October 7 & 10, 1941: Pacifism in the US

Articles in the Kansas State newspaper about starting the Fellowship of Reconciliation Club

Transcription:

Pacifist Program Gets Under Way

The Manhattan chapter of the Fellowship of Reconciliation will meet at 8p.m. Saturday at the Congregational parsonage, 710 Poyntz. Charles Hall, who is student secretary of the F.O.R. for Kansas, will meet with the group to discuss the purposes of the movement and the problems of organization of the local unit. All who are interested in the pacific program are invited to the meeting. 

The Fellowship of Reconciliation is a world-wide, non-denominational organization of pacifists believing in opposition to all wars and aggressions by methods of non-violent resistance.

********************************************

Wesley Foundationers tomorrow night at 7:30p.m. Henrietta Ferguson and Warren Cooper are in charge of the affair which will be in Wesley hall, 1637 Fairview.

Organ meditations by Elaine Rohrer and a violin solo by Pat Prather are planned for the Sunday morning church school worship service at the Methodist church at 6th and Poyntz. Phil Brum and Marjorie Rasure will lead games at the fellowship cafeteria Sunday evening at 5p.m., while Areta Boyer and Mike Roller will direct the kitchen force in fixing chicken and noodles which will be sold at four cents a dish.

Charles Hall of Fort Hays State College, student secretary of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, will speak at Wesley League at 6:30 p.m. in the Methodist Church. His subject will be, "Christian Pacifism - The Answer."

Opa has been an active part of this club forming, so it is interesting to see the articles announcing the pacifist club coming to Kansas State. I wonder how this club was perceived, especially with a German on board. When the United States was essentially just biding its time until it committed to the war fully, how passionately did folks feel about this issue? From what I can tell it was a fairly divisive discussion. Obviously, we know what happens in December, when Pearl Harbor is attacked. How man folks who were pacifists turn against their principles? It's a fair question. I'll be interested to see if this club gathers any steam after the US joins the war effort. We shall see!

October 1941: Cuba Possible?

Letter from Ella to Opa

Translation:

Tom Döppner

Manhattan, Kansas

1119 Kearney

Berlin, Charlottenburg 4

Droysenstrasse 14

My beloved boy, I haven’t written to you in almost two weeks, I was really down, physically and emotionally. So it goes from time to time. But I also hadn’t heard from you in a while. Just the day before yesterday the second letter from Manhattan came (from September 21.) I’m glad you’re settling in well there, which I’m sure the people you know from McPherson are partially contributing to. I’m looking forward to seeing the photo of your room that you mentioned; hopefully it will come soon. 

Even more, I hope some opportunity arises for me to be able to come to you. You got the cable from the Quakers, in the meantime, and I think you’re doing what you can. You’re clear on the urgency, of course. I do think that I’ll be able to pay back the money that is being raised for my passage and an additional stop in Cuba. –Hunschen, it’s very moving that you want to send me money. But please don’t, not to mention that it’s just not practically possible. In the meantime, I got the money that I still had yet to claim, so I’m getting by for the time being. And I do think I will come to you. Naturally I can’t visit Patti. I got a Red Cross letter from her last week. She’s happy, just terribly homesick. When will I see the child again? Hunschen, after getting the cable you put yourself in touch with the Quakers! They always have good advice.   

I’m really worried about you: Hunschen, don’t get sick! Why are you so tired? Why are you getting so little sleep? You have to make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep every day! How are you eating? Do you have enough to eat? Write about it thoroughly! Can you take care of yourself a little, and have you?  The fact that the exam showed that your lungs are working fine calmed me down a little, but if you think you’ll soon get used to getting little sleep, that’s a big mistake. Please, Hunschen, make sure you get enough sleep! Write about it! If only I could take care of you again! –There’s a very nice lady living with me now. She has a 19 year old son, who goes to the technical high school and reminds me so much of you. I ache when they sit so sweetly next to each other and talk about whatever comes to mind. How I would like to be able to do that with you and Patti and also Maurice. Even though I’ve still never seen Maurice, he is as dear to me as I ever would have thought possible. How lovely everything could be if we were together!

Thanks to your roommate for his greetings. I will write to him soon. The Shelleys will also get news from me soon. –That Jürgen is doing well, and that the two of you are in touch, makes me happy.  

You wrote very little about your work, or did a letter get lost between the 5^th and 21^st of September? In any case, write to me thoroughly about everything. –I can imagine my boy giving the baby a bottle. You’re a sweet boy.

I kiss and hug you, my Hunschen!  

Yours, Mama

Ella is holding on to all hope that she will get to join her son again. She only hears from Patti through Red Cross postcards, a standard method of communication in wartime (a luxury really). Patti is homesick for her family, something that must give Ella a mix of joy and sorrow. 

