Kirja - Our Family in Germany illustrated

1 

Our Family in Germany 1967 – 77 

Based on Inger's letters and cards, but with Kai's pictures and kid's letters 

670425 Frankfurt: 

Hotel Monopol-Metropole a. Steigenberger Hotellgesellschaft K.G.A.A. – we arrived the day 

before yesterday here in Frankfurt. This hotel accommodation is not pleasant and also terribly 

expensive. We are looking for a House. There is an English language international school in one 

of Frankfurt's suburbs. We intend to settle there so that the kids’ route to school does not become 

too long. We have already notified all three by telephone and will possibly today, go and talk to 

the headmaster. In Finland we will arrive by air on May 12 th . Kai is coming with us. We had 

intended to come by car ferry, but our car was unfortunately delayed, we get it only at the end of 

May instead of the beginning. Back we will go by boat on June 9 th . What about the home help? 

The salary I announced was incorrect. Her diplomats pay their help 200 – 220 DEM + tax 

approx. 170 DEM/month. We cannot pay more because it would affect the prices of the others. It 

will be very easy to get help in West Germany. Our stuff from Beijing has not yet arrived. But 

we heard from Hamburg that the boat that carries them is on its way to Germany. Next Saturday 

we move to a boarding house. No rooms were available earlier. We are moving as quickly as 

possible to our own home. It's hard to eat all our meals in a restaurant with a small child. For

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lunch I sometimes buy yoghurt, sausage and bread for him. They have very good yoghurt with 

different fruit flavors here. Cherries, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, blueberries, etc. 

So far is our postal address: 

Konsul Kai Helenius 

Zweigstelle der Finnischen Handelsvertretung 

Beethovenstrasse 17 

6 Frankfurt/Main 

If we are needed in Finland earlier, Oli and I can come, but we would prefer not to come until we 

have a House and things so that we don’t end up staying at a hotel with all three kids when we 

come back in June. Kai met yesterday one of the guys who was on the boat. His children got 

measles and his wife and children are still in hospital in Trieste because no hotels are receiving 

sick children and you cannot travel with them; there are a lot of other children from the boat as 

well. We were really lucky this time. 


Ani: Dear Mumi: The trip was fun and it is fun here. On the boat, I got two girlfriends. Today we 

were taking a look at our new House and that was funny. I have been missing you very much. 

How are you now we are fine? When we were looking at our House I saw the neighbor's German 

Shepherd dog. How is Boy? We should get the car today, but we will get it tomorrow so we 

rented an Opel Rekord. On the train I saw sheep and horses and cows and then we saw two 

castles. Greet everyone and feel so good. From Annika. 


We forgot our glasses in your garage. Please call Mr. 

Hermansen of Victor Ek and ask if they still can join 

the things to be sent here. 


Our House is starting to eventually be in working 

condition. But we have not yet gotten the things 

from Finland. We have no carpet under the dining 

room table and Kim lives so far in the rooms of his 

siblings and our help in the library as their beds have 

not arrived. Kim's curtains are also on their way to 

the kid’s room I will buy Finnish cotton curtains. 

Otherwise, the House is wonderful. We have a huge 

cherry tree with ripe cherries. We've eaten all we 

could access but there is still plenty that is too high 

for us to reach them, we also have two plum trees and an Apple tree. Oli is very happy with his 

bigger siblings. He even plays Monopoly with them. 

Oli loves to own plants and yesterday he insisted to buy a cactus with his savings. He has them 

on the window in his room. Mops are also familiar with a few cats in the neighborhood and Kim 

sometimes goes and watches a dog he says that he knows. He eagerly awaits his German 

shepherd. Kai’s German Secretary is about to find out where to find a good dog. I don't want us

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to get it until the House is fully in order, but Kim is like an unhappy spirit. I have hired an 

ironing lady who will begin next Thursday. She will come once a week to iron Kai’s shirts and 

press his suits. Also my dresses she must take care of. Our girl can handle the easier ironing. Our 

immediate environment is full of self-service laundries, at least three. There we wash bed sheets 

and pillow cases and mangle them. We have our own washing machine in the basement. There 

we wash our weekly laundry. In Germany no closets are built into a home. They have instead 

their terrible big cabinets occupying at least one third of the room. They would never fit through 

the door if they were not collapsible. We have borrowed two smaller cupboards from Asko while 

we are thinking about what we should do. We end up probably to order cabinets from Finland. 

Built into the House is only a closet that has room for three suits and two dresses and we have an 

unusual amount of clothes. The wind is too hot and humid to dare to hang clothes in plastic 

wardrobes. The weather here has been nice and warm. About 30 ° C every day. 

670719 Frankfurt 

We are all great and are dog owners since last Thursday night. Kim has finally gotten his 

German shepherd. It's a bitch puppy of 4½ months. It is born on March 3 rd this year. Kim himself 

shall be with the dog when it gets old enough to be trained at the German shepherd association’s 

training ground. Here a puppy does not get pedigree unless both parents have at least one 

training test. There are three tests which begin with a difficult test and go against even more 

difficult. Our puppy has a fantastic pedigree. On it even grand-grand-grandparents are included.

The puppy came from a kennel and had never seen staircases previously. First night it did not 

come with Kim to the second floor where we are all sleeping. The next night it came but didn't 

dare go down itself, I had to carry so that it could eat. The third night it made both up-and 

downhill trip itself. We have not yet got it to understand that it should pee when out walking. 

Kim goes out with every two hours but it has yet not once done nothing but walked. It pees in the 

garden like the Kennel-sized enclosure. Only one morning we found a pee inside and one 

morning a turd. One evening I and Kai tried to go for an 

evening walk with it but she flatly refused when Kim 

was not included. Today she came with me to the store 

without Kim probably because it is me who gives the 

food. Only if I am not at home gives Kim the food then 

she must later be taught to refuse to eat if any stranger 

gives her food. If you recall, Ansu did it. On Monday 

Kai and Kim were at the vet with her. We bathed her 

with flea products and over five days she will get a dose 

anthelmintic. Later, she gets it regularly twice a year, 

just like all of us in China. The dog’s name is Nixe. All 

the puppies in the litter have names that begin with an 

N. In the beginning called Oli her Nicke. According to 

Kim, she is the world's most beautiful dog. It has for 

some time been 30 °-34 ° here. But for those of us who 

come from China, it is not so dangerous. The House is 

also wonderful. Oli is walking around naked in the 

garden where Mops have a plastic basin. They squirt on 

each other with the garden hose. Nixe is with them all 

the time. Oli has decided to become a crocodile and 

shark hunter when he grows up. He talks about it all the 

time. We have signed him in to a German kindergarten where he will begin in September. Our 

girl is in Finland since last Friday. Thursday night she announced that her grandmother had died 

and would be buried on Sunday and that she wanted to attend. We said that it is O.K. if she pays 

the journeys. She promised to come back in a week that is the day after tomorrow. Will see if she 

will. For me it is indifferent. I have an amazing ironing lady and can get a half-day maid (8-13), 

which certainly does at least as much in the five hours than the Finnish girl on all day. The 

maid’s room I can rent out towards that the person living there pays little rent + looks after the 

Mops when I'm out and is helping to prepare dinner when we have guests. Kai says that I cook 

better food than our current maid. I cannot send her to the store as she never voluntarily leaves 

any money back and if I ask to see receipts so she has gotten wrong back etc. Most recently she 

claimed when I asked her to account for the money she received as I went to Paris that she must 

have gotten 10 DEM too little change back in the store. I asked both the meat shop and the 

supermarket but both their cash had sued. The girl herself said nothing until I after having been 

home one day asked her how much she used. In addition, her cleaning is sloppy, she delves into 

my stuff while I'm away, is using my shampoo, lays down to sleep or read, if I go out. If she 

comes back, Kai and I decided that we should have a big "disciplinary action" with her. If she 

does not improve themselves, she has to go. Could you possibly send me the Finnish maid Act? 

If it is not in the book store it is that at least in one place of which I do not remember the name 

of. Possibly State Publications Authority? On Railway Street between Lasipalatsi (the Glass 

4

5 

Palace) and Bilhuset (the Car House). In addition, the girl was eating enormously. Not at 

mealtimes, but between. Even the peanuts that I bought for Annika, she ate up. All toppings, all 

biscuits, cakes, three chocolate plates disappeared without a trace and the questioning showed 

that the Mops had not touched them. Reserves I purchased for surprise guests immediately 

disappeared without a trace. She eats with us at the table and no one hinders her to eat as much 

as she wants. 

670724 Frankfurt The maid act came in today. The maid did not come back. With her 

disappeared a couple of bottles of Whisky, a bottle of Gin, a couple cans of coffee, a large bottle 

of Arden's Moisture Film, some Finnish money, possibly a natural silk dress fabric that I can't 

find anywhere and maybe something else which I have not yet observed. As what disappeared 

was not of greater value, it is advisable not to take it up with the police in Finland but Kai wrote 

a letter to her and pointed out that we are aware of her dishonesty, and asked her to pay what she 

owes on his account in Helsinki. Because we have contracted that if she breaks the contract until 

she has been a year in our service she has to pay both her trip here and return home herself. In 

addition, she borrowed money for a return trip home from Kai. Our key she shall leave to one of 

Kai's friends who is a real "though". We think it is good to have gotten rid of her. I just had a 

visit from a Lithuanian who shall start as day help with us when she gets rid of her last job. She 

is from Lithuania, married to a German and has lived here 25 years. She seemed to have a bit of 

Mrs. Niilonens grip on things and we very much hope that she will be here soon. She shall in that 

case be working Monday-Friday with us which is ideal as Kai has free Saturdays and we get to 

have the House to ourselves. Last Thursday, Kim came head first through the glass pane in the

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patio door. It's a pure miracle that he did not damage himself worse. Now he has a wound just 

under the eye as well as the same eye blue and a few cuts on his arms and hands. Kim and 

Annika were arguing and Annika rushed in and tried to shut out Kim. He did not slow down but 

got out you’re his hands so that they and the head came through the pane that was crushed. 

Annika got a flying debris shrapnel in her arm. The next day another piece of glass came out of 

the wound. I had so many times warned them to close doors in the nose of each other as we have 

several glass doors, but you know what Mops are. Kim looked horrible but it turned out not to be 

so dangerous when he became washed and plastered. The dog is feeling fine. It's awfully cute. 

Right now, some of the things come from Finland. The idiots at Victor Ek did not send all at 

once as they promised. Last Friday we bought a TV. Mops are happy. 

670823 Frankfurt: Kim is waiting on the mailman every morning to see if he gets the answer 

to his letter. Pya came already on the 14 th in the evening, though he had said that he is going to 

come on the 17 th . The Mops were happy. Maybe Pya told you about how Oli tried to wake them 

on Tuesday. Now the Mops are waiting for the next time Pya travels to Spain. Our new lady is 

fantastic. Mops are very fond of her. On Monday, she took them to the Tivoli here in the 

Ginnheim. They went and rode the merry-go-round ponies. She has promised to take them to the 

annual fair in Zeilsheim when it gets there. Her husband has had a slight stroke and will 

tomorrow go to a spa town where he stays 4 – 6 weeks. Then he has promised to do some light 

carpentry work for us at his leisure. They have two sons. I intend to come to Finland for a few 

days at the end of September, when Oma has her 80th birthday. Kai cannot come as we have no 

domestic help living with us. Tante goes after Oli from the kindergarten and takes care of the 

mops in the afternoon and is cooking for the family. Kai takes care of them in the evening and 

night. The situation of our friends in Beijing is pretty unpleasant right now. We heard yesterday 

evening in the news that the Read Guards scorched down the United Kingdom Office. We 

changed country just in time. A few days ago the mops saw in the TV a movie about sharks and 

crocodiles. Oli, who always loved these animals now lives in a world of sharks and crocodiles. 

The stories he tells are absolutely hair-raising. Kim’s doggie is feeling fine and has grown a lot 

during the six weeks we had her. She is teething. Last Saturday found Kim a canine tooth in his 

sock. Nixe loves to bury things. She has a great rubber bone which she likes very much and that 

she keeps buried for days. When Pya cleaned his car he took out a stump baguette bread Nixe got 

hold of. She dug down his baguette so that half was under the Earth, and the other half sticking 

straight up in the air. For digging uses Nixe her snout. 


If only possible I come to Finland. Kai can 

unfortunately not come. Firstly, we cannot 

leave the children alone and secondly he has 

too much work. Please advise when the 

Royal-story is. Is it the 27 th or later? Two 

weeks ago Oli had a bad cold, last week 

Annika and yesterday Kim got a huge cold 

and this morning he had spots in the throat. 

Kai is also ill and is in bed. Will see if I who 

served as a nurse also become ill. I haven't

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had time off. First, we had a fair, then we had my mother-in-law and now we have a car 

exhibition. We have all the time the House full of guests. I cook food, serve food and are also 

both Madame and nurse. The hair has to be made and the nails manicured. I've learned a lot of 

cooking and prepare already a simple dinner with two dishes + dessert for guests. I have also had 

to extend the kids winter clothes as it suddenly turned cold here. All the mops go to school. The 

great mops go from home to the school bus a little before 8 and come home at 4 every day except 

Saturday which is free. They don't get food at school so I cook lunch that they take with them. 

Steak etc. wich put between "Brötchen" as well as fruit and a Choco-rod. They eat a proper 

breakfast before they go to school. So I have to get up at 6.30. Mouse’s kindergarten begins at. 8. 

I take him there and go after him again at 12. Also he should have lunch with him as they get 

something to drink at. 10 and then also like to eat something. Kai comes home for lunch when he 

has time. The dog is miserable and is only crying when the Mops are gone so I use to go out and 

run with her to brighten her up. One day she tore her free and jumped up in the school bus after 

Kim and Ani. The mops have long days but no homework. The bus journey takes a ½ hour to 

school and back home so it makes 7 hours per day in school. Annika’s teacher said she was 

surprised that a small child who does not have English as its mother tongue has such a large 

vocabulary. They had immediately on the first day to give a lecture to the teacher so that she 

would get an idea of how well they mastered the language. Kim's teacher said she noticed that he 

is very intelligent. I met the teachers at a party arranged by the school on the 10 th . Kai was out of 

town at the time. Kim is to bed and reads "Pikku Jättiläinen “(The Small Giant – dictionary). He 

was shocked that I don't remember the speed of sound. He is testing his father on when various 

inventions were made and by whom. 


We've had a lot of job with guests. An acquaintance of Kai stayed with us a few days. Last week 

Oli got his "fake Krupp (asthmatic bronchitis attack)". He can probably already tomorrow go to 

the kindergarten. Kim is now for one month on trial in the 4 th grade. Already in the first week he 

got a full 100 in an essay. We had to let him go in the second grade in the English school in 

Helsinki when there was no room in the third. He is himself very lucky and does his best. The 

manageress said she did not want him from being a valedictorian in third grade to be a poor 

student in fourth grade and therefore she allows Kim to go a month on trial. But both the 

Superintendent and his teacher thinks that he is a very intelligent child and think that he probably 

should do well. Also Annika’s teacher announced that she belongs to the best in her grade. Here 

parents once a month get reports on their children's progress. Mops are waiting for you to come 

on a visit. We have let take an x-ray of Nixe and know now that she has dysplasia. The vet tries 

to cure her with injections. He said that there might be a chance then Nixe is so young, only 7 

months. Nixe is a wise and lovely doggie and completely in crazy about the kids. She would 

rather stay and guard the kindergarten as long as Oli is there. She follows him there every 

morning and goes after him 12. Kai, comes on November 5 th to Finland on a lecture tour and 

back the 15 th . Nixe has chewed on my old Palmroth shoes. Buy me new, which I saw in 

Stockmann's window. Last week we bought a new washing machine AEG Lavamat Bella. It is 

fantastic. It works at best in the basement. 


Joakim: ”(Meillä voidaan hyvin, mutta minä juoksin lasioven läpi. Minulla on oma koira. Se on 

vielä pentu. Se on viisi kuukautta vanha. Se on kovin kaunis. Sen nimi on Nixe. Tulemme vielä

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muuttamaan sen nimen ja se on tyttökoira. Minulla on oma huone. Mamma ja pappa ostivat 

uuden sängyn, uuden kirjoituspöydän ja maton minulle. Viihdymme talossamme. Meillä on 

paljon luumuja puussa. Voisitko ostaa uuden Batman lehden numero 7)? Joakim: We are all fine, 

but I ran through a glass door. I have a dog of my own. She is still a puppy. She’s 5 months old. 

