April - December

Ca. 100 letters, primarily from Katharine W.M. Elkinton and Howard Elkinton from Germany and Paris and elsewhere in Europe, but also from children Peter and Theodora telling of their experiences at their Dutch school in Ommen and from Katharine's mother, Katharine Evans Mason, giving family news from home

Highlights include:

KE to family. Berlin, 4/3. People over 60 who come to the Quaker office wishing to emigrate are not allowed by the government, but she tries to tell them that the Reich will not press them too hard and they would be worse off in a strange country without money or friends

HE to Katharine E. Mason. Hengelo, Netherlands, 4/4. Foreigners are not bothered much by issues that are fearful to Germans. Offers explanation of sentiments of the Jews. There are hundreds of thousands of persons who think that Hitler has done wonders for Germany. Offers different options for them to get together. Fiftieth birthday peace parade is being prepared. Reference to the Czech-Slovak affair. Even if Hitler acquires the Corridor and Danzig, he doesn't believe England will undertake another world war over affairs in the East, and the Nazis know this. Germany might attack England, but he doubts it. On the other hand, Roosevelt is "stinging the people to war as the last tattered chance of political salvage." (HE is quoting this last phrase)

KE to family. No place or date. Situation in Shanghai of so many penniless refugees, yet there are still some who want to go from Germany; specifics of other cases; mostly there is not much they can do, though occasionally they are "lucky."

KE to family. The Hague, 4/11. Description of parts of Holland and their stay there; two ladies tell them there was no immediate danger for Holland

KE to family. Ommen, 4/14. Dutch soldiers guard bridge heads and frontiers, precautions on the big dyke at Schwingen; continuing their trip in Holland

KE to family. Berlin, 4/20. Description of preparations and celebration for Hitler's 50th birthday. Each Aryan family along the route had been given candles for their windows

KE to family. Berlin, 4/25-27. The number of women applying for domestic situations in England increases daily --perhaps their last hope. KE has five outlets for her cases: Manchester, Cambridge, Suffolk, Birmingham & London, also Edinburgh; Howard was able to get permits for the Gottsteins (in whose house they had been living) to go to England until their number for U.S. comes up

HE to Katharine Evans Mason. Berlin, 5/1. Heard Hitler give a good speech in the Lustgarten stating that he has created a new nation out of a broken people. He has great range in speaking and made humorous remarks, with reference to FDR's telegram, and cautioned against "spook psychology."

KE to family. Berlin, 5/5. Accompanied by envelope with stamp and stamped with Nazi eagle and the words: "home of the Hitler youth."

KE to family. 5/13. German troops reported as assembling on the Polish border; hopes the Wagner child bill has passed the House & Senate, as it would be marvellous for U.S. to get an influx of such smart children & equally divided among Jews, Catholics, Protestants and dissidents; there is a Jewish graveyard across the road that has been smoothed out and ploughed under

HE to Samuel Mason. Berlin, 5/18. The "ugliest thing that exists is the growing sense of encirclement" that bodes ill for the future

KE to family. Berlin, 5/23. Honoring Ciano (1903 – 1944) who was an Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Benito Mussolini's son-in-law. In early 1944 Count Ciano was shot by firing squad at the behest of his father-in-law, Mussolini, under pressure from Nazi Germany, when the Italian banner hangs alongside that of the Third Reich at the same time as Alexander Kirk, American charge d'affaire was being welcomed; Howard arriving on the Hindenburg from a trip to Denmark

KE to family. Berlin, 5/27. Most things are cheaper in America than in Europe; materials are scarce in all fields; lots of important visitors in Germany; German troops who fought in Spain returning -- this despite Hitler's declaration that no German troops were fighting in Franco's cause.

HE to Katharine Mason. Berlin, 6/1. KE has just handled her 100th nurse --[ meaning who would be able to emigrate ] and has "succeeded in her field with more cases than we"

KE to family. Amsterdam, 6/11. Have come to get their German visas renewed before they sail for America

Mason, Katharine Evans to KE. Germantown, 6/16. They will have an open house for KE and family when they arrive. Attended Foreign Service meeting at 12th Street where Rufus Jones, Clarence Pickett and Henry Cadbury were in attendance, and where Jones remarked on HE's usefulness with those not refugees nor Quakers

KE to family. 6/25. Description of Bremen

HE to KE. Near Grenze, 8/25. Various options for son Peter to travel to leave the country and get to U.S.