It looks like there may be some brief opportunity for passage to the US via Cuba, as Ella seems to be making some sort of plan. It looks like the Quakers are raising money to try to get her passage to Cuba, and Ella is optimistic. She is so sweet about Opa's offer of money as she absolutely refuses it. 

Then Ella goes into her ritual of mothering: "don't get sick" "why are you tired?" "do you have enough to eat?" "get enough sleep!" Bless her- she really can't help herself. She asks Opa to write her in detail about what he is eating and how well he sleeps. HA! I don't know if her complete spiral into nervous mothering is a means of distraction, a way of catching up for lost time, or if she was always like this and nothing has changed. I suspect a little mix of it all. 

Little does she know that Opa's access to food and sleep are probably significantly better than her own. Perhaps that's the standard she's applying, hoping that he eats and sleeps well while he can. Nothing is solid or predictable in Ella's life. 

Ella talks about her roommates (likely a way to save money) and how she envies the mother and son who get to sit and talk about anything they want. It's all she wants.

September 23, 24, 26, 1941: Good Effects

Letter from Rebecca J. Timbres (I think of AFSC) to Brethren Service Committee 

Transcription:

September 23, 1941.

Mrs. Rosa D. Murphy,

Brethren Service Committee

Philadelphia, Pa.

Dear Mrs. Murphy:

In reference to our conversation yesterday regarding candidates for scholarship in the five Brethren Colleges there are several questions I would like to ask.

Re: Manchester College. Have the following students had their scholarships renewed for the year 194142:

Stefan Kaufman - File #3498

Loewenfeld, Eva - " #2324

Ursula Bondy - " #1636

Sabine Heller - " #1052

Is the scholarship for Renate Solmitz - File 4147 -, who is still in England, to be paid out of the $100 or will her $100 be secured after her arrival in America?

McPherson College. Can you tell no whether Thomas Doeppner expects to attend McPherson College or whether he has succeeded in finding a place in an engineering college?

I would appreciate it very much if a list of the Refugee students accepted by the Brethren Colleges be sent me so that I may know how many scholarships are still available for refugees from the total of ten.

Proposals already made to Elizabethtown and McPherson College.

We proposed the name of Oliver Foss to Elizabethtown and have also sent his papers to McPherson College, where we understand there is an excellent department in art, a subject which Oliver is particularly interested. He is the only student we have proposed to two colleges for consideration. Catherina Fruin and Leo Postman have been suggested to McPherson College. We have just received word from Catherina Frun that she is eager to receive the scholarship at McPherson.

(second page)

Mrs. Rosa D. Murphy    -2-     9-23-41

We shall be able to go ahead with further suggestions when we hear from you about the  students you already definitely accepted for the coming year.

We understand that Henry Glade has received a renewal of his scholarship at Elizabethtown for 1941/42.

Sincerely Yours,

Rebecca J. Timbres.

Associate Secretary.

Letter from Rebecca J Timbres (at AFSC) 

to President W.W. Peters (President of McPherson College)

Transcription:

September 24, 1941.

President W.W. Peters,

McPherson College.

McPherson, Kansas.

Dear President Peters:

We have just received word that Oliver Foss has been accepted by Elizabethtown College, so that his application need not to be considered further for McPherson College.

A telegram has just been received saying that Catherina Fruin is very much interested in receiving the scholarship at McPherson, and we shall be very happy indeed, if you are able to accept her. We  are also hoping that you will be able to receive Leo Postman as well.

I wonder if you could tell us the latest new about Thomas Doeppner and whether he will return to McPherson College.

Sincerely yours,

Rebecca J. Timbres,

Associate Secretary.

Letter from W.W. Peters (McPherson College President) to Rebecca Timbres of AFSC

Transcription:

McPherson College

McPherson, Kansas.

September 26, 1941.

Rebecca J. Timbres,

...................

Dear Mrs. Timbres:

I was happy to learn that Miss Catherina Fruin is interested in receiving our scholarship and we look forward to making speedy arrangements to have her with us at as early a date as possible.

I am sorry but we are able to take only one student this year. Mr. Thomas Doeppner has transferred to Kansas State College at Manhattan, Kansas and goes with the highest recommendation from McPherson. Mail would reach him if sent in care of the college.

Trusting you may be successful in locating the folks for whom you are assuming responsibility, I am,

Yours very sincerely,

W.W. Peters.

This series of letters isn't completely isolated to Opa's story, but I think it is important for the larger story. It shows us that the AFSC is in constant communication and cooperation with other service groups and colleges in their effort to place, and support refugees. This particular letter chain is in connection with refugee students who have been accepted and received scholarships from colleges associated with the Church of the Brethren. McPherson is one of those schools. 

Rebecca Timbres (a new name for us) is following up on many students, making sure no one falls through the cracks and confirming that she knows where everyone is and if they are all still receiving needed support. In particular, her correspondence with McPherson is to confirm if Opa has indeed transferred, and if McPherson would be willing to take on two new students this year. 