She’s very beautiful. Her name is Nixe. We are going to change her name later. She is a girl dog. 

I have my own room. Mom and dad bought me a new bed, a new desk and a new carpet. We 

enjoy our house. We have a lot of plums in a tree. 

Could you buy me the new Batman comic number 

7?” 

Annika: We, Oli, Kim and I were with aunt Malm 

in the Zoo. I have new front teeth. When are you 

coming over here? Then when you arrive, you can 

get one of my old front teeth. We have a plum tree 

with yellow plum that just fall and fall and mom 

just standing in the kitchen and cooking the plums. 

We three have worked with dad in the garden, so 

it's getting nice. We see a mountain range from here 

called the Taunus and we have gone and look at it. I 

have sometimes made all our beds so that mom had 

nothing to embed. 


Kai comes to Finland already on Sunday, 4 th and 

travels on Monday. He comes with the midday 

plane, and takes the airport bus from Sjöskog 

(Helsinki airport). We have a big Hedgehog, 

igelkopp according to Oli, who nightly dines from 

Nixes food bowl. We also put out milk for it. Oli got a mail undulate. Ani soon gets a female. 


The weather here is horrible. I am fantastically cold. Kim and Ani have received flu vaccine at 

school. Oli is lazy and does not want to go to school. Today, he asked me if the bad guys ever 

burn schools. I answered that I do not believe it, but why he asks? Oli: I would be happy if 

somebody burned my school ". I'm afraid he's getting too Mother bound if he spends the whole 

day with me. In addition, children have to play with other children and Kim and Annika are all 

day at school. Also, Oli makes so much nonsense. I just noticed that he had before he went to 

school had broken in our downstairs WC the soap with a tin can, then he had turned the can's lid 

upside down over the drain in the sink and left on the water so that during two hours the water 

had spluttered around. In school they do not read German according to their grade, but there are 

special German classes according to how much you know. Kim and Ani began both in the 

beginner class. Annika learns very easily languages and has already ben promoted to the next 

German grade. The school asked to move Annika to 3 rd grade while Kai was in Finland. Annika 

said today that she has read up to her new classmates and is well at home in the class. Her old 

teacher said that she was very much in terms of intelligence over all her classmates in her last 

class. Frankfurt International School is a very modern school and believe that not age but

9 

apprehension shall determine the grade. She is, as usual, the youngest in her class. Mops had last 

week 3 days leave from school because of the American "Thanksgiving"-holiday. Kim's class 

had a contest about who writes the best "Thanksgiving"-story. To his own and our great joy Kim 

won second prize. He had written a several page long essay. Yesterday we ate dinner at the 

Chinese restaurant. It was a belated birthday dinner for Kim, as I had a cold on Friday. Kim is 

now calm and happier than I ever remember him. He squeaks only in the mornings when he shall 

rise up. He is well at home in his new class. He manages well the little mops when Kai and I go 

out in the evening 


Mops would be blessed if you celebrated Christmas with us. Our great fine watch dog has not for 

a long time bitten apart anything. It has absolutely not eaten up much. Just Kim's clock, my one 

Palmroth – shoe, a book in Russian and Oli’s little cat who stooped when one pressed through a 

small platform that it stood on. We've got a new undulate. We now have two, one green male and 

one yellow female. Oli is very happy. Padde is feeling fine. When Kim's birthday cake was on 

the kitchen table to grow cold chopped Oli a few times his teeth in it quite properly. Kim was 

furious but I managed to reasonably cover the holes with crème. Kim succeeded at once 

extinguish all 10 candles and Annika remembered how many times she had to blow to quench 

her 7 candles when she had no front teeth. 


Annika: Dear Mumi how are you now? We are fine. I hope you can come to Germany for 

Christmas. Today when I woke up I was looking out of the window and saw the full Moon. Far

10 

away as well as close up everything was so sharp and clear that I couldn't believe my eyes. It was 

early in the morning and everything was quiet. We have two parakeets. One is mine and one is 

Oli’s. They sing every morning. One is yellow and one is green. The yellow is mine and the 

Green is Oli’s. Thanks for the big package we got. How is Boy now? Nixe is doing fine. Nixe is 

a big dog now. On Nicolaus day came Father Christmas and gave to everyone in the school a 

little chocolate Father Christmas figure. In the school there is a girl named Ellen. I was on her 

birthday party. It was fun but now on Monday she is travelling to America but she comes back to 

Germany. I have myself made a package for you and Abba but I am not telling what it is. Nixe 

has a good friend in the neighboring House it's a boy shepherd. Greetings to everyone from 

Annika 


The first night after your departure Annika cried terribly. She screamed that she wanted Mumi 

and Abba. Oli chimed in the cry and shouted that he wants Aja. Kai said everything here was so 

empty and Kim wandered around like a restless spirit. Mops are already planning your next visit. 

Kim's nausea on Christmas Eve was probably just due to overeating. He fell ill again on Friday 

and was very sick. Oli and Ani fell ill for the second time and even Kai became very ill. The 

whole family lived on diet food. The dog got the remains of the Christmas Turkey. On the 

packages card Kai wrote himself as sender. He said that you may bring in things to Finland from 

a journey only for a specific amount. You cannot send packages home. You might have to pay a 

lot of customs, etc. when it is not considered as gifts. Only a resident abroad can send such gifts. 

So remember, if anybody, when you take out the package, asks something are all gifts from Kai. 

We have again snow. On Sunday morning, when we woke up was the ground white. We got 

more snow on New Year's Eve. It was quite horrible to drive home at night. Snow remained on 

the streets and roads, and no one had even sanded. Now all three Mops and Nixe mess around in 

the snow. Nixe's ear is 

completely healed. Last Saturday 

called Armi Ratia from 

Marimekko us from Helsinki that 

she comes here on Saturday. 

Saturday night she was with us, 

and yesterday she invited us to 

dinner at a restaurant. She is “a 

pretty amazing personality. She 

has invited us all to come for a 

visit to her "Bökars" next 

summer. She claims that we are 

unusually pleasant and that she 

thinks a lot of us. She brought to 

me a selection of Marimekko 

products, all in blue and white wrapped in blue-white paper. Our lady has brought Annika’s red 

boots to a cobbler she knows. She believes that the zippers are best sewn that way. We are 

planning to go to Switzerland for 10 days during the Easter break. Kai has a friend who owns a 

hotel there. When we came from China we stayed there a few days. It would certainly do the 

Mops good to climb on the Alps. 

680112 Frankfurt

We can manage perfectly 

with our “Tante (aunt)”, 

who additionally to 

everything else she knows 

also is a schooled cook. 

Previously she worked in 

the kitchen of one of the 

city's finest hotels. She 

believes, however, this 

sort of work is more 

interesting. With us she 

manages an entire home 

with kids, dogs and so on. 

We have no nanny 

because we have no small 

children. Kim and Ani are 

in school all day. When 

they come home they take Oli and go out and play. Around six we eat dinner, then everyone 

helps to clear the table. Then it's time for play or TV and at 8.00 all undress all by themselves 

and go to bed. Oli comes home from kindergarten at 12.30. After eating a little, he goes out and 

plays with Nixe or plays alone at home until 4 p.m. when the great mops come. In China where 

he used to be with one of the nannies all the time it is very good for him to learn to play alone. 

When we go away for a few days, we have a German lady who lives with us. Kim is very proud 

that we let him baby-sit when we go out. He gets our phone number so he can call us if 

necessary. In addition, he himself earns money in this way. Our Guest room we need for people 

who visit us. In March, my mother-in-law Oma also wrote that she intends to visit us soon. In 

April we travel to Switzerland or Spain for a couple of weeks the whole family. The 29 th Kai and 

I go to both East-and West-Berlin for a few days. We have booked tickets on the Finlandia the 

3.7. We will come on holiday to Finland. When we had a cocktail party January 4 th all three 

Mops helped to serve. They carried around trays with sandwiches, nuts, meatballs, sausages, etc. 

Now they are talking about when we next time arrange a party where they can serve. The two 

large did it already in Beijing, Ani even once on our national day. The guests were very surprised 

that they were so comfortable, not at all shy. Kim snuck around and listened to the guests ' 

comments. He was delighted when he heard someone say it was such a good party as there was 

so much to eat. I had made a few hundred sandwiches and fried countless tiny meatballs plus 

every other kind of cocktail snacks. Here in Germany it happens sometimes that you don't get 

anything else than cocktails and if something else is offered it is usually immediately finished. 

The waist bin collectors called January 2 nd on the door and stood there with outstretched hands 

instead of emptying the barrels. I still do not know what I should do to get rid of the Christmas 

tree. They don’t care about it. The day before yesterday, we had a couple of city tops here at 

dinner with wives. One of them asked if we had allowed a Finnish Interior architect arrange our 

home. He said he had known the house already when it was Luxembourg’s Consulate General 

and that we had improved it a lot. Kai and I found out that it is extremely difficult to look 

critically at one’s own home. At least we'll get so used to our stuff and where and how it stands, 

that we no longer react. On Monday, Kai leaves to travel for the next week. He will travel around 

Germany. Fortunately, we got our new winter tires Saturday and got them mounted last Monday. 

11

12 

This year, there is an unusual amount of snow in Germany. They're not used to it so the snow 

piles up much more than in our country. This morning we had to -13 ° C. The Germans are about 

to freeze to death. Also we have it rather cold as we partially have single windows. We think that 

the wind wines directly through them. Kim's and the small kids’ windows usually are covered 

with ice in the morning. It blows mostly from the same side. Tomorrow we have dinner guests. 

Lady has boiled borscht soup and fried chicken for them. Oli loves the soup and keeps on eating 

it in the kitchen. The lady was the main soup cook at the hotel so she knows soups. I have never 

seen such a refined version of borscht 


I suspect that winter is 

running out here with us. I 

have not been to the city at 

store opening time since we 

were together. I should as 

soon as possible go there. 

Both Kim and Oli are sick. 

Kim got the night to 

yesterday high fever. He 

then had a couple of days a 

horrible cough. The doctor 

said that he has a serious 

bronchitis. He is now the 

second day fever free 

without antibiotics. We have 

a very good children's doctor, head of a large hospital children's section. He believes that one 

only in absolute emergencies should take antibiotics now when there are so many other good 

medicines. Oli was ill already last week. He has a terrible cough that hasn't gone away 

completely though we tried using various cough medicines. The doctor comes again tomorrow to 

see the boys. Will see what he says. If they get healthy I travel with Kai to Berlin next Monday. 

The worst thing with Kim is the terrible nosebleeds he receives in connection with high fever. 

Gösta v. Platen’s last "Haustochter", i.e. help in the household, had been sent to Germany to 

forget Bror Alfred Nymalm she dated. You cannot change the blood of an adult. You mean 

certainly Marju shall receive a blood transfusion. I would have got it if I had not had rhesus 

minus blood. If you remember, I got every other day liver and iron injections for several times 

when I expected Kim. When I expected Ani and Oli, I did not get as many injections. Ani loves 

her red boots which are easy to put on now then they have zippers. 

680208 Frankfurt The Mops have hung their animal post cards above their beds. They are all 

at home. Oli is healthy but his kindergarten is closed this week as the teachers are sick. They 

only take full day children with working mothers. A horrible flu epidemic has started. The 

Germans have had deaths. Ani's is the second day home from school. She has no fever, but 

cough, a runny nose otitis media in one ear. She stays at home until next Monday. Kim was two 

weeks away from school. His flu began with a terrible cough and a high fever, then he got 

bronchitis and ear infections in both ears. On Monday, he and I went to have x-rays of his nose 

and forehead. He was in school Tuesday and Wednesday. Yesterday we received the results of

13 

the x-rays. He was pus both in the forehead and nasal sinuses under the eyes. He now receives 

treatment for two weeks and the doctor wanted him to stay home. Kim refused and they agreed 

that he will stay at home until next Thursday. Then he gets treatment after school still another 

week. They also took some sort of special blood tests on him. Last Friday they took a usual 

blood test. Our poor doctor is completely overwhelmed by work due to the epidemic. I called the 

school. They said that there is no danger that Kim will not be promoted to next grade because he 

is sick for so long. He is a very good student and will quickly catch up with the rest of the class. 

Tomorrow, his teacher will come here with books and schoolwork for him. Because of the illness 

of the kids I could not travel to Berlin with Kai and Kai also postponed the journey. We're 

traveling sometime later. The trip to Switzerland will do especially Kim good. Mountain air is 

wonderful. The Mops are quite lovely. They are arranging their rooms. Kim has taped labels 

about the content of his books on his bookshelf. The night before last we had guests and when 

we came up later I found on my pillow the following amazing letter from Ani: "Dear Mamu and 

Papa. I have cough, a hurting neck, and a bump in the back of my head and in the front. I would 

prefer to be dead. I feel terribly, terribly, terribly ill. Good night, good night Annika ". The 

following morning, she was allowed to stay home from school. Muus (Oli) paints the most 

amazing works of art. He has suddenly learned how to draw animals and people with arms, legs, 

body and head. What does it matter if the image of the Mother on one hand has nine fingers and 

awful small head when he began to draw the feet, and the paper suddenly came to an end. 


We've had flu for two months. By the end of next week April 6 th and 7 th we travel to Spain. We 

go by car and are staying away for two weeks. Yesterday I bought new Sandals to all the Mops. 

Oli is so happy over his that he took them with him in a bag to school to show them there. Last 

week, he had his pants fastened with a belt for the first time. He was immensely proud and pulled 

up his jumper and showed the belt to anyone who wanted to look at. When Kai arrived home 

from Finland there was a 9 Beaufort storm and not many showed up at mealtime. Jarmo P was 

along on the trip. He completed M.D. and shall work on scholarship at an Institute in Munich. 

His family will come later. Kai and Jarmo arrived on a flight from Hamburg Monday afternoon. 

We had a terrible storm here in Frankfurt. The plane could not go down but had to circle above 

the airport approx. 20 minutes. A lightning bolt struck it. It took 2 ½ hours for them to drive 

home from the airport because there had been something wrong with the car that stood there 

while Kai was gone. Jarmo stayed with us two nights and went further on Wednesday. On 

Tuesday we went to dinner with the Mayor. Jarmo was babysitting. It was the first time mops 

were put to bed by a PhD. Mouse took out his allergy medicine and let Jarmo treat him. Oli is 

exceptionally pleased with his rubber boots and announces to all that they are from Finland. The 

size is good. Nixed whirls around like a dizzy bird and knocks on me with its paws as a sign that 

it is time to collect Oli from the kindergarten. She is always like that when the clock is 

approaching noon and Oli is not at home. It suddenly became spring here a few days ago even 

the sun shone in two days. Today it is again overcast though it's not yet raining. The Mopps’ 

rating from the second term, they have three here, was excellent. Kim is one of the best in the 

class. He had six of the highest grade given, among other things in English (mother tongue) 

essay. The Teacher boasted him to the skies. Also Annika’s was very good although not as good 

as Kim's then she has been less time at her new grade III. Both had been absent for 

approximately 2 ½ week due to the flu.

14 

. 

680409 Spain 

Oli loves currently mice. As you know, he is a 

mouse. The night from Saturday to Sunday we 

slept in Switzerland and last night in France. 

Tomorrow we travel further south. The Mops 

take the drive well. 

680412 Alicante 

We have just eaten a Spanish dinner in a 

restaurant in a palm forest. We stay over Easter 

in our hotel in San Juan close to Alicante. The 

hotel is directly at the beach. The days are 

warm but the nights a bit chilly. The Mops are 

building sandcastles and swimming.

15 


Mother's day is celebrated here next Sunday. Probably it is celebrated on the same day in 

Finland. Kai must have probably asked the great Mops help Oli to get a mother's day gift for me, 

but expressed himself so vaguely that they misunderstood. I heard one day Annika question Oli 

what he wanted as mother's day gift. When I informed her that Oli is no mom and thus does not 

need to get a mother's day gift she replied: "But Dad said we should buy both to Oli and you and 

then we must do it." Our Spain trip was a nice holiday and much needed for us all. The boys 

survived the drive fine, only Annika was ill twice. One time because she had not been able to 

sleep the previous night because she was so eager to hear what she would receive as a birthday 

gift. We had promised that she would get birthday presents on Easter Sunday as the day she was 

born in 1960, happened to be Easter Sunday. The first night in Spain, we slept in a most amazing 

hotel. The only thing that bothered was that they washed the sheets with a detergent that I could 

not tolerate and that gave me a rash in all places that weren't covered by my short Nightshirt. 

