Birthday Letter to Elie Wiesel from Edgewood High School Students

This is a letter dated March 4, 2015, from Howard Reich, an Arts Critic at the Chicago Tribune, to "Prof. Wiesel." Reich expresses his pleasure regarding a recent visit and "beautiful conversation" they had last week in Florida. He mentions that, as promised, he is enclosing a couple of copies of his recent article, which is about a survivor and her long, hidden story. The letter is signed "Howard."

Rebecca writes to her sister-in-law Maria, hoping that her nephew, Benjamin, will come to visit Philadelphia. She also updates her on the health of family and friends and the dresses she is ready to send to Maria's sister, Judith Boswell.

Mr. Goldfine served in the Infantry, 3464th Medium Maintenance Company, 9th Army, during World War II. He describes a factory that manufactured synthetic rubber and obviously used and abused slave laborers. He encountered slave laborers of many nationalities in Letzlingen, including some women but only one Jew. On April 15, 1945, the commanding general ordered every American soldier, including Mr. Goldfine's company, to visit Gardelegen, where over 3500 victims had been burned to death in a barn the day before. Mr. Goldfine briefly describes the reactions of the few survivors once they realized they were liberated, as well as how the survivors and the German population were treated by the Americans. German civilians in Letzlingen were hostile and set booby traps for the American soldiers. Mr. Goldfine explains why he doesn't consider himself a liberator and why he thinks not enough was done to save more people. He relates how witnessing the above atrocities deeply affected him and other men in his unit and resulted in a hostile attitude towards German civilians they encountered.

Joseph Levy was born on August 22, 1911 in Eschweiler, Germany. Despite antisemitic harassment during childhood, he enjoyed his childhood in public and private Jewish schools and in a Jugendbund youth group. On January 31, 1933, his father and older brother—warned by a friendly local Nazi leader—fled before storm troopers ransacked their butcher shop in Siegburg. Some Christian employees helped shelter the family at that time and later delivered a ransom for the father’s release from Dachau. In 1937, Joseph obtained an American visa and joined his siblings in New York City. Their parents followed, aided by the Red Cross and a Jewish organization. They sailed in a fishing boat from Barcelona, with a brief stay in Cuba, before arriving in the United States in December 1941. Most of this interview narrates the stories of his father in hiding and forced labor and his brother in resistance groups in France and Spain (both of whom had already died at the time of this interview).

This document is a short, handwritten note from Colin L. Powell to an individual named Elie. The note expresses gratitude for a received note and thanks Elie for their "love and confidence." It concludes with a personal closing, "All the Best," and a signature from Colin L. Powell. The name "COLIN L. POWELL" is pre-printed at the top, serving as a letterhead.