Headquarters 101st Airborne Division
101st CIS Detachment
APO 472, U.S. Army
Memorandum for the Officer in Charge.
I was born at the estate of my father in HARTFEL, AUSTRIA, in 1896. My father was 60 years old at the time of my birth. He died when I was 6. I know nothing of my father's family. My brother and I spent little of our time together, as he was 7 years older. He attended the Realschule in STYRIA and spent only his vacations at home. The death of my mother left a deep impression on Adolf and myself. We were both very much attached to her. Our mother died in 1907 and Adolf never returned home after that.
Since I was so much younger than my brother, he never considered me a playmate. He played a leading role among his early companions. His favourite game was cops and robbers, and that sort of thing. He had a lot of companions. I could not say what took place in their games, as I was never present. Adolf as a child always came home too late. He got a spanking every night for not coming home on time.
After my brother finished school he went to VIENNA. He wanted to go to the Academy and become a painter, but nothing came of it. My mother was very sick at the time. She was very attached to Adolf and wanted him to stay home. That's why he stayed. He left the house after her death in 1907. I never saw him from 1908 until 1921. I have no idea what he did at this time. I did not even know if he was still alive.
He first visited me in 1921. I told him that it would have been much easier for me if I had had a brother. He said: 'I had nothing myself. How could I have helped you? I did not let you know about myself because I could not have helped you.' Since my father was an official we received a pension of 50 kronen. This should have been divided between Adolf and myself. I could have done nothing with 25 kronen. My guardian knew that Adolf supported himself in VIENNA as a laborer. Adolf was interviewed and renounced his half in my favor. Since I attended the Higher Girls' School the money came in handy. I wrote him a letter in 1910 or 1911, but he never answered.
I never had any particularly artistic interests. I could draw rather well and learned easily. My brother was very good in some subjects, and very weak in others. He was the weakest in mathematics and, as far as I can remember, in physics, also. His failure in mathematics worried my mother. He loved music. He preferred WAGNER even then. WAGNER was always his favorite.
My brother came to VIENNA in 1921 for the express purpose of seeing me. I did not recognize him at first when he walked into the house. I was so surprised that I could only stare at him. It was if a brother had fallen from heaven. I was already used to being alone in this world. He was very charming at the time. What made the biggest impression on me was the fact he went shopping with me. Every woman loves to shop.
I did not see him regularly. About a year later he visited
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