However, they disappeared within a couple of days. I've found a German school that will 

probably suit Oli excellently. It is a private school that works with modern methods and small 

classes. Hear the State schools have classes with 40-50 students. He should begin next fall as 

they want to prepare the child for a year until it enters the real school. The matron of Oli’s 

current Kindergarten recommended warmly this school for him. I already have all the papers at 

home and when Kai is coming home we should take our final decision. Last Sunday in April, we 

visited Oma’s cousin Nessy in Bad Godesberg. She is a delightful person and also her son and 

daughter-in-law are very sympathetic. When we arrived the son was preparing dinner in the 

kitchen. His roast steaks were fantastic. When Kai is at home again, they have promised to visit 

us here in Frankfurt. The grandson Michael is 12 years old and Kim and he enjoyed being 

together. Son daughter Bettina is 10 years and spastic. Annika had an accident at a children's 

party last Friday. She is feeling better and is in bed for the last day today. The doctor said that 

she most likely suffered a mild concussion. 


Right now we have very much representation. Uma’s mail still arrives here. Don't let Marina 

torture Oma. 


Annika is now completely healthy and happy because the teacher said that she will be promoted 

to the fourth grade, though she has been so much away from the school. The last school of the 

kids is the 27 th . Our boat sails July 4 th from Travemünde. I think it is Finlandia. We go to the 

"little country 8our summer place)" as soon as possible. We travel back to Frankfurt in mid- 

August. Kai and I have no desire to go away from here, when here is the most beautiful time. 

However, for the Mopps sake, we will do it. Its five summers since we last stayed at the "little 

country". The Mops yearn to Finland. This time, we do not dare leave Nixe in a kennel. When 

we were in Spain for she didn’t eat. One of Kai's new assistants can live at our house against 

taking care of Nixe. The Lady is buying and cooking the food and he gives her the evening meal 

and Saturday – Sunday, both morning and evening meal. We hope Nixe will enjoy more that she 

can stay in her own home. Last Friday, Oli got his first pair of real jeans without suspenders. 

From Kim, he got a wide belt that belonged to a couple of jeans which I bought for him. He 

himself has his James belt which he loves. Oli’s pants hang below the navel but he is happy and

16 

thinks he is a tremendous big guy, almost like Kim. He was unhappy that he had no school on 

Saturday so he could show the teacher and the other kids his "Bronco"-jeans. Bronco is a Wild 

West series in Television here. 


Our boat comes to the South Quay on Saturday, July 6 th at 15: 00. We have our car with us. Here 

it is pretty hot. The weather report promised 34 ° for today. However, we have only 32 ° C. I 

should go to town but I rather lay in the garden wearing a bathing suit. Oli and Ani sit immersed 

in water basins. 


Here we ended suddenly in a lot of work. Last Sunday, 18.15. We were out of the ship and on 

our way home. We had approximately 550 km. to drive. During the first 20 minutes we came 12 

km. closer to the goal. The traffic was horrible. According to a guy Saturday and Sunday had 

been this summer's most beautiful days. Here had rained most of the summer. Today it rains too 

and I must have lights on at 13.00 to see to write. We were about to be without gasoline on the 

Autobahn in the middle of the night. The closest 100-150 km. before Frankfurt there was no 

petrol station. A warning light in the car starts to burn when there is gasoline for approx. 100 km 

left in the tank. Just before Frankfurt we had to drive out from the Autobahn to a small 

community where the only one coin vending machine for gasoline. From our pockets, we found 

two DEM coins and got 3 liters of gasoline which was enough for getting back home. In 

Germany people go to bed much earlier than in Finland. 23: 45, we drove into our own yard. 

Then it was already dark in most Windows and lighted on the streets. Monday was spent 

unpacking, cleaning the cabinets and washing laundry. Tuesday went washing and ironing 

likewise Wednesday. My ironing lady is on vacation and will not until come until 19.9. There are 

no small private laundries where they hand iron men’s shirts. Machine ironing breaks buttons 

and shirts see sloppy out.

Yesterday Kai presented a symbolic gift to the Lord Mayor at a medieval feast. With him was the 

head of the Finnish Fair exhibition pavilion. He did it in the name of all foreign trade 

representatives and trade exhibitors here. Then we went to Wiesbaden where Kai opened one 

German owned "Finnart" design shop. Kai just called and announced that there will be guests 

this evening, luckily not at dinner. The Frankfurt trade fair is underway until September 14 th . 

Monday and Tuesday we have guests for dinner and Wednesday, Kai's mom. On Wednesday the 

kid’s school also begins. On the boat Oli went and bought himself soda a t one of the bars. He 

drank at the bar counter and then started a conversation with the bar keeping lady. During the 

discussion he found out that Finlandia also takes on board dogs, i.e. Nixe. Kai controlled the 

matter and was told that nice dogs that don't bark, may sleep in their owner’s cabin and others in 

the arrest cell. They have two arrest cells and one is mostly vacant. When he saw the purser Oli 

approached him and asked when he could meet the captain. He received Oli the following day. 

Oli also found himself a little girlfriend. He amused her with fishing stories at the dining room 

window while her parents ate. Nixe is again troubled by her ears. I was with her at the vet this 

morning. However, this was only the beginning of an ear infection and the doctor said that the 

ear probably gets cured with the medicine he put into it. Dogs with upstanding ears are said to be 

very vulnerable. Padde and the birds are doing fine. Oli got on the boat rust spots on both his 

17

18 

white cotton shirts. I found today in a drug store an excellent rust remover. It also took away the 

old rust spots from one of the kids’ sheets. Kai has still 16 vacation days to be held prior to this 

year. Will see if he has time to keep a single. 

680924 Frankfurt Kai and I have a fantastic cold. For me it is already the third week. The 

cold began with the mops that are already as good as healthy. Last year, we bought an infrared 

lamp and irradiate us. I guess it has prevented me getting pneumonia this time. The weather here 

is really bad. As the American announcer on the radio said yesterday, after the weather report 

had come: two hours of rain, 15 minutes break and then again two hours of rain all day through. 

Like that it has been several weeks. Have I possibly forgot my black ugly shoes with you? Also 

Kai's silver Parker pen is lost. He does not know where. Today I heard the mouse tell Lady: 

"Weisst Du, ich habe sehr grosse Füsse gekriegt? (Do you know that I have got very big feet?)". 

It is true indeed. During the summer, he has outgrown his slippers, sport shoes and all fall shoes. 

When I bought new shoes for him a few days ago, his feet were measured in an appliance. His 

feet are between 30 and 31. So I bought No. 32. Almost as big as Annika’s. Both Kim and 

Annika have begun with French in school. Kim has also begun geometry which he finds very 

interesting. Kai has bought for him a fantastically nice case with compass and other stuff. Oli just 

waits to get to the big school. Here in Germany you get on the first day of school a whopping 

cone with all possible in it. He has suddenly become interested in learning how to write and 

count. Next fall he begins school. A girl in Ani’s class has a similar blue patchwork-inspired 

dress as Ani. The girl's American parents visited Finland last summer. 


We do not need a new domestic help. The Lady can all, she even brings every Tuesday 4-5 kilos 

meat for Nixe from a market in Hoechst. It will be much cheaper this way directly from a 

butcher. Last week Kai and I were a few days in Friedrichshafen at an exhibition opening. The 

lady lived with the Mops. Kai's last scab on the ankle loosened last Sunday. Now his legs are 

perfectly fine. Kai is in Düsseldorf and will come home tomorrow. On Monday had the mops 

agreed with Kai that they should go to the city for birthday shopping when he came home from 

work. Oli is currently extremely interested in Märklin trains. He owns no own yet but is playing 

with Kim's that are built up in Kim's room. When we were leaving to the city came Oli to me and 

asked: What would you say if I were to buy a Märklin locomotive for us "? From Kim I got a 

collapsible umbrella and from Ani a box of Marzipan animals. Oli bought today a small box of 

chocolates when we were in the store. Then he drew an image and used it as wrapping paper. He 

was not in kindergarten. Yesterday when I went after him the teacher told that he had informed 

her that he cannot come today because it's his mom's birthday. He also had in the school drawn a 

picture for me and the teacher had put a bow around it. We didn't manage to do all of our 

purchases on Monday as the car journey from here to the middle of the city took more than an 

hour because of traffic stops. We had only 20 min. on us until the stores closed. Then we ate 

birthday dinner at the Chinese restaurant. This was the second time I was in town after my 

homecoming. The first time it happened that Oli and I came in to the largest department store the 

day when it reopened after being modernized and rebuilt. We never succeeded to get to the 

section where they sell electric machines to ask for a Vigomat-jug. I had intended to go to town 

today, but it is pouring down as usual so I didn't. I would be drenched before I was at the bus 

stop. I have not yet purchased a rain coat. Kai’s and my colds got better when we were in 

Friedrichshafen but worse again when we came back to Frankfurt. Tomorrow has Palmroth his

19 

shoes on display in Kai’s office. There will be a cocktail reception for the press at. 6. Kai comes 

directly there from Düsseldorf. 

Kai has just hired approx. 140 m² additionally to his agency. The former Greek Consulate which 

was in the floor below Kai’s. There he shall later have exhibitions. Fortunately, he has already 

three Secretaries so I need not concern myself with arrangements of the Palmroth-event. Only be 

present. Kim who always loses something, has now lost his gym shoes. 


The Vigomat jugs are cheaper in Frankfurt. It can break during the journey so I keep it for some 

time and see if I can find someone travelling to Finland who is willing to take the jug with him. 


Annika: Kara Mumi we have a slight cold but I hope you are healthy. Yesterday I had a party 

and I got a new pen box and personal stationery. It is the first letter I write on my new stationery. 

Nixe is a great and good guard dog. I hope you can come here to Abba's birthday or Christmas. 

We would wish animated movies for Christmas because we have purchased a movie projector. I 

have learned a lot in school. Nice Mumi, could you ask Aja and Bror to write letters to me or 

cards? I have learned some French in school. Yesterday at the party we fished. Dad put an 

orange press for me but it is very small, it could maybe squeeze tangerines. From a girl called 

Marion, I got a very, very nice beauty box. The kids ate hamburgers. They ate more hamburgers 

than cake. Greet all relatives as well. Annika.

20 


The Vigomat jug is with us. Kim has written a great poem school. I'm sending a copy later. It 

was my intention to do that today, but Kim seems to have taken it with him to school again. We 

found out about it when the teacher sent it home and asked for a typewritten copy. When we 

asked, Kim said that all the poems he had written had been among the top three which were on 

the wall. This one the teacher considered even better. Kim has this year won an essay contest in 

his class. Annika had a party the 2.11. Kim will have on the 23.11. He would not have it on his 

real birthday, because he considers that the day belongs to the family. He wants to have a "fancydress" 

party. These kid-parties are terribly exhausting for parents who are responsible for the 

program. Right now parties seem to be very fashionable in school. Annika is next Saturday 

invited to two. A classmate, her current one and her former classmate also. Kim was last 

Saturday at a party. Mops get ratings soon. Last Saturday we were in one of the Opel-owned 

Zoos here in Taunus. 

TanteThe worst predators and elephants are in enclosures but the wild boar and deer etc. go free 

among the visitors. Mops thought it was fantastic. Oli got yesterday to tell his class about their 

experiences. Last week were Kai and I in Nuremberg and Munich. We spent the night at 

Pikkarainens. We also visited the Dachau concentration camp near Munich. There is a 

commemorative plaque for each country whose inhabitants have been incarcerated there. Finland 

had a plague. 


The Ethiopian Minister with wife who is on a state visit to Finland had lunch with us last 

Sunday. I guess you get a gold watch cheaper here. Omega or Eterna 18 carats about 500 DEM. 

We drive on Thursday to Hamburg and Berlin with the mops.

21 


Friday morning we drive to Bonn to celebrate the National Day. Then we drive to Liege in 

Belgium, but without Mops this time. Last week we were in Hamburg and Berlin with the Mops. 

There was horrible fog for several days. When we left from here said the car radio that the sight 

on the autobahn, was 30-50 m. The following day when we were driving to Berlin said the radio 

20 m. It was really like driving in cotton. Air traffic was completely closed. We ran on the East 

German side past a spot where the police were clearing up after a major accident. A lot of 

wreckage, partly still glowing lay along the road sides. Berlin is a fantastic city. It has all the 

atmosphere Frankfurt lacks. Do you wish to obtain an "Eterna Matic" 3000 "gold watch, extra 

thin, with calendar, 18? Carat for Abba’s birthday. Write how you have planned it. The postal 

strike here has ended. In January, a television crew from Finland’s TV will come here to make a 

movie about Kai's Office. He already has two male and four female employees. One of the guys 

lived here with Nixe while we were on the trip. The Metro in Frankfurt, was opened in early 

October. I have a great advantage of it. The only ready-made line is quite close to us. With it, I 

get quickly to the city Centre. Previously, it was a whole project to go to town from here. I let a 

large carpet-and curtain shop sew the new kitchen curtains I bought in Helsinki last summer. I 

asked them to make them exactly 1.66 m. long as I have a wall mounted table under the window. 

As other current German quality work was the one curtain 1.67 and the other1.68. One ended up 

with a black square, the other so that you could see a cm of the subsequent white square. 

Moreover, not even the seams were straight. Kai is considering to give me a sewing machine for 

Christmas. 


Joakim: Dear Mumi and Abba, how do you have it, here we are all right. Last weekend we went 

to visit Hamburg and Berlin. In Berlin some communist soldiers caught us and held us just 

because father had driven wrong. He went by mistake right on to the border. I hope you come for 

Christmas over here. If you come over we could surely have a merry Christmas. Thank you for 

all the nice cards you have sent to us, we enjoyed them very much. By Kim Helenius. 

Annika: Dear Mumi I hope you can come for the Christmas season. Are your feet healthy? I have 

many key rings now. I went to a party directly after school. I got A which is the best on my 

grades in French. Yesterday I wrote to Father Christmas. Thank Oma to our calendars. Greet 

everybody. Annika. Joakim: Dear Aja and Broki and Aunt Mirja and Uncle Paul and Pete, Tomy 

and Gia how are you doing over there we are all doing well. Last week we were in Hamburg and 

berlin. In Hamburg we lived in a hotel called Hotel Alster-Hof. In Berlin we were caught by East 

German soldiers who guarded the border and held us up about ½ an hour before we got to West 

Berlin where we lived in a hotel named Hotel Arosa. Thank you very much for the nice birthday 

card you sent me. By Kim Helenius. 

Ani: Dear Mumi thanks for your lovely cards. I've already got Nakke from my Father. (Kim gets 

Retu and Oli Donald Duck from us. Inger) 


Ani: Dear Mumi and Abba I put a flower for you, because I am so sorry that I can't sleep. I want 

to have you here again. I can’t be without thinking of you. Today in the morning you left. 

(Written by Annika and pinned to the wall above her bed the same day you left. Inger) 


Oli’s kindergarten is closed since the middle of last week. Firstly, there had been a burglary and 

the police sent home the kids. Then sickened so many female teachers and students that it was

closed for half-day children. Oli is quite unfortunate because he has nothing to do as long as the 

big are in school. He will have to stay at home until for the third of February. He has decided to 

become a diver when he grows up. He likes to be in the tub with flippers and a diving masks and 

practice. Oli asks if Aja knows his new front teeth are already quite large. A couple of weeks ago 

we got again snow one afternoon. Traffic fell into chaos. Kim was that day invited to dinner to a 

classmate and left from school with another school bus than Annika. Kim’s school bus had an 

accident and two children were slightly injured. I have not yet had time to go on the course 

associated with the sewing machine. Anyhow on the 6 th . I sewed together Oli’s cracked velvet 

pants, Enlarged Ani’s new red skirt and altered Kim's old grey Terylene pants so they now fit 

Oli. I have washed a lot of curtains and blankets, and bed covers and otherwise also put the 

House in new order. On the advice of veterinarian, I have washed Nixe with baby soap and 

afterwards rinsed with chamomile tea. She has been rubbed in and got injections so her allergic 

itching has disappeared. I have oiled furniture and cutlery so Kai does not wonder that all my 

fingers are again very hard and cracked. We have a television team from Finnish Television here 

this week. They are interviewing and filming Kai in the office and in the morning, they shall 

make a China-interview with him here at our house. We had a nine persons’ dinner for them the 

evening before yesterday. My classmate Gösta v. Platen shall also be interviewed. Mops have 

also had stomach flu. I got a fever last week. It was pretty awful. We had dinner guests and I felt 

miserable all night. Then all joints started aching and I froze so I shook. Two days I stayed 

home. On the third day's evening we went to a bigger ball. I then had been three days without 

getting down a piece of food and was expecting a disaster when I would have to eat dinner. But 

everything went fine. I have for a long time not felt as fine as that night. It would perhaps be 

worthwhile for us to now buy a telephone share so that we have a phone when we get home? 

