Dear Sister Heydenreich. Thank you very much for your friendly letter of the 11th of this month. I was really pleased to receive a message from you after such a long break. I thought you were angry with me, but I didn't know why. I could have guessed that you had no time due to the Christmas business. May I ask you about the December sales, the round number? Not down to the last penny. People are still interested in the situation there. The fact that you moved is incredibly interesting. It was always my only concern back then, firstly, to get out of the "fly shop" and secondly, move into the city center. Now you've managed it. And it had to be done right in the middle of the Christmas business? Yes, that's how it is in the military; such things are usually carried out at the most inconvenient time. Well, the main thing is that it's more practical there, and that you like your new accommodations. Sales have improved, as you say, and the comrades don't have to travel as far as they used to. When I'm back in Paris, I'll try to come to E. for the "weekend" and look at the converted Front bookstore. Did you manage the annual inventory well? Did you miss much? So you already had to swap places with your assistant. Sister Laibl went to Blois, and from there you got a new assistant there. That's just how it is in the military; there's a constant coming and going of comrades, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. By the way, I know Blois from the advance, so from 1940. And you've been on leave there too? You're doing well there, though. I was on leave before my Nancy relief in June, and I haven't been back yet. Unfortunately, I can't leave here either because I've had to run my shop on my own since January 1st. In the middle of the Christmas season, my employee, who was provided by the local troops, was taken away from me. I opened on November 20th and, until November 30th, i.e., in ten days, I sold almost RMK 8,000. December brought in almost RMK 15,000, which I had to manage almost 90% of on my own; my employee only arrived two days before the opening and was a pastry chef in civilian life. I didn't really come to my senses for a long time. Only in January, when things had returned to normal, did things calm down. But I'm constantly busy; I sold over RMK 5,500 in January. My employee, Jendricks, is no longer a front-line bookseller. He's been replaced and is with the troops. How are things going in E;? What's actually going on? Comrade Schroth? I wrote to him at least eight weeks ago, but haven't received a reply yet. Perhaps he's not even there anymore? Unfortunately, we only saw each other at lunchtime in Paris. We arranged a time to talk in the evening, but then unfortunately didn't meet again. Please give him my best regards, as well as the "sergeant" at the field command there. And now, finally, thank you very much for the RMK 20 you sent, which you exchanged for 400 francs after I sent it to Miss Vezain. It's already worth something to me now that I have francs for it. Please also give my best regards to Miss Vezain; I also thank her very much for her efforts. And now best regards to you, Rudolf Kramer
