent stay in Vierville with or without your mother and Philippe. We must not abandon the house if we want to monitor what is going on there. On the other hand, the means of heating and food are safer in Vierville than in Paris. It is therefore likely that your mother stays there, all this subject to unforeseen events
The company stays in the White with the old ?? to deal with business at the colonies and abroad. In Paris there isChalon, Laboria, myself, Richard, ???, the draftsmen, Vallée will probably become also and perhaps ???,Gilbert alone of the family comes there regularly (Claudon is in Paris, Seroux? in the White)

We are looking to build bridges that the French genius blew up with a senseless prodigy since there was no more army to defend the passages. Also in view of a syphon under the Serine for a collector, and the setting up of the railway tunnels for the crossing of Nantes.

I spoke to Gilbert about Argentina; he seems satisfied with what you're doing. Did you receive a letter from him in which he indicated that he was taking a reward that included 2% of the benefit of 1939, i.e. half a year, then your stewardship started in July. He did not receive an acknowledgement of receipt from you and wondered if your letter is lost or his has not arrived.

I don't know about Germaine's parents because we can't match the two areas.

Living in occupied areas is almost normal except for a number of constraints resulting from occupation. One limits one's concerns to important things and one pays little attention to many small XXXs who arrive in unbearable XXX otherwise.

We travel freely in the free zone, except in the north and east, and provided it is not by car. We cannot circulate between 11pm and 5am, which is perfectly indifferent. My self-injury risk is very much to be requisitioned because of his youth. If yes it will be paid to me on the same basis as the French military requisition.

The big concern is the supply, I think winter will be hard to pass, but that it will be fired. ...

……

For correspondence, do not write in occupied area, it is lost. Send everything under envelope to my name to the White; when I will pass there, I will bring it back open. So that I know if you received this letter that I send via Lefebvre ( ??) North America, as soon as reception telegraph to the White that you received my letter of September 24th....

As far as your predecessor's matte is concerned, he doesn't want to know anything.

Jean Cordelle to Jean Hausermann, (letter blank) 18 December 40

The White
My dear Jean

Although I have a 2 month renewable pass in 2 months, the circumstances of my work did not allow me to go to the free zone earlier and I could not write since September 24th. Your telegram advising that you had received my last letter arrived at the White in October and was transmitted in its time.
When I got here yesterday, I found your letter of October 25 that I'm going to pass on to your mom as soon as I get back.

I would like to have more frequent meetings, 2 or 3 times a month, someone from Hersent or SPR staff. (Port of Rosario) The first time you're here, you can't ask a third of us to pass closed letters because it's not very strict, since it's only done by polls, but nobody wants to spend a few days in prison. However, we can entrust letters without envelopes to what we do commonly. So you can send a word in the letters to SAH or to Mr. Gilbert for your mom or for one of us, he will arrive in Paris through the first affair. Whenever you want your prose not to be open, put it in a closed envelope in my white name, she'll wait for me to pass.

When you receive this letter, do you want to telegraph to the White "For Cordelle received letter December 17"

Attached you will find a letter from your mother, a little old it is true because I was thinking about going to the White about November 15, and I didn't have time this time to ask her for a letter, my departure was decided very quickly.
Your mom still resides in Vierville, her health is still our concern, although she's improving right now. It seems that the hypothesis of TB glands is the right one, and that's what gives her so much anemia. Ultraviolet irradiation has done her good and she's currently in a clinic in Caen where we're studying to make an exact diagnosis, at the same time as we're doing blood transfusions to fight anaemia. The first one has been successful and the globular analysis indicates a very sensitive progress, I think it will be back in Vierville between Christmas and the day of the year.

Since the end of September, Vierville has remained inhabited by your mother, Suzanne and Philippe; he is on a very good track but he is tired and needs rest; Chedal has returned from Bizerte 15 days ago; he is currently in Vierville on leave, he is returning today with Suzanne, and Simone will take his place for a few weeks.

From the occupation point of view, we always house a Colonel and everything is going well here.

As for us, we extracted our furniture from the frames and rented the 7th B.C.^nd and 8^nd, dining room and 2 bedrooms in the 7^nd, with kitchen, lingerie, etc. and the room of F.M. with bathroom and a large studio under the roof at 8^nd We have found the family life, the gas being rationed, we cook and table with the Chedals. Of course there is no coal for central heating, we try to heat up with electric radiators, just not to freeze, 10 to 12° in the heated room, but you know that François and Michel are never cold, Yves is so uncooled and as for Simone and I we take all this on the right side thinking that central heating is very unhealthy.

Our furniture was very well packed, but you can tell Vilalonga if you have occasion that they kept one of my sofas and the small white painted chair of our bathroom, I guess it didn't fit in the frames and that with the quiet carelessness of the country they kept them.

The children are in Janson de Sailly, Fr and Mich en Spécial, Yves in 5th grade, and continue their studies normally. JP is in Centrale, Paris as before, as well as Normale. The faculties are in interruption of 1 month following the regrettable incidents of 11 November which it would have been very easy to avoid. You had to hear about it, but which were considerably enlarged by the information.

The supply is always very difficult, the welding for bread will be very hard. The meat will be missing and will be much lacking for a long time, the herd having been diminished first by the French stewardship during the first months of war, our governments having not constituted the necessary stocks of refrigeration, then by the invasion and abandonment of the herds...