What do you pay in rent for an approx. 6-room terraced house or apartment in a small house on a 

quiet spot on Lauttasaari? The large chair from the library is to be repaired. I bought the dark 

blue velour for it. When Kai saw the price of the fabric, he said that he really understands that I 

chase away dirty kids out of a chair. He tried to offer me a new chair instead, but I preferred the 

old one after seeing the new ones. I took the same blue color as the carpet, then I assumed the 

chair becomes least fragile then. 


We don't have even a clue about when we are going to move to Finland. Kai, of course, 

sometimes gets employment offers and if a job seems interesting enough and well paid, maybe 

we'll do it sometime. Right now Kai and I are thinking about to start reading Spanish. With twohour 

week one ought to learn it pretty good in about half a year. Especially if you have the time 

every day to sacrifice some time on exercises. Here we just had more snow than there has been 

for 100 years. Now, however, the snow is melting away. The very coldest day our heating oil 

finished. Kai was then in Nuremberg and it was Friday 4 p.m. when always some disorder 

happens in the House. On Saturday, nobody works here. We had ordered oil that they promised 

to deliver Monday or Tuesday. I asked Kai’s German Secretary to try to speed it up but it did not 

succeed. Then I picked up the phone book and started calling around to the oil companies to find 

one that could deliver immediately. I managed to persuade one to deliver Saturday morning even 

though I was not able to present the custom paper I need to buy oil. The paper was with our old 

oil supplier. When the oil man came Saturday morning we did not wake up. The alarm clock had 

frozen and tiny mops had taken Nixe in their room so also she didn't see the man. Fortunately, 

she was down there the next time he came and barked so we woke up. It was only 11 ° in the 

House and we slept under piles of blankets. Kai has in his office two small electric heaters. We 

22

had one and the mops the other. They all slept in the same room. As we have relatively large 

single panes the House cools quickly. All the time more and more snow fell. Kim had full work 

to shovel a path up to the street. The snow was not ploughed away from the street so we trudged 

in at times knee-high slush when the snow began to melt. From the sidewalk, the house owner 

himself has to shovel the snow (down on the street). Several companies’ oil stocks were 

completely exhausted. Our neighbors, whose oil finished three days after ours had to wait five 

days for their. They have a 2 ½ months baby. They got our electrical heaters. From this, I learned 

that there must be more than 6 cm. oil in the tank for the pump to suck it up. Our gauges showed 

200 liters of oil in the tank when the fire went out. Maybe it never sinks lower or the gauge is not 

accurate. 


A fine Eterna Matic 3000 Dato has arrived. Our poor little brother has some sort of flu. He had a 

very runny nose, mighty cough and fever. Now, he is already better. Now the Lady’s and my 

leads ache. Between the 1 st and 15 th March, the students who begin in the elementary school in 

September shall be reported. I will notify Oli. In this way, he will later have the advantage of his 

German. A child who can read a language does not so easily forget it. Oli is waiting that Dadcrocodile, 

as great as Mom-crocodile he got for Christmas, must have swum here from Africa for 

his birthday. He still sleeps every night with Mao (the cat) and the little Krocke and Krocke- 

Mom in his bed. Here it became suddenly spring. Mops, however, still have plenty of snow at 

their school in the Taunus. 


We've had Hong Kong flu. First, Annika had it without fever, then had Oli it with fever and, 

finally, I received it with much fever. Kai and Kim stayed healthy. Two years ago in China, I had 

the same flu three – four times after each other as I too quickly took antibiotics and rushed out as 

soon as the fever went down. Now I started using antibiotics only when I even the fourth day had 

almost 41° fever. So it took its time until I was able to function normally again. The lady was 

also away for a couple of days when I was at the sickest so Kai cooked and sent the Mops to 

school. The Lady also had flu and should still have cured herself, but stubborn as she is she 

announced that I am sicker and so she comes. It was said that the flu is especially dangerous for 

older people and she is 28 years older than I am. She asked Oli what the father cooked as food 

for them. "Spaghetti," said Oli. "Und was mit dem Spaghetti? (And what with the spaghetti?)" 

"Salz (salt)", said Oli. In truth, the father also had heated sausages but when Oli doesn't eat 

sausages he counted them as nothing. When the lady came, she cooked the food ready so that 

Kai just warmed it in the evening. He had terribly much to do because he is currently under two 

weeks teaching Vientikoulutussäätiö’s (Finnish Export Schooling Association’s) Germanspeaking 

course here. We had intended to have the closing dinner here with us but when I still 

did not feel quite refreshed and felt that a dinner for 16 people would kill me, we held a cocktail 

party instead. The previous night I fried snacks and the same day I prepared small sandwiches. It 

all went fine. The day after the whole family Pikkarainen, 6 people, came. They were on their 

way to Finland from Munich and it was intended that they would stay with us from Friday to 

Monday, but they left already Sunday afternoon as northern Germany was paralyzed due to snow 

storms. Since then it has gone up and down in the House. Last week we had two dinners and 

Friday night we were at a ball from where we came home at 3.30. I have two Orchidarrangements. 

One of the Diners last week sent orchids and at the ball got all the ladies a little 

Orchid decoration to be attached to the dress. On March 28, Johan Kock, my former classmate, 

arrives. The company Tema has gone bankrupt and Johan shall rest in Frankfurt a few days. He 

23

shall stay with our common classmate Gösta von Platen and we shall together seek to take care 

of Johan. During the Easter break Kai and I with Mops will travel to Czechoslovakia. 

690407 Prague 

We celebrate Easter here in Czechoslovakia. Next Wednesday, we travel to Holland. Here in 

Prague we live on Wenzel's place. The city has atmosphere. The weather has been wonderful 

throughout our trip. 


We were away over Easter. First we went via Austria to Czechoslovakia. We spent the night in 

Vienna. Then we stayed a couple of nights with acquaintances in a small town in 

Czechoslovakia. From there we continued to 

Prague where we stayed one day. Mops had a 

wonderful time in Czechoslovakia. Kim got to 

hunt and fish there. We would have enjoyed 

staying there. The family we visited had an 

English-speaking son who was a few years older 

than Kim. They played together nicely. Also Oli 

and Ani found friends. That they did not 

understand each other's language did nothing. 

Children talk with hands and expressions. The 

hotel we stayed in in Prague was at Wenzel’s place 

where all demonstrations take place. On the night 

when Kai and I were out walking the statue was 

adorned with flowers, but the following morning, 

they were taken away. People from our Prague 

Embassy came and visited us at the hotel. While 

we spoke with them downstairs in the lobby the 

kids stayed upstairs and watched TV in the room. 

First came Ani down to us, then Kim and last Oli 

without shoes. They had forgotten the key in the 

room. To open the door they had to dismount the 

lock because there was only one key and "the 

general key" was not found. Then we were invited 

to dinner at the hotel by one of the Prague guys. 

The small mops were so tired that they fell asleep 

at the dinner table. All three were sent up to sleep. All three slept in the same room where there 

were three beds. When Kai and I came up we noticed that they also had the other room's key 

inside their room and that we could not wake them as they slept so deeply. I have a feeling that 

everyone else in the hotel, woke up, but not our Mops. This time the night porter found a spare 

key after much searching. We carried over two Mops to the smaller room without them waking 

up. We traveled from Prague to Frankfurt where we stayed two nights. Then we left for Holland, 

where we visited friends. They have a girl who was Annika’s classmate and good friend in 

Beijing. Their son is a year older than Oli. Last Friday, we came home. The return trip went 

through Belgium. Please notify Oma to Kai comes on TV next Friday at 19.30. She usually likes 

to see familiar faces on TV. 


24

Ani: Dear Mumi. Thanks to everyone who wrote (Aja, Famu, Oma, and you.). Thanks for the 

book. Everybody thanks you for the parcel and wishes you a happy birthday. How is your leg? 

On my birthday I received a brown bag, a small rabbit from Kim and a small monkey from Oli, a 

diary and a stamp book, a lady troll with long hair from Nixe, a blue bag, a blue overnight bag, 

beige pantyhose and a flower from Tante (our housekeeping lady). Mom bought a little earlier a 

white leather skirt and blue shoes. Dad left on my birthday to Munich and is coming home today. 

Oli got on his birthday a dad-crocke (crocodile) and a cycle. Kim and I bought him a grey Pieps 

mouse for him. On the Easter journey he had the entire Krocke family with him. I have grown so 

much that Mother had to extend my spring coat, my patch dress, and my summer dresses. It is 

green here but still we get snow now and then. Our cherry tree has not begun to bloom. I have 20 

key rings now. In Holland we saw Madurodam (Miniland). Greetings to all cousins and relatives! 

Annika. - Dear Mumi I congratulate you and wish you a happy birthday. Kim 


Right now I'm deeply pissed off on a poodle. It's raining outside. Nixe and I were on a morning 

walk. I had just put on a clean white jumper. The stupid Poodle, who is deeply in love with Nixe, 

came rushing like a steam locomotive when he saw us. In order not to clash with me he made a 

grinding halt right in front of me so I got a shower dirty rain water over my white jumper. It is 

now grey-spotted. Tante has angina since last Friday so I have to take care of all the work in the 

House. Everything else I am happy to do, but I hate to clean. Kim had fantastic luck. Last Friday 

he went on his first "Camp out" with the Scouts. The two days he lived in a tent were this 

spring's most beautiful and warmest. When he came home on Sunday, he was so dirty that only 

the whites of the eyes shone. The clothes were so dirty that he had to take off them in the Hall. 

Then I got to bathe him because he was too tired to do it yourself. After eating a little, he fell 

asleep and was awakened four hours later to eat again. Then he went to bed and slept till the 

following morning. He was infinitely happy. He had managed a lot of tests and next Friday, he 

will be promoted at a celebration for the parents. I have just gotten an American scout uniform 

for him. As I could not buy one, I got a wife from the American Consulate to obtain one. 

Yesterday Kim could not go to school because we couldn't get his nose bleed to stop in time so 

that he would reach the school bus in time. Always when he has had a big head cold he easily to 

gets nosebleeds. Now he just sneezed and blood began to flow. He has twice been burned in the 

nose to be healed but without great results. The intention was that Kai would soon have come to 

Finland for trade consultations. Now, however, the consultations were deferred until the fall. We 

take Abba’s watch with us in July when we come. 


Kim was on scout camping Friday – Sunday (Whitsuntide). The weather was warm and 

beautiful. They had a large camp with scout guests from France. Kim came home at 4 Sunday 

afternoon. He ate dinner as soon as he came and went and laid himself. He woke up Monday 

morning at 9a.m. He slept with his clothes on my bed and we did not wake him and undress him 

ask him to go up in his own room, so I slept in his bed. Gösta and his daughter were visiting us 

so Kim didn't want to undress and go to bed around 5 p.m. he just fell asleep from the whole 

thing. Gösta’s wife and youngest daughter are in Finland for a visit so we had asked Gösta with 

oldest daughter to dinner. Kim has bought himself a new sport cycle in adult size. Kai paid half 

the bike and I bought a speedometer. Now we have five bikes in the family so the whole family 

can go out and ride. Kai has a folding bike. Kai and I were just in the Odenwald and bought us 

new car tires from a factory. We also saw the production process of car tires in the factory. I feel 

very tired when we arrived home from a dinner 1 o'clock and started already before 9 to 

25

Odenwald. I must just cook dinner for the Mops as Kai and I'm going on a cocktail. Tomorrow, 

we have a dinner at our House and Saturday morning we have our Spanish lesson. Last week, we 

had no Spanish because of Pentecost but the week before that, we had our first double lesson. 

We find Spanish easy and have already learned a lot of words. We have also written a pretty long 

translation. The Mouse (Oli) begins school in September. He has suddenly become so big and is 

going out and playing with other children on Fuchshohl (our street). Last week, he found a small 

stream on the ground where he collected shells a few days muddy up to the ears. I had to bathe 

him 2-3 times per day. Fine German children must not sully themselves nor go out and play 

alone as small. Tante is shocked, but I want Oli to develop normally. In Finland we would of 

course be laughed out if so great a child would only go out with his mother. 


Annika: Dear Mumi and Abba. A thousand thanks for the cards. We will arrive the 18 th July 

because we start the 16 th . I got a good rating and a new watch. Regards to all, Annika P.S. Also 

Boy (the great) 


Please make an appointment with Dr. Alpo Lahti, ophthalmologist, for Kai, Kim and me 

together. Ideally, ca, July 21, but if it's not suitable for anytime between 21.7. -15.8. Please 

mention that we come from abroad, he will be booked out well in advance. 


We will arrive on Friday18th and continue as quickly as possible to the country but must 

occasionally visit Helsinki because of physician visits (and dentist) or Kai’s business. Mops had 

their last school day June 20 th and now all have summer vacation, also Oli who finished 

kindergarten that day. Kim and Ani both had great ratings. Both had seven honors. Kim in 

mathematics, geometry, history, essay, English, hand 

writing and something I have forgotten. From Annika, I 

remember only mathematics, French and physical 

education but she had it too in seven topics... Kim is 

already getting travel fever. He doesn't know what to do, 

but is just talking about fishing. Right now he rode over to 

a classmate. Ani gets one of her classmates visiting in the 

morning who will stay overnight to Friday. Our terrible 

beast has suddenly started to jump over the fence and track 

us if we go out without her. I suspect that her back legs are 

now healthy. The vet said when he treated her that dogs 

with such "hip joint problem (dysplasia)" cannot jump. 

Today, she traced up Mops and me outside our grocery 

store. The weather here was terrible in June. Colder than at 

ages. Today, however, we have 27 ° so one can again 

exist. We have allowed ourselves to be told that the 

weather in Finland has been wonderful for a longer period 

of time. The Mouse learned a short time ago to cycle on a 

two wheel bike and is now all the time pestering us to come together with him to the field. We 

have forbidden him to cycle on Fuchshohl Street. Yesterday he rode with Kai over 9 km. prior to 

that, he had been several times on bike rides with Kim and Annika. Kim has on his new bike a 

gauge for how fast he runs and how far. The environment here is wonderful. Everything is so 

lush and green. We live entirely isolated, do not see any neighbors. The hedge between us and 

26

27 

the neighbors on one side consists of red roses. Mops have a plastic pool in the garden. Kai has 

been completely covered by some sort of rash. He got the rash from a new shirt (unwashed, 

ordered from Hong Kong). He went to a dermatologist who gave him a paste that he had to be 

painted with (not the face) He is already better and needs no longer be painted. Fortunately, as 

the paste dirtied collars and ties, not to mention the other clothes. I have just brought everything 

to the chemical cleaning. The doctor could not really explain why he got the rush. Possibly 

allergic reaction for aperture chemicals in a new fabric. 


Kai will also travel around Finland during trade negotiations and I will stay in the hospital as 

long as Salmenkivi requests. We arrive on the 16th. In the afternoon, on the17th we visit the 

dentists and the like. And the 18 th in the morning I should be at Meilahti hospital. Aja and Kai 

had a telex conversation about our trip on the Finlandia a few days ago. Our return trip was 

excellent. The Mops saw to their great fun the film "Lady and the tramp" on the boat (an 

animated Walt Disney film). We arrived home at 11.30 o'clock Thursday night after driving 

approx. 600 km from Travemünde to Frankfurt in 5 hours. All our animals are faring fine. It has 

been raining almost continuously since we came. In addition, it is terribly cold. Monday our 

heating broke down and it took until Tuesday before the engineer came and repaired it. It was 

freezing cold and we didn't even have hot water. Ani is enjoying her new raincoat. Last Saturday 

morning Kai opened the Finnish exhibition hall on the Frankfurt autumn fair with a press 

reception and that same evening, we had twelve people at home with us. Wednesday was the last 

day of the fair. Then we ate in the evening dinner with the Finnish Pavilion's chief and the 

Director of the Frankfurter fair with his wife. Now we hope to get it a little quieter for some time 

to come. On September 2 nd i.e. next Tuesday the school will begin for all Mops. Oli is going up 

in the seams out of excitement. He counts the days and arranges and rearranges pens, rubber and 

pencil sharpener. Kai and I'm are totally paralyzed. He calculated yesterday that now as school 

fees have risen, we end up paying 7 900 DEM for Kim and Annika in school fees September- 

June. That’s why we are always moneyless. If both would not be highly gifted, it would not be 

worthwhile. But such as it is now in the world, the only thing it is a good idea to invest in is a 

good upbringing and schooling for children. Fortunately, we have only three. In order to do well 

the next generation must know and be able to do more than our generation. And one must begin 

in time to be able to learn everything. In German secondary schools they still read more Greek 

and Latin instead of fully engaging in living languages. 


