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Swiss American Historical Society Review

Swiss American Historical Society Review

Keywords

Othmar Ammann, Switzerland, immigrants, military life, Havre

Abstract

Finally I get to write you a few lines from duty. As Papa probably has already informed you, I went from Basel to Monthal, where I met Mama and Werner, as well as Rosa and Manja Labhart from Moscow. Werner was very happy. He is thin but looks strong and healthy. He did not want to answer my question of whether he would like to come back to America with me after the war. But I am decided about bringing him back with me. On the same evening I also visited Onkel Hermann and David in Zurich. I also met Lucia. Hermann is apparently ordered to the "Depot" after Zurich. I stayed overnight in Kilchberg and spent several nice hours with your dear mother, Bruno and Bertha~ Arthur is naturally also in active duty. On the 19th I reported to Schaffhausen and was immediately sent to border duty in the canton of Schaffhausen. Since several days I have been my own boss and commander in a farming town and daily take big hikes from one post to the other. With a pleasant feeling I am wandering through the fields and woods that I went through in grade school. How often I wished that you and the boys were here with me in my wanderings. The people in the village are very accommodating and ready to perform any service asked of them. My housewife is a sturdy farmer's wife, her husband is also in service and she is taking care of the big farmland alone. On my writing table there is always a big basket filled with fruit. Naturally, my diet is quite changed. In the morning one 21 gets milk and coffee and the most wonderful butter with cheese or jelly. At noon and in the evening, meat and vegetables and naturally for each meal, ½ liter wine. I feel very well with this diet, visiting daily the "Albis" in the shady evergreen woods.

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