Munich, April 1943.
My dear son!
I have grievous news for you. You must take it with as much composure as you can, and promise me not to break down or do anything rash when you have read this.
Our beloved, brave Ursula is dead. The Nazis murdered her. When you come to Munich I shall tell you all the details; till then this brief account must suffice.
A famous gauleiter was to address the students at the university, but his speech was interrupted by an overt demonstration. A number of the young students were arrested and with them our beloved girl. A few days later they were brought before the People's Court and condemned to death. When the sentence was pronounced, Ursula replied: "The day is not far distant when you, our judges and accuser, will yourselves stand accused, while our comrades will be your judges. Be assured that on that day your heads will also come under the ax."
That is what she said to her Nazi judges, and she will assuredly be proved right if there is any justice left in the world.
I was with her the day before she was murdered and she asked me to tell you that she would go to her death with your name on her lips, and she asked you to believe in God and that you two would meet in heaven.
Even the prison warders were impressed by her proud courage and they brought her many forbidden things in the last few days, though she shrank from receiving anything from people who wore the hated uniform.
A friend of mine witnessed the execution of these young people and he told me that they sang a couple of the forbidden songs so that they resounded throughout the prison, and the other prisoners sang with them from all the windows. Neither threats nor blows were able to silence them, and when the last had been executed there was a thunderous roar from those in the cell windows: "Vengeance! Vengeance!" and then they sang _Red Wedding_.* [* A revolutionary song. Wedding is a district of Berlin.]
Burn this letter, as soon as you have read it. I am sending it by a good friend who is going to the front near where your regiment is. I enclose a locket with her picture and a lock of her hair.
Dear son-in-law, Ursula's broken-hearted mother and I have, of course, never seen you, but we ask you to come and visit us as soon as you can. We will regard you as our son and ask you to regard our home, and all that is ours, as your own. We send you our most cordial greetings and hope most profoundly that all may go well with you. May we see you here with us soon!
Yours very sincerely,
All my cities glowed in the thousand suns !
Post je objavljen 18.03.2005. u 15:30 sati.