My leg is already healed. The scars are already fading away. Last week asked a man on the street 

to ask me an indiscreet question. He asked to know how long time had elapsed since my surgery. 

His wife had surgery for varicose veins for more than three months ago and the leg did still not 

look as good as mine. My mother-in-law’s train arrives at Frankfurt station 5.55 a.m. on October 

28 th and she will stay here about two weeks. We hope to stand out with her. Next Friday our 

Dutch friends who we know from Beijing arrive for a visit of two nights. They have a girl who 

was a classmate of Ani in China and a boy who is about one year older than Oli. Yesterday Kai 

and I were at a trade fair in Cologne. Here around Frankfurt, it is always morning and evening 

fog this time of year. On the way home, we came into a fog where no one saw one’s hand in 

front of him. We drove off the road into an Autobahn gas station but couldn't find it even though 

we stopped the car about 30 feet from the nearest pump which was fully lit. Mausen was at 

kindergarten while we were in Cologne. The great Mops took him home when they came home

at 4 p.m. Normally Oli is there only until noon. Saturday the boy’s parents in Oli’s class were 

invited to attend the teaching (two hours). First hour had road education and reading and Kai 

thought already that Oli was stupid when he did not show any interest. Then they counted with 

blocks and Oli was superior. The children have their tables in groups and he even explained for 

the others in his group how to do it. I've been waiting for all for the morning mist to lift so that I 

could go to the store without getting straight hair. Now it is 12.30 and I still see no longer than 

the end of our garden. This morning they said on the radio that the humidity is 100% and still it’s 

not raining there. Kim has become an avid football player. One day a week he plays football 

after school and is then coming home by tram instead of school bus. He already has such a 

geometry that we had at 6 th or 7th grade in secondary school. One day he caught me because I 

couldn't figure out the area of a triangle. He calls π for pai at American, which amused Kai and 

me then π is a Greek letter. 


We endured two weeks with Kai's mother barely. She is more gaga than ever. She caused a huge 

scandal and Kai was ready to throw her out but I managed to pacify both. After Kai had gone to 

work, I had a two-three hours of serious conversation with her in which she blamed me for 

everything between heaven and Earth, but when it didn't bother me she calmed down again. The 

next day, she had forgotten the entire matter and came with her small poisoned remarks as usual. 

If you talk to her she tells for sure how good she had it here. The picture I send in the letter was 

taken by the school photographer. Ani was unfortunately ill this year, like last year when the 

photos were taken. Oli was photographed at school a long time ago but we have not yet received 

the photos. Next Friday, Kim shall be camping with the Scouts. They sleep out two nights. It is 

the only thing missing before he will be a second class scout. The tests he passed long ago. Poor 

Ani, has pus in her rearmost tooth. Last Thursday, when she came home from school ached all 

her joints, her ears and her head. We had dinner guests and she was lying and crying throughout 

the evening. One of the guests was an American doctor. He examined her but as he didn't have 

his bag with him, he could not see her ears which she most complained about. He said that I 

should show her to a pediatrician the following day. We thought the crying was due to the fact 

that she was invited to sleep the night of Friday to Saturday with a girlfriend. They would go 

skating and do all sorts of fun which now became impossible as she was sick. The German 

pediatrician who I went to examined her and said she is completely healthy, but that she is a 

hypochondriac and only simulates. He gave her a sedative medication. Her one ear continued to 

ache and she just cried. Saturday morning, her face was red and blotchy and swollen so I called 

again the doctor. He said it was a reaction of the medicine and did nothing, I should get in touch 

again Monday morning. I felt the doctor's diagnosis was wrong and that something should be 

done, I mused through the case and came to the conclusion that the pain could come from the 

teeth. Saturday-Sunday, it is impossible to get hold of doctors and dentists here but I did manage 

to persuade our dentists to receive her on Saturday night. He has taken care of the kids teeth in 

two years so he knows them. He doubted that Ani would be a hypochondriac. He said that what 

she had was one of the most painful things you can have in your teeth. I have for instance never 

had it. He drilled up the tooth and he calculates that he must treat it approx. 4 weeks until he can 

seal it. Children learn rarely get such things but she has always had her family's worst teeth. Last 

week pulled the same dentist out two milk teeth from Kim when the new teeth already grew out 

on the cheek and the old did not show signs of loosening. He has now pulled out four teeth on 

Kim when they did not loosen although the new were pretty far out. A tooth he pulled while Kai 

and I were in Finland in September. Oli told me one day that he learned how to write his name in 

28

29 

school. I asked him to write it so I got to see. He wrote: Rli. He had learnt both Rolf and Oli and 

mixed up the letters. 


Kim says he doesn't need a fur hat as it's not so cold here. He uses a knitted hat that is rolled up. 

He has a brown one this year. Last year, he had a blue-white which he lost. He would like to 

have one which matches his winter coat which 

is dark blue marine coat with detachable pile 

lining. In February the students of the higher 

classes go on holiday to the Alps and we had 

thought that perhaps he could join the trip. 

They receive ski tuition there, slalom skis and 

shoes you can rent on site. Annika has become 

big and dreams of big girl things. She is very 

fond of big girl things and small silver rings. 

Yesterday, she got a dark brown mocha coat 

with fur lining from Kuusinen. She hovers on 

pink small clouds. Oli says he would like to 

have "anything". His clothing size is 140 cm. 

Monday – Tuesday Kai and I in Bonn and in 

the meantime he lost two teeth, one was a front 

tooth. The other tooth is so loose that it stands 

straight out. He has difficulty eating. Ani’s 

school portrait was unfortunately not so 

successful. She seems to be in an age when you 

can't be totally natural when photographed. In 

German schools they seem to only take black 

and white portraits. I am very fond of Cliffan’s 

(Kim) image. His teacher is also, he was here 

for dinner one evening. Some time ago when it 

was a little colder Kim fell through the ice into 

a pond somewhere near the school. He came home wearing the school's Finnish nurse’s sneakers 

and clothes that she picked up for him who knows where. – Tante has water in her knee and will 

have surgery in early January. She will be gone for at least three weeks. Horrible thought for me. 

We are going to have a lot of Diners in the evening and it's about time I start work. 


Annika has again grown and become leaner. The Mops are now out skiing and tobogganing. The 

big one’s school started today, but we overslept all, so they missed the school bus and stayed 

home. Last night it snowed a lot so I think it was just great that they did not go out in the chaos 

on the roads. Here they are not used to the snow as we are so the roads are not taken care of as 

we are used to. We have had freezing temperatures for more than a month, something that is not 

supposed to have happened in 160 years. When Aja came it was –18 ° and the train was over one 

hour late. Oli has a week longer school holidays than the large ones. In early December, we 

received a new fence between us and the neighbors on the left side, down from the balcony to the 

small road. A moment ago Nixe bit a hole in the fence and was missing. A little later shouted 

Kim from the small road that he needs the dog's leash. The “pigtittare” had arrived while we

were and followed Aja. Moppan is very fond of it. She will move up in the room next to Kim's 

when it’s getting a little warmer. The currency rate is 1 DEM = 1.14 Fmk. 

700121 Frankfurt I did not reach Aja by phone on Monday as I had to leave, then we had an 

embassy inspector here from Finland. Kim came home after 6 p.m. as he plays basketball after 

school. Oli informs that he has not yet been spitting out the front tooth he promised. The lady 

was with us last time on January 9 th . She is in hospital. She has been operated for water in the 

knee. The doctor said that it will take 3-4 weeks. Will see if she can handle it in that time. She is 

63 years old. At first I thought that I would take someone else a few times a week for as long as 

she is gone. But then I decided to do everything yourself, then it's hard to find someone honest 

and diligent and Tante said: She will already be back then when the new finally learned her 

duties. I noticed that Tante certainly was not keen on that I would bring in a stranger in the 

House. She thinks a lot about working with us, and wanted probably not to have competition. 

She usually every Tuesday buys meat for a week for Nixe in Höchst. Now she had arranged that 

the butcher is driving home the meat for me if I call him when I need it. Tomorrow, he brings 10 

kilos for Nixe. I freeze it down in portion sachets. Nixe looses hair so that the cleaning of the 

House is worse than usual. For some reason, the staircase between the first and second floor the 

most hairy so it must be cleaned every day. Otherwise I clean thoroughly a few rooms per day 

and the rest fleetingly, and so the House stays clean. Last Sunday the Embassy Controller came 

over here from Bonn. His duties include to examine the homes. We heard from Bonn that he had 

opened cabinet doors there. He did fortunately not with us. I cooked dinner for him on Sunday 

night. He ate lots and praised the food which made me happy because I really don't consider 

myself a master chef in fine cooking. For a diplomat the wife's skills are almost as important as 

his own and therefore they are also checked. 


We have had a for Frankfurt unusual winter with lots of snow. Several times, the snow melted 

away, and came again. Already last week, I saw that some hyacinths come up in the garden, and 

after that they were covered once by snow which melted and last night it snowed again so 

everything is white again today. Annika and Maus (Oli) are home from school. Maus has an 

awful cold and Ani has had the flu with fever. Her illness started with a fever and a runny nose, 

however, disappeared after a few days. Just when we thought that she is cured and can go to 

school again came the fever back. She gets Terramycin last day today and probably goes to 

school in the morning. She is very eager to get going then I bought new winter boots for her in 

Salzburg. Kim is doing fine. He is talking only about stamps and the floor of his room is covered 

by them as he is in the process of rearranging them. He has left a note on the door with the call to 

Tante not to touch them. She wondered how she would be able to make his bed. Ani has moved 

up in the room next to Kim's and Oli lives with Padde and the birds. Ani and Oli play school 

now. Last week we had a fair here and lots of guests. This week, we have invitations almost 

every evening. Last Saturday night had the kids school a ball at the hotel Intercontinental. I won 

two bras on the tombola. Today I sent the size to the factory and they will send me the bras. Let’s 

see what kind they are. Did you want to know if my kids have teaspoons? The boys have none 

and Ani has 2 or 3 (in a safe deposit box in Helsinki) pastel colored enamel spoons, suede, which 

the aunts have given her. 

30

31 


Maus is still without front teeth and has very small 

canines. All got new shoes over the Easter recess. 

Maus also greets his aunt and is showing as thanks for 

an animal book the site where the new teeth shall 

emerge. Maus's great dream is to one day become a 

big animal researcher like Frankfurt's Zoo Director Dr. 

Grzimek who has its own animal program on TV. 

When Maus was small was his greatest wish to meet 

Mao-Tse-tung, now it is to personally meet Dr. 

Grzimek. We were in the Zoo last Thursday. Maus 

said he already can read in the book himself although 

we doubt it; he reads German in school and I do not 

consider him yet ripe to learn the Swedish alphabet 

because he might mix. Oli has still this week, Easter 

holidays, all in all, he has three weeks, while the big 

ones had only ten days. Under the big one’s holidays 

we had a mouse named Wilbur visiting. One of the 

teachers has a lot of small animals in cages in her class 

and Mops may borrow them over the week-ends and 

holidays. Wilbur visited us previously over a weekend. 

He rips with fantastic speed paper and builds nests. We 

assume that he is a Dormouse. I let him loose on Kai 

and he bit immediately holes in Kai's shirt. People he does not bite. It is at least four years since 

we last celebrated Easter at home. This year the weather was cold and ugly, so we were lucky 

that we had not decided to drive away. We experienced instead Frankfurt as tourists. We saw a 

lot of things that we have not previously seen here. Kai also had two weeks off over Easter. Now 

he works again and has an export course from Finland to be trained for two weeks here at his 

Office. Next Saturday he and I drive to Strasburg, 

we get home Sunday night. The Mops stay with 

Tante. Kim has the same nose blood trait as you. 

Some time ago we worked half a night to get his 

nose to stop bleeding. I still continue to force in 

him especially useful food (liver, etc.) to get him in 

shape. 

00411 Strasbourg 

This week-end Kai and I are here. The weather is cold and horrible, but the city is old and 

interesting.

32 


Most of our vacation we live as usual on "little country" but we have to visit the doctor and have 

some "business" to attend to in Helsinki. The weather here has been unusually horrible. There 

was even snow last Thursday. In a few days, our cherry tree will begin to flower, about one 

month behind schedule. Plum and pear trees are not showing yet signs of blooming. We will 

certainly not get much fruit this year as there still are no insects. During a long time I have 

traveled with Kai about once a week staying overnight. Last week we were in Düsseldorf at the 

fashion show and on "Ball der Fashion (The Fashion Ball)". This week we will be Thursday- 

Friday in Travemünde. Tante cares as long for Mops and animals. On April 20 th we were in 

Stuttgart and collected our new car. It is already run in. We have not yet screwed on the "tail" 

which Abba donated to our old car. It is not so easy to fasten it on this as it was on the last. First 

of May we were invited to lunch in Bad Godesberg and took with us the kids who stayed at 

Gaertner's (Oma’s cousin's son's family) for so long. Maus threw up in the car on the way there, 

something he hasn't done in years. Maybe the "tail" really affects the kids’ nausea? Ani had a 

birthday party for her friends on April 24 th . As two of the guests would stay overnight we invited 

everyone to dinner. It is much more exhausting having a children’s party than to have a party for 

adults. Kim is thinking about having a sport party with barbeque food when it gets warmer. Kim 

was at his first school dance the same night Ani had her party. The dance was just for the 6 th and 

7 th grades. To participate, children must have a signed parental permission. 


We travel from Travemünde on July 15 th and will be in Helsinki on 17 th . Kai will be in Helsinki 

on the night between May 14 th and 15 th . 


A thrust pair had built nests in our cold cabinet. In the Cabinet there is a small window that for 

the most part is ajar. In the nest were five eggs. Four chicks hatched from the eggs. After two had 

died I suspected that the parents did not taken bring enough food and began myself to feed them 

with tweezers (Kim's long stamp tweezers). I gave them about every other hour raw minced 

meat, from Nixe’s along with lightly cooked whole corn etc. They grew enormously. Every time 

I opened the cupboard door they stretched their throats and peeped. The parents continued to 

feed them. When the mother was incubating she did not mind that I dug into the Cabinet. 

Yesterday they learned to fly, and moved away. Last Monday, that is. A week ago, Oli went 

down the exceedingly Oli steep hill to the field below us. His own bike had broken the day 

before and he had inherited Anise that was slightly larger than his. Due to some reason he flew 

over the handlebar down on his head. He got a huge bump on the head, scraped the skin off his 

chin, his lower arms and stomach. The legs were unharmed. It was a very hot day and he was 

only wearing small cotton shirt and shorts. Luckily Kim was with him so he brought home Oli. 

They were out looking for Annika, because she should come home and eat. Kim had forbidden 

him to drive down the Hill. Two days I kept Maus in bed. Kids heal very quickly, even the scab 

on his chin is almost gone. I think that his love of lying in the bath will help. He told me that his 

teacher had surprised himself today over how well already looks. Kai has beginning August 17 th 

to drive around in Finland and give talks and I hope that I travel with him. Mops thinks it would 

be wonderful to live with Mumma. Oli has already a ¼-new large incisor. Ani is very fond of the 

ring. She is almost every day with our American neighbors and playing with their 15-month-old 

son. Kim is in a marvelous age. He speaks only politics nowadays. The parents of one of his

friends who move home in the summer have invited him to come and visit them in New York. 

He is so lucky that we promised that he may do it. Ani has been invited to go and visit a friend in 

England. 


