Wernigerode, Sunday evening, June 20, 1937

Dear Fellows:
In order not to start this letter with "I", I want to ask you first how you are. I am doing fine! At this moment, I am sitting on the sofa in the living room of the Kroeker family and am trying to give you as complete a report as possible about my adventures.
To start: the trip was long and tedious. At 1 o'clock I had a nice meal in the dining car. In Bentheim, the customs officer boarded the train and asked if I had anything to declare. Apparently I have a trustworthy face because he did not look any further.
At the exit of the Wernigerode railroad station Mr Kroeker was waiting for me. At home, I was very cordially welcomed by Mrs Kroeker with potatoes and bread. Next to bed. One also gets tired just spending a whole day on the train doing nothing.
My room is small but pretty, and the bed is marvelous. Saturday morning I went to the castle and had a cup of coffee up there. The waiter told me that this year the number of Dutch tourists was much smaller than before. In the afternoon I went with the two kids to the Lustgarten for an open air music performance. I am already good buddies with the small one, who is 5 years old. The youngest is only two and does not say much. In the evening, the Landlord took me to some crime movies. Afterward we visited the Ratskeller and had a crock of beer. At 1 a.m. I finally got to bed. It then started raining and that continued until late that afternoon. To kill the time I picked up a book and read. After that, Herr Kroeker and I visited his mother who lives in a beautiful villa in the nearby mountains. A walk with a splendid view of the town. After the dinner- which isn't too bad, after all - I read some more and am now busy writing. Apparently I overestimated my writing capabilities, because by now I do not really have anything more to say than that I certainly like it here and will be able to survive another two weeks.
Well, fellows, I hope you are content with this epistle and that you can decypher it, otherwise just use the magnifying glass.
Best regards from the family, acquaintances (O, a germanism), friends, etc. (Bobbie) and till next time.
Your loving son
Fekko
Just in case you do not remember the address:
J.J. Kroeken Jr.
Im Kuntzchen Garten 3
Wernigerode a. Harz
Do write back!