Contrexéville 6 July 39

Dear Lore,

I was quite suddenly given permission to do my ‘stage’ at Contrexéville in the Vosges.  Today, Thursday, I did not have to start work as I had to register with the Police.  The town here is much smaller than Thonon but there are many large hotels and one Casino.  My hotel has 130 rooms but we can cater for 300 guests.  I have my own small room and feel very comfortable in it.  We get up at ¼7 and drink coffee at 7.  After that we work and if we finish early we can go to the rooms.  We eat at 11.30 but must change first.  At 2 o’clock we have more or less finished serving all the guests and then we are free until 5 or 5.30.  I can’t quite remember.  Then we must go back to the restaurant and we finish at about 9 o’clock.  Then we are free again and can go out or to bed.  The band at the casino plays opposite my room and I can hear the music all the time.  When I am in my room in the evenings I always listen to dance music.  I will not write to you in French because it is quicker like this.  I wrote the English letters by myself but I told myself that I wouldn’t be able to write as well in English as you do in French.  You write the opposite. Which is true?  I can’t send you any jokes because I have no money to buy newspapers.  I can’t tell you if there will be war because I don’t know what to think of the situation.  Thanks for the sweet which tasted good.  Dear Lore, I went to the bank in Thonon and rented a very small safe which costs 50Fr. Per annum.  I put there all the jewellery and the two cameras.  Don’t mention this to Oma or Tante Georgel will get into trouble.

Thanks for the coupons.

Write soon.  Much love Oswald

My address:
O. Jacobi (stagiaire)
Hotel Majestic
Contrexéville
(Vosges)