Ani was on Friday on the way home from school attacked by a German shepherd, who slipped 

from his home and was badly bitten in the leg and slightly in the hand. Her leg was operated on 

when she arrived at the hospital. She has to lie there in two weeks. Write to St. Markus 

Krankenhaus. I'll write more after our move. 


Kai has the flu, and lies to bed. The Mops are feeling fine. Annika went this morning with the 

school on a Rhein-Mosel excursion and comes home tomorrow night. They will sleep in a 

"Jugendherberge" somewhere. She thought its great fun. She has had travelling fever for several 

days. Kim was on a one-day excursion a couple of weeks ago. We have had Indian summer with 

warm and pleasant weather for a longer period of time. Mornings are pretty cool but at midday it 

is warm. Oli and his best friend Michael has found on a great play that they can do for hours. 

Down on the field, there is an almost dried-up Creek where there are small fishes in the mud. 

With my old macaroni-sieve they dig out them and keep them in Tante’s floor cleaning bucket. 

Tante is on a vacation or else she would certainly protest. When these small guys come home 

they are every time so dirty that they fall directly in the bath, and the clothes in the washing 

machine. Oli is so fascinated of fishing that he did not at all care that someone bobbed his bike. 

We found it later in the Park above the field. The kid who took it presumably did not dare to take 

it home with him. Michael is the only child and he will soon have it difficult to exist without Uli. 

He is also very fond of Kim and Annika and therefore is for the most time with us. In a not 

German way his mother seems to agree that he gets dirty. I think kids, get complexes if they 

must always keep in mind to keep themselves clean and are not able to play freely. When we 

were in Finland came Michael daily and greeted Nixe and asked Tante when Oli comes home. 

Michaels mum takes both boys to swimming school every Thursday. Oli has not yet received his 

second front tooth. 


Kai’s back was cured about a week ago. During the Bonn negotiations, he was totally invalid. 

My time is disappearing without me knowing where. Tante has not been with us many days since 

we came home from Finland. First, she had three weeks’ vacation. During the holidays, she did a 

bus tour and became motion sick which caused what the Germans call "Kreislaufstörungen 

(circulation problems)". So she was sick a few days extra. Then a dentist should pull out 2 teeth, 

but pulled out 4, 2 of which were healthy. She was again sick some days, moreover, terribly 

upset, which I understand. Just when I began to consider her normal again after the dental 

problem she got under a tram (the 20th October). Fortunately two men pulled her aside in time. 

She only got her kneecap broken is now in bed with plaster. No one knows for how long. It was 

the same knee that was operated on for water in January this year. Our poor old Tante has really 

had bad luck. She's getting old, but she is otherwise so good so I don't want to get rid of her. She 

turned 64 in August. So I work nowadays myself as a “Putzfrau (cleaning woman)”, cook and 

am the hostess when we have guests. Fortunately, I have learned some from Tante. In the past I 

often felt that the House was too small, but now when I clean three floors, I think it is enormous. 

The kids and the dog pull in a lot of dirt from the wet garden. Fortunately, fells Nixe not hair as 

she did when I alone cleaned in three weeks at the beginning of the year. In addition, spends 

Uli’s friend Michael his days with us. They have at the best "Herbstferien (autumn Leave)". 

33

34 

They were free from school throughout the last week and even today. Tomorrow starts school 

again. As it mostly rains they play the inside. Michael slept with us once the night between 

Saturday and Sunday. Uli and he got up at 4 a.m. on Sunday morning. They had a contest to see 

who wakes up first. Michael won. Maus is taking violin lessons. His teacher once offered the 

children that anyone who wants to can take private lessons with her. Uli spoke to me and I said 

maybe later. One day I got a note from the teacher with an address and playtime for Uli the 

following day. She also wanted me to call her up. Uli himself had agreed with her about lessons. 

Now he plays once a week and is very interested. He plays along with a little girl. Every other 

month, the teacher comes to the girl's home and to ours. The teacher says that he can read notes 

and also differentiate them when he hears them. I have today promised to go with Ani to town 

when she comes home from school to see if we can find a Midi-coat. Unfortunately it rains. 


Kai comes to Finland December 9 th and travels home again on 12 th in the morning. Could Aja or 

you buy a wadded jacket for Ani? Preferably dark blue or red, preferably with skin around the 

hood, size approx. 160 cm. 


Our House is so empty now that Aja, Broki and Pete have gone. Even Nixe is sorry. Aja has with 

her Ani's anorak which should be changed to larger. Please do it as soon as possible and send by 

parcel post. Ani shall travel to Austria on winter break early February. 


Kim has had his new gray jumper on every day since school started January 4 th . He refuses to let 

me hang it out occasionally. Ani again thinks that one cannot appear two consecutive days of 

school in the same clothes. Kai comes again to Finland on January 2 nd and journeys home 

Saturday 30 th . Uli is just having his violin lesson. He is now playing alone as the teacher thinks 

that he can so concentrate better. When the teacher taught the little girl pondered Uli on entirely 

different things instead of following the lesson. Mausen’s figure has improved since he began in 

the swimming school. His stomach has shrunk. He is a stabile and strong child full of interest for 

just about everything. His school started first on 11 th . I.e. Yesterday. The photos of Kim and 

Annika were taken in the fall, but we got them only yesterday. Their school takes each year 

images of kids while Uli’s seems not to do it. It's nice to see later how the kids looked at 

different ages. Tante was working last week all week for the first time since she broke her 

kneecap on October 20 th . Tomorrow, Wednesday, she would like to have time off. She can have 

it although Kai just called and said Armi Ratia will come for dinner with us then. I have already 

got used to also cook for guests, which previously was a nightmare. Nixe has again otitis. The 

vet prescribed her infrared lamp. The first time she did not like to lie still. It was only possible 

when the Mops lay around her on the floor, but now I can already give her the treatment alone. It 

must feel nice having heat. Nixe liked Pete much. He seems to be nice with dogs. Here rise all 

prices terribly. Not only the food, but everything. Even the Steiff animals have risen a lot from 

the beginning of the year. Those stuffed animals mean lots of children. Last fall, I knitted a 

sweater for Kim's Nanna at his request. She is in the process of "becoming president" also on the 

belly. (When Kim was small and saw President Kekkonen (who was bald) on television he said 

Nanna is becoming president, then the hairs on her snout were worn away by much kissing). 

Nanna has still also a place of honor in Kim's room. Ani has Mom and Baby Hexe, Teddy and 

Jamse-Mao and Uli has Mao and the crocodiles.

35 


Ani enjoyed the trip very much as the doctor did not operate on her and she had a pleasure trip 

instead. Oli counts the months until he in the summer may travel to Finland to meet with 

Mumma. Kim and Annika are in Bad Gastein in Austria for the winter break. They left last 

Saturday morning. They should gather at the station in Oberursel at. 6.30. From home we left at 

6 a.m. The day before Annika had brought from school a Guinea pig so that Oli would not be so 

sad while the big ones were away. He had already for a couple of nights shown he mourned in 

advance. One night when we were out at dinner, he asked for permission to go to sleep in my bed 

and then also invited the large ones, so that all three were sleeping in our beds. The next evening 

when I was going to bed I looked into Oli’s room and found the bed empty. When I went looking 

for him, I found him sleeping on the bed carpet under Ani’s bed with only her blanket covering 

him. Luckily he doesn't miss the Mops as much as we thought he would do. Nixe is so used to 

have small animals so she sniffs at them only when they come and then quietly lets them run 

around the House. The Guinea pig Aristoteles lives in a plastic laundry basket on the floor in 

Oli’s room. Nixe is licking him sometimes when passing. Also Padde and the birds stay with Oli. 

The Mops promised to write, but we haven't heard anything from them. Here we have warm 

temperature and no snow. Hope they are better off in the Alps. But they have both skiing 

equipment and bathing suits. I bought them both new wadded jackets, mocha shoes with shaft, 

such as youth today seem to like, and three pairs of long trousers to Ani. Socks and mittens I 

have knit in plenty. The kids are coming home late next Saturday night. As Kai and I will then be 

in Strasbourg, an acquaintance of us whose children also are with them will drive them from 

Oberursel to Fuchshohl. Tante is with the Oli. Oli wishes Bilofix to the birthday, but it is not 

available to buy here. I was yesterday visiting a doctor and he said that I probably suffer from 

some sort of neuralgia in the face. I had a long time been going to a dentist but he has not found 

something wrong though he let take x-rays. Monday morning, I will go "nüchtern (on an empty 

stomach)" to the doctor and he takes blood samples and other tests. I'm rarely sick, but when I 

am, I seem to get fully crazy diseases. Next week is the Carnival here on Tuesday, and all 

German schoolchildren go dressed up to school. Tante brought yesterday to Oli spurs and a 

cartridge belt. I bought a sheriff hat and sheriff star. And as we do not have a working gun 

promised Kai today that he would buy one. Oli is thus going dressed as a sheriff. He is very 

happy. So far, he has always been Batman. He has already been Batman on two "fashing-partys" 

this year. A boy's birthday party and the swimming school’s carnival party last Saturday. End of 

March, Kai and I travel to Rome for a few days. 


Oli has been like sick since he got his birthday card that you sent a package. He didn't want to go 

far from the House just to not miss the postman. He had his last school day March 27 th and is still 

enjoying his three-week Easter vacation. The big one’s first vacation day was Good Friday and 

all schools start again April 19 th . On Saturday at 7 a.m. the whole family was awakened by the 

doorbell ringing and Uli roared that it was the mail. It was just a recommended business letter to 

Kai. Finally came Mouse’s package. He is infinitely happy for the Bilofix. Tante and all others 

greet and thank you for the Easter eggs. Fazer's Mignon eggs are absolutely the best Easter eggs 

to be found. We found in Wiesbaden a small bakery that sold eggshells filled with what they 

called nougat. They said they never heard of Fazer's eggs even though they had a Finnish 

daughter in law. But from their eggs you could not loosen the shell and the chocolate filling 

tasted directly bad. Here the Easter weather has been wonderful. Fruit trees have begun to

36 

blossom, and in a few days, our cherry tree will start to flower. It is the most beautiful time of the 

year. On our terrace bloom at their best five large daffodils. Next week, Kai comes to Finland 

with a German ministerial delegation. They'll will travel around in Finland. He will stay at hotels 

with the Germans. It will be a short journey because at the end of the week, we still must find 

time to go to France on a business mission. Don't be surprised if he doesn't even have time to call 

you. 

710423 Nancy 

Our hotel is located on a historic square. It 

features an antique facade with sculptures on 

the roof. The weather is nice. In the morning we 

travel on to Paris. The Mops are with Tante in 

Frankfurt. 


It is warm and comforting. Daytime 

temperatures have already been 26 ° several 

days. Kim is becoming somewhat agitated 

because of his Amerika voyage. He will go with 

a jumbo-jet June 29th and stay for a month. The 

family he will visit wrote that they arranged that 

the boys in the mornings visit a holiday course 

where you learn fast reading, oil painting and 

wood carving. Kim thinks it will be fantastic. 

The family has two sons, one of which was 

Kim's classmate and the other a class lower. In 

addition, they have a daughter in Uli’s age and a 

small son. The father is a medical doctor. Uli 

was very happy when he yesterday at school 

learned why birds do not receive electrical 

shock when they sit on electrical wires. He is also nowadays sitting in some corner reading 

German or Swedish books or Donald Duck. Ani doesn't anymore need reading for him. On 

Saturday, we shall go with the Mops and their friend to the circus. Germany's largest circus has 

come to Frankfurt. 


Kai, Ani, Uli and I come to Helsinki on July 17 th . Kim will come on 28 th . We pick up him up 

from the airport. German doctors have almost taken me into pieces without being able to say that 

I have anything else than face neuralgia. They say, however, that it must be due to something but 

they can't find the cause. Kai says that the matter should be sorted up in Finland this summer. If 

we would not have a medical problem and if the kids would not be so happy to go Finland, I 

would prefer to go for a change elsewhere. Will see how we do it next year. The owner of the 

House we live in has given it to his son and the son wants to move in October 1 st . We are looking 

for a new House. It is difficult to find a suitable house near here. We do live here because of 

Uli’s school. I have talked to his teacher and she also believes that it would be important for him 

to remain in the same school until he comes in high school. She is very fond of him. She believes 

that a new school and new teacher and classmates could affect him badly. They have tested the

37 

children and according to the test, he would be the most intelligent in the class. Will see how it 

will go. Maybe I have to overcome my aversion to cars and drive him to school every day. The 

big kids’ school ended early on June 16 th . Ani’s scores were, as usual, fantastic. Kim's was good 

though all teachers complained about his laziness and explained how good he could be if he only 

tried a little. Their rating is made up of a bunch of cards, one for each topic, where the teacher 

has written testimonial, attitude during the teaching and a comment on the student. Kim has it 

great in America. The family he lives with is fabulous and showing him all the sights and 

travelling around with him. The mother wrote that he already feels like a family member with 

them and they think he is delectable. Today I received letter No. 2 from them. Kim had 

personally written five lines for us in it. As the school ended Ani’s friend lived with us for five 

days while her parents were in America. Now she takes mostly care of the neighbor’s toddlers 

who adore her. The tiny got recently 2 years old and the bigger on Saturday 4 years. She craves 

after all her cousins. Nixe is already 4 years old and has developed into a peaceful and dignified 

lady who loves the Mops over everything. The animal doctor said that one rarely sees a German 

shepherd with so nice nature. Certainly not sneaky or nervous, but still alert. 


Ani is now in school. She definitely wanted to 

go, although Kai and I tried to get her to stay 

home for a few days. She is a rare child, she 

hates to miss a single school day. Yesterday 

she cried a little as her bird had died and she 

was missing Mumma and Abba. The bird died 

suddenly last Friday night. On Saturday, we 

bought a new bird. This time, we hope that it 

really is a girl bird. It is still quite young, and it 

is difficult to determine the sex of the Cubs. 

Ani’s yellow was bought as a girl from a Zooshop, 

but turned out to be a boy when it was 

fully grown. The yellow died of a tumor in the 

stomach. The September 28 th we are moving to 

August-Siebert-Strasse 3, Frankfurt, Tel. 

556066. It's the House with the lead set colored 

glass panes facing the street downstairs. There 

was no appropriate, free house in the vicinity 

of our old. Ani is pleased that several of her 

friends live nearby. One of the boys who had 

previously lived in the House became this year 

classmate of Kim. His father became head of 

Pan Am here and they had to move to a residence near the airfield. Tante has unfortunately end 

her working with us when her husband, who still is completely paralyzed, soon will be sent home 

from the hospital. We hope both that it will be after our move. I intend to take a Spanish maid 

next time. Tante has promised to come and help me with the cooking if I have a lot of guests. We 

now have to pay tuition fee for the kids’ term 4000.00 DEM. It has again risen this year. In 

addition, we are paying for Kim this year more than Ani, because he is in the "Upper School".

38 

Ani gets there next year. We pay back Ani’s hospital charges in October to Abba if it is OK. The 

rules for dress code were tightened for Kim because he was an ' Upper School ' student. No jeans 

are tolerated at school, on excursions (museum-visit etc.) should the boys be dressed in jacket 

and pants, the hair should be neat, no beards or mustaches. When I suggested to Kim that we 

would buy a jacket he said he absolutely will not dress up in one of those. On Monday I 

suggested Kim that he should come with me to town to pick out a Dromedary-colored Dralonblanket 

for him and at the same time look at coats. We bought a coat in brown-beige-green. The 

brown squares have the same color as his Finnish Terylene trousers. He is now extremely proud 

of the dress and had it on when we met Ani at the Airport yesterday. The dress fits him really. 

Uli’s passion at the moment is to fly kites down there on the field. His best friend Michael has 

also learned to swim nicely in the summer and both will be moved to a higher class in the 

swimming school. On Saturday, Kai and I will drive to a crayfish party in Cologne. The crayfish 

are imported on a flight from Finland. 


We are now in the new House. 

Almost everything is still packaged 

up. A plastic surgeon will do a skin 

graft on Ani tomorrow or Friday. She 

will have to stay in hospital for ten 

days after it. She is very unhappy. The 

plastic surgeon is considered one of 

the best in Germany today. 


The move is mainly over. Ani is still 

in hospital. There is a chance that she 

may come home to the week-end. She 

was attacked by a German shepherd 

that escaped from home, when she 

came from the school bus. It tore a 

small piece of flesh from her leg 

below the knee. In the calf and in her 

hand she had holes after canine teeth. 