HE to KE. Berlin, 8/27. Plan for son Peter and friend was to put them across the border where they would go directly to Mussey, then Paris. If war comes, they should catch the first ship out

PE to HE. Paris, 9/2. Belgian border is closed, so cannot go to Holland; people walking around with gas masks or just looking gloomy

HE to KE. Berlin, 9/2. Variations depending on whether there will be war or not, but assumes KE will return to Germany

HE to KE. Berlin, 9/3. War declared, though unclear what that means. Doesn't think England wants to begin the slaughter and France even less so. Feels it is important for him to stay to show that Quakers stay even when others go.

PE to family. Le Havre, 9/6. Fifteen year old Peter made his way to Le Havre only to find that he couldn't leave without a visa, so he went to the British consulate and might sail in two days time; he has registered with the U.S. consulate. "France has started to attack Germany."

HE to KE. Denmark, 9/7. Seems to be a lull, either before war or indicating that Western powers will not take active role, but hope that things will work themselves out; England & Germany appear to respect Holland's neutrality as well as Denmark's & Switzerland's. According to the German press, neither England nor France have much appetite "for a bloody carnival." Reason he did not go with his son trying to leave Europe is that he would have left his post in the Quaker center in Berlin

HE to KE. Somewhere over the North Sea, 9/9. Became so agitated over son, Peter's, welfare and decided to find him, but at the same time, Peter sailed to the U.S. Contemplating his next job, knows that he thrives on excitement

HE to Clarence Pickett. Copenhagen, 9/11 and 9/15 and from Homer Morris 10/10. Reports on various fronts of Quaker activity.

HE to KE. Copenhagen, 9/12. If she tells him not to go back to Berlin, that would be his decision, but could not leave without someone else being assigned to his post.

HE to KE. Copenhagen, 9/14. AFSC tells him to return to Berlin, though it is unclear whether for the duration of the war or not; in any case, German Friends will feel they are not deserted; crossing borders now is not easy, so if he gets into Germany, may not be able to get out

HE to KE. Copenhagen, 9/22. Reich will make decision whether to allow Quakers to continue in Germany

HE to KE. Copenhagen, 9/27. Reference to the need for Aryan-aid money for some who wish to leave and to Emil Fuchs

HE to PE. Copenhagen, 9/29. Germany wants a blitz-krieg, not a world war and has budded up to Russia so that both will offer a peace together before the war goes much further. Europe is tottering. One triumph of Friends is that Sweden is still willing to take 100 children if Friends will see that they are cared for. Denmark and Norway may do the same.

HE to KE. Berlin, 10/12. Disturbed by idea of ramped up Polish relief

AFSC to Homer Morris (copy). 10/13. In response to request for funds to help some people immigrate, AFSC states that American immigration law prohibits organizations paying for immigrant passage to America and will try to find individuals to contribute

Weise, D. to Hummel. Lubben, 10/17. Report from HWE's surgeons that he has broken collar and pelvis bones, and ends "Heil Hitler!" (This was the result of a car accident on the Reichs Autobahn as HWE was being driven to Poland on an AFSC mission)

Neuse, Rose to KE. Ommen, Holland, 10/18. Report on the Quaker school

Copy of a report by Homer and Edna Morris on AFSC Commission to Europe, October 1939

HE to KE. Berlin, 11/3. Polish relief work developing more and more satisfactorily

Society of Friends Refugee Comm (Harold Howard) to KE. Manchester, Eng., 11/3. Refugees being called before the Alien Tribunals in 3 categories: Nazi oppression, with stigma "enemy" removed; restricted to 5-mile traveling limit, but might be allowed to work; only those whose activities are thought to be "doubtful" are interned. At Manchester, all cases in the 1st category, including some who are Aryans

Shipley, Elizabeth to KE. Berlin, 11/6. People having difficulty paying for passage to leave Germany because tickets must be paid in "Deersee" and they at AFSC have now to make choices about whom to assist amongst those who want to leave

HE to KE. Berlin, 11/22. After HE leaves his post in Berlin, Elizabeth Shipley, and Edgar Rhoads and others will take his place