Post-War — Mother and Son

SCAN0051

Transcription

…выйдите на тротуар то смотрите, справа от входа на 3ч — этаже. У нас всё в порядке настроение ещё и самочувствие искреннее нормальное. Целуем вас всех. Мать и Сын.

Context

This brief fragment stands apart from all other correspondence in several crucial ways:

Physical Characteristics:

• Brown kraft paper instead of wartime German letter paper
• Pencil instead of blue ink
• Torn condition suggesting rough handling or poor storage

Content Differences:

• No elaborate greeting — brief, matter-of-fact tone
• Giving directions to a building: “3rd floor, right of entrance”
• “Mother and Son” signature — completely different from Raisa’s usual signatures

Historical Context: This appears to be from the post-war period (1945-1946+) based on:

• Different materials available after war
• Practical content — helping someone find their new address
• Changed circumstances — no longer writing elaborate letters

Possible Scenarios:

1. Post-repatriation: Raisa and family member writing to relatives about their new Soviet housing
2. Displaced persons period: Writing from DP camp or temporary housing
3. Resettlement: Directions to new apartment assignment after return

Personal Significance: The phrase “настроение ещё и самочувствие искреннее нормальное” (mood and health are genuinely normal) suggests they felt the need to reassure recipients about their psychological and physical condition — understandable after years of forced labor.

Family Structure: The “Mother and Son” signature raises questions about family composition post-war. This could be:

• Raisa and a younger brother (Grisha/Motik?)
• Raisa’s mother and Raisa
• Different family members entirely

This fragment provides a glimpse into the post-war period that’s rarely documented in the archive — the practical, brief communications of survivors rebuilding their lives.

Source: SCAN0051