Usually she comes home with Kim, 

but that day Kim played football after 

school for the first time this semester. 

He had not told us that, so Ani 

thought he missed the school bus. Kai 

was at work, I had driving lesson and 

Uli was deposited with his friend's mom. So no one was home. Our closest neighbors took in Ani 

and informed the Kai. Kai ordered an ambulance and Ani went to the hospital with the neighbor's 

16-year-old daughter. There her leg was immediately operated then the flesh hung down in 

strips. When I got home an hour later, I saw a police car which went along the Fuchshohl and

stopped at our entrance. Before I arrived at our House people told me that Ani was hospitalized. 

An eyewitness had contacted the neighbor, but she did not recognize the dog as she did not live 

in the neighborhood. Police were now looking after the dog as the doctors suspected that it could 

be a case of rabies. When Kai and I came to the hospital were police interrogating Annika. She 

was also not sure whose dog it was. Later I asked her if she was sure that she had not seen a face 

in a window or door. She said no, but she remembered suddenly that an old woman had been 

picking flowers in the garden. I rushed to look for this woman and found her too. She was nearly 

deaf and had not understood how badly bitten Ani was. She believed that it had bitten Ani only 

in her hand. But she knew whose dog it was and could certify it for the police. Then I rushed to 

the dog owner. There was only a daughter at home. She said that the dog was not vaccinated 

against rabies. I asked that her mother should immediately get in touch with us when she came. 

Then I called our vet and asked him to examine the dog and write a statement for the hospital. 

Fortunately it had not rabies. Last Thursday, Germany's possibly best plastic surgeon made a 

skin graft on Ani. He moved an approx. 10 cm x 6 cm wide piece of skin from her ham down to 

the leg. He said that her leg would otherwise be disfigured forever. In about 3 months he will 

operate again to reduce the hole where the meat was taken. Ani does not yet know about it. We 

have visited her every day once together, Kai has visited her almost every day on the way to 

work and I have when I've had a chance visited her alone or with Uli in the middle of the day. 

I've lost 6 kg weight since I came from Finland. I must soon go after Oli from school. First by 

bus, then with the U-Bahn and then again by bus. As the buses come only three times an hour I 

have for the most no time to wait but run to and from the U-Bahn. The car I got to my birthday 

does not come before mid-October. In addition, Uli must be able to ride the bus and U-Bahn if 

I'm out of town some time etc. Our gas pipe is now inoperative since the day before yesterday. 

We are waiting for the repair man. It is freezing cold. Today is my new Spanish maid here for 

the first time and Tante for the last. Tante teaches her. The new one speaks only Spanish. The 

painters were finished yesterday. The electrician, gas man and floor layer are not yet finished. In 

the basement there are still many unopened boxes. After I have packed and unpacked night and 

day for a long time are most rooms relatively inhabitable. We have nine rooms, two bathrooms, a 

separate WC, kitchen, laundry, garage etc. Kim has his own floor with own bath the former 

servants’ floor. The smaller room there we use as ironing room and storage room. As so many 

strange people run around here Nixe has given up and watches during the day only me and the 

night the House. Wherever I go, she follows. We live now very central. As an extension of the 

garden comes one of the largest parks in Frankfurt. To the House belongs a dishwasher. I think 

we will like the House much when everything gets finished. The dog’s liability insurance and 

Ani’s school road accident insurance will pay her hospital costs here. The school assures the 

children automatically for a specific amount and at the beginning of September, offered the 

parents to double the total privately for 5 DEM. We did. Fortunately. Only the hospital costs are 

approx. 80 DEM/day. The doctor takes 2 000, - for an operation. The waiting time of the plastic 

surgeon is several months, but the head physician of the surgical Department who first treated 

Ani, believed that only a plastic operation could restore her leg and initiated it immediately. 

39

40 


Last Friday came Ani home from the 

hospital, next Monday, she may go to 

school. Approx. 10.30 today called Oli's 

school that he injured his leg during the 

break and that I should come and take him 

to the doctor. His knee was X-rayed. It's not 

broken, but should be kept immobile for 

two days and then be shown again. In the 

Accident clinic they spoke still about Ani’s 

leg. 


Yesterday Kai was present when the Peace prize of the Book Trade was awarded in the 

Paulskirche. Now he is in Kassel where he has a Finnish forest machine exhibition throughout 

the week. 


We have spoken with Uli and the other Mops. 

Everyone says that they have not touched Pete's 

money. Uli has sometimes earlier snatched candies 

or cookies from the Cabinet but never things or 

money. Mops always remember with horror the 

Finnish handmaid who stole. Uli had brought over 

10 FIM when we arrived and got weekly money all 

the time. Ask Pete if he has not used the money to 

pay the scooter wheel he broke. 


Kim: The small mops and I have the flu and are 

home from school. Here it is snowing and the snow 

melts away. There is ice on the streets, Mom gets 

soon winter rings. I got a typewriter to my birthday. 

Kim 


We have had an unusually tough autumn. Last night we had the last major dinner for this year. 

On Independence Day, we had dinner for 17 people. Tante was here and helped with the 

cooking. Otherwise I have already reached a stage where I cook myself also for large dinners. 

The Spanish woman, which we have now is great but she can't cook. She comes three times a 

week for five hours. The work would otherwise not be enough for both of us. She takes care of 

the cleaning and polishing of copper, brass and silver. All things that I try to avoid. She speaks 

only Spanish, so I get practice. I am very happy with the arrangement. I got my Silver colored, 

automatic VW at the end of October and run now Oli to school every day and collect him when

41 

school is out. I am doing my food purchases in the stores in e Ginnheim. Two former 

neighboring families at the old place are willing to take care of Oli when I need to go on a lunch, 

etc. in the middle of the day and can't take him with me. The Mops are about to go up in their 

seams in anticipation of Aja, Broki and Tomi. The TV room's flooring is not yet ready so Aja 

and Broki will sleep in Ani’s room. Ani sleeps in the ironing room and Tomi with Kim. We 

bought the Mops for Christmas a table tennis table and they are already playing table tennis on 

the TV room. The table is foldable. The package was so large that they could not avoid seeing it. 

We also needed to open it to see if it was 

undamaged. Yesterday was the garden put in 

order and a few days ago one of our bathtubs 

was ground and re-enameled. I did not know 

that such treatment could get an ugly tub look 

like new. The guy who made it said he has 

eight years fixed old bathtubs. Ani’s Dog fear 

is no longer as great as before. She goes 

already herself out with her girlfriends 

sometimes. Fortunately, we have Nixe. 

Otherwise, she might never have gotten over 

it. The great Mops have today the last day of 

school before Christmas break. Oli has yet 

school on the 22 nd . Kim, who now attends high 

school (high school, according to the 

American system) is so big that we don't 

recognize him. A few days ago he typed up a 

report of 1000 words on his typewriter on 

economic development in South America. 

Read (not homework) he makes even more 

than before. Oli also likes to read and is very 

proud that his teacher said he is a "Leseratte 

(Reading Rat)". Annika is, according to her 

teacher very gifted in math. She and two others 

in the class read a more advanced math than 

the rest. German she reads with German 

children. They have various German classes depending on how well the child speaks German. 

This year we have only a picture of Kim. The photographer was in school while Annika was 

hospitalized. I have to go after Oli. 


Annika: Dear Mumi, how are you? We feel good. Do not think I travelled on m/s Finnhansa. No, 

this is Tomi's paper. You know what, I got a guitar for Christmas. Thousand trillion thanks for 

things you and Abba sent to us. We were in the Senkenberg museum on Sunday. There were real 

Mummies from Egypt. Aja and Uli read "Emil books" every day. In the first book, Emil wanted 

to "Leva loppan (be wild)"! Therefore, Oli said that he also wanted to "leva loppan". Kim likes to 

wash his hair. The black shirt fits Kim to perfection. Sorry that my writing is crooked, but I have 

no lines below. Good Health to all and you also have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

your Ani

42 


Since a few weeks I AM treated for the same tooth as during the summer. We have found an 

American dentist who is good. A part of our kitchen ceiling has been pulled down and we have a 

big hole in the bathroom wall. A pipe leaked! Must dry before it can be repaired. 

720229 Frankfurt, 

Rolf: Dear Mumi! I've got a live mouse. It's called Roquefort and is black with a white dot in the 

forehead. Uli 


Here it is almost summer. Daytime temperatures have been about 20 degrees a week already. 

The Forsythia is blooming in our garden. Uli had the last day of school March 17 th . School starts 

again April 10 th . The big have free one week around Easter. Kim comes to Finland at the end of 

June when his summer vacation starts. He is going to live in the country near Orivesi to learn 

Finnish. Then when we come, we'll take him to the "little country". We have two new pets, the 

mouse Roquefort and the baby hamster Rockefeller (belongs to Ani, a reward for good grades). 

Ani had two A (10) in mathematics in her report. She has already for a long time been studying 

grade 8 Math. (She is in 7th grade). Her principal believes that the more gifted children should 

be able to move forward at their own pace and not be hindered by the average ones who 

determine the pace. This certainly requires more of the teacher, but the teachers in F: I: S: are 

young and interested. Kim has this spring dedicated himself completely to sport.

43 

He trains every day after school. He runs. Last 

Saturday, they had a medical examination and then 

went to Rhein-Main. Next Saturday they travel to 

Heidelberg. Later they travel to Vienna. In the 

magazine Apu No. 9 they write about how the Sapporo 

team came from Aden to Frankfurt after having been 

on the Lufthansa plane that some Arab guerrillas "high 

jacked". Kai was then in Bonn and I was at the airfield 

and met them. My car has a new back splash screen. 

Kai believed that only a lady can have such a luck that 

someone else pays her first dent. It was a Coca-Cola 

car that ran on me and they pay. 


You are of course most welcome here if you wish to 

celebrate your birthday with us. As soon as possible, 

let us hear about your plans. Ani’s leg should probably 

undergo surgery again in April. We are going to the 

doctor the February 28 th to discuss the matter. We do 

not know yet how long she has to be hospitalized. 

Possibly about a week. 


Do you arrange a reception 20.4.? Kai must visit Finland in April because of his work. He has 

arranged it so that we come with the morning plane April 19 th and go again with the morning 

plane 23.4. Thus, we need to pay only one discounted wife’s ticket. Our stuff has been stolen 

from Kai's Ma's cellar. We also need to sort it out. 


Annika: Dear Mumi, I wish you a beautiful and peaceful Mother's Day. We have sometimes cold 

and sometimes warm, but I hope you have it warm. Just a little while ago someone made an 

attack on the I-G Farben House. Now it’s abuzz with ambulances, police and curious. There were 

three explosions. Your Ani P. S: I-G-Farben House is American headquarters in Germany. 


The Mops had fared well while I was in Finland. They were again alone at home while Kai and I 

were in Bonn overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. We came home yesterday in the 

middle of the day. What do you think of the newspaper strike? We live next door to the US 

Headquarters. Two bombs exploded next to the building and destroyed the Officers ' Club behind 

it; we are members of the Club. We were there with Aja and Broki when they were here last 

Christmas. One officer died and 13 are more or less severely injured. It is thought that it was 

directed against the increased activity in Viet Nam. Now the area here is swarming with armed to 

the teeth Guard soldiers.

44 


Rolf: Dear Mumi, and Abba! We have a girl tortoise named Mrs. Padde. Padde is also happy. 

Greetings from Uli. 

720621 Baden-Baden 

Brenner's Park-Hotel: Kim comes to Finland next week with Finnhansa. Kai and I came here 

yesterday to attend a Congress. It is the third year in a row we do it. From the Finnish 

participants, we have heard that the weather in Finland has been amazing. Let’s Hope it is 

beautiful even when we get there! Frankfurt weather has been cold and rainy. Mops are alone at 

home. Uli has two days off from school as I'm not there to drive him. Today, Josefa is there until 

two and tomorrow the big have the last day of school for this semester and ending already at. 12. 

Ani was last night with a friend. The boys slept alone with Nixe. Last Friday I appeared in 

German TV. I was interviewed about the contemporary Finnish art and especially of a guy 

named Haukkavaara who makes metal animals of industrial waste. The animals are very nice. 

The Friday before it i.e. on the same day as Kai came from Finland drove a guy into my car from 

behind up in the Taunus. Nixe and I were driving Kim to a party. I get my car back on Friday. 

Until yesterday I had a rented car. The error was entirely the guy’s who did not stop at an 

intersection where the other street has right of way. I stopped and he drove without slowing 

down right into my car. Fortunately, he had a small French car. The Police who I sent Kim to call 

for fined him on the spot. The Police was also a great friend of the Finns and knew nothing better 

than Finland and the Finns. The two policemen and the who drove on my car lifted up my car 

with a jack and crawled all in turn under it to see if I could really drive home the car as it was 

leaking oil. They found out that probably the valve cover “Zylinderkopfdeckel” had broken and 

you probably could drive. The VW has a rear engine as everyone knows. The Police asked at

45 

least ten times if he really could not do anything for me. Then we parted after he ensured that the 

accident message the guy gave me for the insurance company was indeed legally binding. In 

addition, he wrote a protocol and said that the guy’s insurance had no chance to avoid paying for 

my car. Such police officers should there be several! 


We sail with Finlandia on the 13 th and arrive in Helsinki on the 15 th . Uli and Ani are expecting to 

meet you all. Did Aja and Broki already have vacation? We have not heard anything from them. 

Let’s hope the weather is beautiful in Finland during our stay. This summer has been cold and 

rainy here. 


The trip went fine. Friday 

we had a small storm, but 

the medicine I got was fine. 

On the road from 

Travemünde to Frankfurt I 

got fever. It was, 

fortunately, only that I had 

gotten Uli’s stomach 

sickness. Kai drove 600 

kilometers from the boat to 

the House in 4½ hours. Record. He wanted me in bed. 


Mops are all fine. Ani will be hospitalized on the 17 th and have surgery on the 18 th . According to 

the physician she will stay there 5 to 6 days and then be home for some time. Uli began 

swimming school yesterday. He shall learn diving as well as different swimming styles. His great 

idol is Mark Spitz who won seven gold medals in swimming at the Olympics. Kai comes to 

Finland the September 19 th on a business trip. His aunt Ada celebrates 70 years the 20.9. Uli was 

at a friend's birthday last Saturday and was then offered a kitten. Just when he stopped trying to 

convince us he was yesterday offered a rabbit so now he talks only about how pleasant it would 

be to have one. He thinks the 6 pets we already have is not enough. Here a few days ago, it 

suddenly became terribly cold. We already have the heat on. Night temperatures are not many 

degrees above zero. To our great surprise we noticed when we came home that we have a large 

plum tree in our garden, with big, cute, blue plums. We had thought that it was a tree with small 

plums. In the old House, we had a yellow plum tree. We also have a tree with not yet ripe apples. 

Nixe tends to chew on and play with the fallen. The family does not yet allow me to do anything. 

Monday-Wednesday and Friday at 8 a.m. Kai drives with me to the store and I point out what I 

want. Even when I cook, I have to ask someone to move larger tubs and pots for me. I feel great, 

just get tired more easily than normally and have to rest a little during the day and go to bed early 

in the evening. Right now I see a wild young rabbit that’s eating in our garden. Outside our

46 

fences on the park side lives an entire family. It is now just below the terrace staircase and chews 

on a fallen plum. 


From Kai I got for my birthday a car radio, Blaupunkt Frankfurt. When I got the car, he said that 

I will have a car radio when he is sure that the radio doesn't distract my driving. He installed 

himself the radio. We were almost two weeks without a maid. Josefa had first angina and the 

doctor said that she should stay at home for a week. Then the angina infection went in the 

kidneys and she ended up in hospital. Last Sunday she sent her husband with her girlfriend and 

husband to see if I wanted that her friend would clean as long as Josefa is sick. When Josefa 

introduced herself to us, she had also brought her husband and two friends. Probably because no 

one spoke more than only Spanish. We were deeply moved over Josefa’s thoughtfulness. Now 

her friend cleans. This week Kai allowed me for the first time to work a little. Last week, he 

vacuumed the House. On days I buy much food he comes with me to the shop and today we go 

together to town to buy meat for Nixe. When Ani comes home from school we shall go to her 

doctor. He then takes away the stitches. The plaster he took off two weeks ago and put on a stiff 

bandage. He removes also it today. The Mops have a school dance tomorrow, let’s see if she 

already is allowed to dance. I have promised to drive them and one Ani’s girlfriend there and 

collect them in the evening. Kai is tomorrow in Nuremberg and will be late home. Annika and 

Kim are in the same math class, i.e. the 9 th . Ani goes otherwise in the 8 th . Last year read her 

teacher with the most talented both their class plus the following class Math. When I spoke with 

her current teacher because she was at the hospital praised also this teacher her apprehension. 

Kim was initially not very happy to get the little sister in the same class. Also he is good in math. 

Even little brother Maus can count. His teacher has divided his class of 37 students so that she 

has sorted out the 13 most talented and teaches them now special mathematic. Unfortunately, his 

writing and spelling is nothing to be proud of. He will next year start in the "Gymnasium (high 

school)" as it is called here. He goes every Wednesday 18.45 – 19.45 to the swimming school 

where he coached in different swimming styles and learns trampoline jumps.

47 

We are going to celebrate Kim's and Aja's birthday at Aja’s in Gothenburg. We travel from here 

on the 21 st in the morning and arrive there on the 22 nd . The night we spend on a car ferry 

between Kiel and Gothenburg. Back home, we should be at the latest in the night between the 

25 th and 26 th . Kai is going to Finland the 27 th in the morning. Next week, he is also in Finland. I 

have already started buying Christmas presents for the cousins, and I hope that they will find 

room in his luggage. October was unusually beautiful and warm here. Some time back it has 

been foggy and humid. Aviation is down for some days. Over the last week-end we had almost 

poison alarm. People were encouraged to go out as little as possible. The fog causes that the 

exhaust gases and smoke from factories will not rise up in the air but stay down on the ground. It 

is also not fun to drive a car when you hardly see anything. I have halogen fog lights on my car. 

Our animal doctor said that during all his time as a veterinarian, has never met a dog that has so 

many clogged sebaceous glands as Nixe. Last time we were there, he removed three by 

operating. One was so large that he had to sew the hole. Nixe bit off the stitches. She looked 

awful for a long time. Now we have again found three that he next time may operate. She looks 

like a great fighter when she is full of holes. He has to shave off the fur where he operates and it 

grows slowly back out again. All last week, and still this Monday i.e. the day before yesterday, 

had Uli "Herbstferien (autumn break)". The big ones again are free the 22 nd to the 26 th November 

when Americans are celebrating "Thanksgiving". The Green evening dress that Mrs. Höök made 

smaller this summer was again too big and to be able to use it at all, I made it smaller myself in 

now. I weigh 7 kg less than when I arrived at the hospital. I have made a lot of clothes smaller. 


Rolf: Dear Mumi, and Abba! We kids got for Christmas a gerbil. It is a relative of the kangaroo 

rat and comes from Mongolia. It has a hairy tail. It likes to run through cardboard rolls. It chews 

them broken. Our gerbil’s name is Genghis Khan. Regards Uli. 


Josefa is since 15. December on vacation in Spain. She should come back around 29.1. As none 

of her acquaintances could clean up here as long as she is away I do it myself. Nixe is shedding 

hair terribly so I have to walk around all the time with a vacuum cleaner. We have solid 

Burgundy carpets in the halls in the second and third floor and the stairs between the floors,

48 

(even down to the first floor). I have to clean up nine rooms, two kitchens, two bathrooms, a 

toilet, two halls, a small entrance hall, stairs between the four floors and so on. The patio, 

balconies, steps out and the yard will have to wait until Josefa returns. We have two kitchens, 

because our new self-cleaning Strömberg-stove can’t be installed in the kitchen of the first floor. 

There I kept my gas stove. The Americans who lived here earlier had a kitchen also in the 

basement. There are a dish wash table and other items ready and there is my washing machine. 

There is now also the new stove. I cook upstairs and use the stove downstairs. For Christmas I 

baked buns, cakes and gingerbread. We have had the flu in the family since the beginning of 

December. Kai and the great Mops have had it twice, I once and Uli has only had a sore throat 

and runny nose and cough. We all hope to be healthy soon. At the end of February, Kim and Ani 

have winter holidays. Kim travels with the school again to Switzerland and Ani prefer to visit 

Kai's cousin Ami in Lausanne. We drive her there. I got a mink stole from Kai as a Christmas 

gift. I used it the first time on the 19 th when we were at a ball. It's dark brown. First it was said 

that it is of Canadian wild mink but when it arrived, we saw the label “Saga” in it. The next time 

I come to Finland, I shall ask the firm who sewed it. 


Our Josefa came back today. What a relief! Everything else in the household I am happy to do 

but I hate to clean. Since I got the car, I have become the family's chauffeur. At 7.30 I drove Kim 

to the U-bahn. He was late and would otherwise have missed the tram to school. It goes only 

three times in the hour. Then I drove Uli to school at and Kai to his office at 9.30. Uli's school 

ended at 12.25 at the same time I picked home Kai for lunch. The lunch I cooked quickly when 

we got home. Then I drove him back to work. Then Uli and I went after one of his classmates 

who is now here and plays with him. Later, I will drive him home again. Kai is luckily driven 

home by one of his assistants. When the weather is warm and beautiful Kai walks to and from 

work and home for lunch. That is in spring, summer and early fall. Ani goes on a sewing course 

along with one of Kim's classmates. They are on the course for 2 ½ hours each Thursday. Then 

her friend eats with us. Her parents are divorced, and the mother is Danish Vice Consul here. The 

course begins at 5.30 and the mother's job ends at 5 p.m., so the girl would otherwise be forced 

to wait for dinner until after the course. So far, the mother has driven the girls both to and from 

the course. Next time I will drive one way. I bought to Ani for Christmas an Afghan hippie fur 

jacket. They are pop here. It is brown with yellow embroidery around the neck, on the edges and 

sleeves the sheep skin hairs hang out, otherwise it is Mocha outwards and the fur skin inwards. 

She likes it very much. Maus usually goes with Nixe to the dog playground near us. There may 

go only dogs with their owners. All the dogs are kept free. Uli knows them all and usually 

discusses with their owners. Last Friday, he found there a Finnish medicine student with his 

German shepherd. One day there was a police officer who controlled tax stamps. When he asked 

Uli how it came to pass that his dog had no tax stamp he said that his father is Finnish Consul 

and diplomats do not need to pay dog's tax. Kim is studying all statistics he gets hold of about 

Finland and reads the Helsingin Sanomat and Suomen Kuvalehti from beginning to the end. On 

the night between Saturday and Sunday there was burglary in Kai's Office. Only the petty cash 

was stolen. Our Uncle Scrooge, i.e. Kim has for his saved money bought old gold coins (he owns 

three pieces). So that they should not disappear, he deposited them in Kai's large safe in the 

Office. He looked a little shaken when the neighbor’s yesterday morning phoned and announced 

that the doors to both floors were broken. The safe was untouched, we found when we went to 

see what happened. All the expensive office machinery was also there. The same night

49 

somebody had also set fire on five cars in different places in our neighborhood. It was in today's 

paper. Kai's car is in the garage and my on our court yard inside the gate. The Kripo (criminal 

police) said today as they were at Kai’s Office that the best way to protect yourselves against 

burglary is having a shepherd. Nixe has the habit that when she wants to come in from the 

garden tap with her paw on the terrace door’s window. If we do not hear it says she "Woof". 

When she years ago for the first time tapped a door (at Fuchshohl), I was close to getting a 

stroke. I thought it was a person who stood out there in the dark. 


Please buy me 10 cans of Abbas anchovy filés. We like Jansson's temptation. Kim and Ani got 

their rating yesterday. Ani was on the "honor roll". To get on it, all grades must be A or B (the 

highest and next highest). Kim came close. He has A in mathematics. Amazing. 


Our Mops are feeling fine. Kim and Annika came home from Switzerland last Saturday night. 

Kim was in Montana with the school and Ani was in Lausanne with Kai's cousin Ann-Mari. We 

drove her there a week earlier and came home with Uli a couple of days later. The German 

schools don't have winter holidays. He got a month free for the trip. In Montana, three of the 

school's children broke their leg and three their ankle. An ambulance met them at the station. 

Kim was happily whole. We measured him a few weeks ago and he was then 180.5 cm tall. We 

found nowhere ski pants for him, which had legs long enough and a slim rear. I made the one 

whose leg fit smaller. Nixe’s legs have since last Friday been in worse condition than ever 

before. I drive with her to the vet every day. She gets two injections each morning. Will see how 

it goes! We all hope that she will get well again. Uli’s mouse had a malignant tumor and needs to 

be "eingeschläfert (put to dead)". It took place on 19.2. The friend who gave him Roquefort has 

promised him a new mouse immediately when his mice have children again. We travel to 

Holland over the Whitsuntide and, therefore, it would be practical if you came to us for example 

the 18 th , 19 th or 20 th of May and leave on the 30 th . You can of course also come earlier if you 

want. We sail to Finland with Finlandia on July 5 th and arrive there on the 7 th . Uli has summer 

vacation earlier this year. 


Be kind enough to buy a 

silver spoon to Gia for 

her 7th birthday. Do not 

mention to Herword who 

pays your trip so that my 

mother-in-law does not 

hear about it. 


Mamma is in 

Gothenburg. She went 

the day before the

50 

"Bummelstreik" (airline pilots) began here. Kai and I come to Helsinki June 7 th and go back 

again on the 10 th . 

730626 Baden-Baden 

I heard that midsummer weather was fantastic in Finland. We come on the 7.7. Kai and I are in 

what the Mops call Bowl-Bowl (Bunken-Bunken). They are at home and take care of each other. 

Uli’s school has not yet finished. The weather is nice. Today it was 30 ° C. And for tomorrow 

the weather report promised 33 ° C. Kai bought me a new bathing suit today. 

740410 Cap Ferret 

Today we ran around on France's largest dunes and splashed in the Atlantic Ocean. The food in 

this country is stunning as well as the wine. We live in Bordeaux. 


Early summer has been cold and rained away. Since yesterday it is again warm. Must see for 

how long! It wouldn't surprise me if it soon would begin to rain and thunderstorms. Uli today 

went on tour with his hockey team. They sleep two nights in tents. He already had a head cold 

when he went. The day before yesterday, he participated in the opening ceremony of the football 

World Championship. It was 13 degrees and raining the whole day and he had to be dressed in 

white shorts and a white t-shirt. In addition, they had been practicing in the rain and hail Monday 

and Wednesday. Perhaps you saw on television how 2100 fifth grade school kids from schools in 

Frankfurt with their backs formed WM and the World Championship emblem on the football 

field before the match between Brazil and Czechoslovakia. Afterward, they got to see the match. 

He is very proud that he was selected to attend. From the hockey tour he'll be home Monday

51 

night and on Tuesday morning he will go with his class to the school's "Landheim" for a week. I 

just have time to see him before Kai and I go to Baden-Baden on Congress for a few days. His 

last school day is the 27 th and on the 29 th we go with Finlandia to Helsinki. We are there the 1.7. 

The big Mopp’s school ends already on the 20 th . On Thursday their school had Graduation and 

they had asked Kai to give a commencement speech to them. 

In Finland it is always the headmaster who gives a speech but in America, it is an outsider. On 

"Human Rights Day" last fall, he spoke to the High school and so they knew him. Our two big 

ones are in High school. Let’see what rating they get. Last time it was Annika as usual again on 

the "Honor Roll". Kim's class recently went through the same test as all corresponding classes in 

all schools in America. The medium result is between 40 and 60. The maximum is 99. In 

intelligence tests Kim got 99, in mathematical-logical thinking he got 97 and in English 89, 

according to the educational psychologist and the teachers an unbelievable figure as English is 

not his native language. Annika’s hamster "Miss Rockefeller" has died. It was 2 1/4 years old, an 

advanced age for a hamster. She gets a new one in the fall. Uli has decorated an aqua-terrarium 

for himself where he has water lizards, fish, a frog, a water turtle called "Water-Lou", etc. The 

water turtle he bought from a friend, the rest, he has caught on the field below our old home. He 

had tadpoles. Only one developed completely to a frog. He insists that "Water-Lou" ate up the 

rest. He also has a separate worm cultivation in a glass jar to have live food for their animals. He 

says that the worms are of the species tubifix. They are utterly disgusting, long and narrow and 

always together so they look like a ball. When he is gone, I have the honor to feed them. Edda is 

11 months old today. I train her yourself. Out in the Park every day and at the Germen shepherd 

club’s training ground with the coach every now and then. Right now we have a break, then she 

has leap time. It is amazing to see how excited she is to do things correctly. She loves to ride the

52 

car and likes waiting in the car for a few hours while I'm at the Hairdresser. Kim goes on a judojiu-jitsu 

course. I suggested it initially to Annika, but she wasn't interested. Maybe she will start 

later. 

750125 Grindelwald 

Kai and I have taken an extended week-end holiday together with a few friends and 

acquaintances here. Kai skis and I took the ski lift up and basked me today. Edda takes care of 

the mops in Frankfurt. Kim and Ani are going on winter holidays to Switzerland by the end of 

February. 


Thanks to you for taking care of our Dromedary. I hope he behaved well. Here the weather is 

alternately beautiful and ugly. Now we have again had some beautiful and warm days. The 

weather report promised up to + 29 ° today, but so far it is only + 25 °. I sit in the garden and 

write. Uli just came from school and was very proud to have been using the school's strongest 

microscope during the biology lesson. The teacher had said that he knows the most about 

"microscopy" and about the subject they are dealing with, cells. He got his own microscope for 

Christmas last year. He has also acquired for the teacher materials, single-celled animals and 

plants from "Tümpel (a pond)" near the training place for the German shepherds where I go with 

Edda. Annika and her girlfriend, who lives with us, has gone to a classmate on a barbecue. After 

the barbecue party, they all go on "Borgfest (Castle feast)" in Bad Homburg, where there is an 

old Castle. They promised not to be late home as I can't meet them with Edda on the U-Bahn 

then I shall go to the lord mayor tonight. A couple of days ago, I sewed a new long skirt to wear

53 

tonight. Here are long skirts for the evening very fashionable right now. I looked first in town, 

but I found none acceptable. Then I was looking for fabric but found nothing suitable. At home I 

found a piece of Marimekko fabrics in black and white that I managed to get a small widening on 

with a design of my own. I needled the fabric inside out on me, and then it was just to sew. In 

May I sewed for me a skirt of Indonesian batik in black and yellow. I have had it on me several 

times. Here was just a terrible racket when a protest March to the Spanish Consulate passed. The 

Spaniards have sentenced two men who killed a police officer to death and now they 

demonstrate here against the death sentences. The Spanish Consulate is located quite close to us. 

I have started to work out on a German shepherds club’s training ground with Edda. The men 

there are totally excited by her and think that she can cope with the Schützhund (protection dog) 

test in November. They seem to really know their dogs so good that they immediately noticed 

that she does not come from a breeder in Frankfurt. Several asked me from where she is. When I 

showed myself there the second time said the first I met that a Mr. so and so was waiting for me. 

When I met him he said that he had heard about my dog and wanted to see it. He is himself a 

breeder and judge. He examined her and said she is a fine individual and started talking about 

what kind of male dog I should choose when she will have puppies. The trainer who goes with 

me in the beginning said that if I didn't myself like to finish the training he would do it. Then he 

pulled me into the clubhouse and showed their pride, a wandering trophy in dressage, and said 

that with that dog, it may be in my name in a year if I can keep up with the hard work that 

dressage is. Here there are a bunch of shepherd clubs that seem to compete hard about who has 

the best dog. Today we will start training tracking. 

751005 Sustenpass 

Imagine you remember, that I said this summer that I liked the cups and had a few. The Mops 

have "Herbstferien (autumn vacation)". Uli almost two weeks and Kim and Ani four days. Kim, 

Kai and Uli just climb right up to a Gletscher with cave. It's pretty cold up here.

54 

760223 St. Moritz 

Uli is celebrating winter holidays for the first time in his life. However with Sonderurlaub 

(special vacation) from school. He bravely skied a few hours in a stretch. The great mops are in 

Crans-Montana. 


The fall is now here in the stage that we are drowning in leaves. Both from our trees, the Park's 

trees and street trees. I sometimes get a jerk and rake them together and fill the waste barrels, but 

the next gust of wind will get everything to look as of leaves as before. It should in any case be 

healthy to work outside. Daytime temperatures have in recent days been about 10 °. Quite nice. 

We are already waiting for Christmas when Kim and Jimmy arrive. