Letter from Madeleine Blaess to her parents about her plans to return to England, 1 June 1940
Scope and Contents
Blaess is positive she will be back in York in two weeks - she just needs to receive her parents' note to get a visa, and she said Vendryès' (one of her lecturers) note didn't help. She understands the administration needs to be stricter at the moment regarding visas but she is sad, yet positive she will see her parents in two weeks time. She is confused as to why Norah got her English visa easily, while she has a French and British passport but is struggling to obtain her French visa. She is sad about the news of Leopold III (Belgian King). She said she is furious about her supervisor, Cohen, because he now wants her to stay for another year and not go back to England at all. She protested and left. Norah will take all of her belongings back with her and Blaess says she might do the same, because they don't know if/when Paris will be bombed. But she still has 13 days to go and has time to think about it. She can't send her father French newspapers about the war because it doesn't say anything about the war, apart from bombings in Nancy. She hopes the libraries and university will be open next year, otherwise she won't be able to finish her thesis. She informs her parents that Roger is enlisted but hurt his finger and can't work anymore, he spent the day in Villeparisis with her aunt etc. Dilys left for Villeneuve St Georges, and Blaess helped her with suitcases, packing etc. She says it will be hard for her, she will live with her sister-in-law, being pregnant and with a disabled mother to take care of. At her boarding house, all seems well, except she thinks there is a conspiracy against her, because she can't seem to be able to be alone for a moment. There's always someone disturbing her. She says Mme André was insufferable, odious etc, and the former being tired, she spoke up and got mad. Because this is not typical of her, everybody was shocked. The next day, the commander was really amiable with her, and even Mme André was really sweet with her. She ends the letter on some other news, saying she'll see them in a week.
Dates
- Creation: 1 June 1940
Creator
- From the Fonds: Blaess, Madeleine, 1918 - 2003 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Available to all researchers, by appointment
Extent
1 Item(s)
Language of Materials
French
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
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