The new President of McPherson writes back to affirm one student's acceptance and scholarship, he's sad to confirm that they cannot accept the second student. He then tells Timbres that Opa has transferred with the highest recommendation from McPherson.

A few things occurred to me: Opa has set the stage in McPherson for them to embrace and welcome refugee students to their campus. I'm not sure if he was aware of that, but his positive involvement on the campus likely paved the way for several other students through the years to have the same opportunity he had. If he had been in any way ungrateful or even uninvolved, McPherson might not have been so eager to bring another student. 

That reminds me that our decisions not only affect ourselves and those close to us, but could have a lasting affect in other places we may not even realize. I'm grateful for Opa's positive reputation.

I'm sad about the kid that didn't get in to McPherson. I wonder where he was and if he got another school to accept him. At this point, most of the refugee students were already out of Europe and sort of in waiting to go to school or receive support. I appreciate that the AFSC was not an agency that placed people and then dropped them. They followed them as long as they needed the support. That likely saved many of them from falling through the cracks of immigration, not getting financial support, and otherwise becoming a sad statistic. 

Opa has moved on, and left a positive legacy and open possibilities for those who follow in his path.

September 23, 1941: Very Worthy Young Man

Letter from W.W. Peters, new President of McPherson

Transcription:

Excerpt     McPherson College

            Mcpherson, Kansas

            September 23, 1941

       (received September 26, 1941)

Mrs. Kathleen Hanstein

The folks here speak very highly of Tom Doeppner and enjoyed his presence on the campus very much. He made a real contribution to the life of McPherson College and seems to have been very appreciative of what he received of McPherson. He is considered a very worthy young man.

W.W. Peters,

President.

My guess on this document is that in Opa's application for an extension of stay in the US, he had to submit letters of recommendation and character references. This letter from the new President of McPherson college, who didn't know Opa, but who seemed to have heard good things, is a big positive for Opa's file. 

I like that phrase: "very worthy young man." I agree.

September 23, 1941: Extension Request

Letter from Byron H. Uhl of Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service

Transcription:

U.S. Department of Justice

Immigration and Naturalization Service

Ellis Island, New York Harbor, N.Y.

September 23, 1941

In replying please refer to this FILE NUMBER 99503/254

Mr. Thomas Walter Doeppner

R.F.D. #1

McPherson, Kansas

Dear Sir:

This will acknowledge the receipt of your application for extension of temporary admission in the United States, which is being forwarded to the Department of Justice today.

When a reply is received, you will be advised.

Very truly yours

Byron H. Uhl

District Director

New York District

Opa has applied for his extension, a regular task he must do to keep his status in the US legal. His hopes of transferring his status from temporary to permanent are fading, but at least the INS seems to have gotten on the same page. Opa should now be able to follow a routine of regularly submitting his application for an extension, and as long as he is enrolled in school, he should be OK. But of course nothing is permanent, so there is the slight held breath until he receives a response affirming his stay.

September 23, 1941: To Be Without You

Letter from Ella to Opa

Transcription:

Thomas Döppner

1119 Kearney

Manhattan, Kansas  USA

Berlin-Charlottenburg
Droysenstr.14
Sept. 23rd, 41

My beloved boy
Now the holidays (I believe she means the summer holidays) have passed again, and I had to be without both of you. I hope they were the last ones. Everything is so hard for me, and I beg of you, not to leave anything undone, so I can come to you, and soon!

I received your letter of August 18th. Hunschen, do you have so little money, that in such a case you could not stay in a decent hotel? I believe you are saving in the wrong areas. Your description was quite humorous, but your situation was more than unpleasant.  My poor boy!

I am waiting anxiously for news about your housing in Manhattan. Your letter should actually be there already. Do you hear from Ellenruth? Martha is very worried about her.  It is not understandable that she did not visit you. Martha is telling herself all sorts of possibilities, that this man totally controls her, does not mail her letters, does not give her the letters from home, locks her in: a real wild west story. Even if I don't see it that black (German expression for trouble), I am also very worried about her, because her last letter was from July. Please Hunschen, write to her and if you also don't get an answer, try to find out what is going on there.

Her address is:
Mrs. L. Silva
1861 North Kingsley Drive
Los Angeles California. USA

By the way, do you know that Hilde Sonntag lives in Kansas? Maybe you would like to visit her:

Hilde Rossbach
Kansas City, Mo.
3627 Pasa

Thanks a lot for the pictures. I wrote to you that Papa had an enlargement made of the picture of Patti and Maurice and sent it to me as a gift. I now asked him to have one of your pictures enlarged as well. I sent him 4 to choose from, the counterpart to Lula (not sure about this name), two horses and a donkey, you and Shelley's at the front door I think.  Since I  assume that Papa will be reluctant to send them back to me, I ask you to send them to me again. Tilli also wants the donkey picture. Is it possible to send me several copies, all my friends would love to have a picture of you.  

Do you still see your friends (male and female) from McPherson at times, or is the distance to far? I do wish that you and Esther will remain good friends. You know yourself that you are too young for a binding relationship. So many more people will come into your life, so you really can wait with that for a while. Write more to me about Terry, I am not sure where to place her. Is she the daughter of your biology professor at your college, or am I mixed up about that? 

Hunschen remember, we will write to each other every week! Loewe’s received your letter, they were happy to hear from you and will write to you soon. Write to me in detail about your work, living conditions, life and especially about your thinking and feeling.

I kiss my beloved child and Erna
Your Mama

(little note on top of page)
What does Pattilein write?
Have you heard from Herting and Erna?
How are they doing?

Ella marks her time by seasons of absence. Another summer holiday has gone by without a visit from her children. In an ordinary life, she'd have them home for the summer, on their break from college. They'd be visiting friends and getting into trouble with her for staying out late or some other natural offense. Instead, she waits each day in hopes that she'll receive mail from them.  She is miles away and yet even the miles seem to be the easiest part about their distance. She herself is in a cage of fear and political boundaries, desperate to get to one of her children, but subconsciously aware that she is stuck and there isn't much anyone can do. So she fixates on their well-being, and holds on to any and all images she receives as proof.

Opa is in Manhattan, Kansas now. Ella hasn't wasted any time finding new people for him to write or visit. She is concerned that Opa's cousin Ellenruth didn't visit on her way from New York to L.A.. Ella's sister, Martha (Ellenruth's mother) is inventing stories fit for a "wild west" as Ella puts it. She is sure that Ellenruth is in grave danger. Ella is more concerned that Ellenruth is likely making poor choices. Either way, it is now Opa's job to check in on his cousin and put his mother and aunt's fears to rest. When I visited with Ruth (Ellenruth's daughter) - she told me about how much Martha and Erich had hated Alfred. Alfred was Ruth's father, and they basically blamed him for everything. 

Ella checks in on whether Opa still sees friends from McPherson (which he does because many of them have gone on to Kansas State). She checks on his heart after some information about girls not being girlfriends anymore. Then she reminds him he is too young to settle. Ha. But Patti is married. I think Ella is the kind of mother that has an idea about what is good and right, but will love and accept her children through any decision they make. Speaking of Patti, no one has heard from her in a while. I wonder what's going on with her?

Ella starts her letter the usual way- wishing and hoping to be near her children and asking him to do anything he can to make that happen. She signs off her usual way, asking for more letters, giving him love, and reminding him that whether he likes it or not, someone is loving him and thinking about him every second of every day. Her greatest sorrow is to be without him.

Spotlight: Stefan George

Hello friends, in Opa's recent letter to Gisela, he is missing his German poets. He mentions that the only one he has to read in the US is Stefan George, but he's "never especially liked him before, found his poems too sentimental and contrived...but I did find a couple of his poems that did a lot for me." He attached one of those poems for Gisela. We don't know which it was, but the mention of George and Rilke did make me think about this side of Opa that I get to see here, and didn't see as much as a child. Grandmother and Opa always enjoyed and appreciated the arts, especially musicals and Opera, but I didn't know Opa had a taste for poetry.

German poetry is a thing. Transcendentalism - that's a German thing. I didn't realize this until the tone of Opa's obvious love of German poetry over most others (and especially modern American). I realized he was missing German poetry like a Russian might miss Russian ballet. It's one of the things their culture does well. 

So Stefan George. Funnily, Opa didn't really like him all that much and I think his description is fabulous because if you google Stefan George, most people who critique him have the very same critique. He was very flowery and over-the-top with his poetry. Stefan George is a controversial poet, but it depends on the article you read. So I'm going to let you read a couple: this one sort of paints George as the unwitting cultural pandora's box for the Nazi's obsession with "German Race and Culture is Better than Everything." The article discusses whether George was completely unwitting or complicit in the views and drive of the Nazis. 

The Wikipedia article (and editors) give George the benefit of the doubt, assuming George purposely distanced himself from the Nazis when they tried to capitalize on his German purity and poetry. Even some close friends of his were involved in an assassination plot against Hitler and quoted one of his poems as they planned it. 

Either way, pretty much every one seems to agree that Stefan George was a VERY strange dude. He LOVED Germany (after having a sort of affair with France). His flowery style was sort of an attempt to reclaim the old-school German. He had a cult-like following and he was really OK with that. 

I can see why Opa didn't like him- I think he was too much of a cult-personality and he wasn't serious enough. But either way I hope you read the articles and learn a little bit more about your German poets! And maybe you like the crazy poets and find a new favorite in George.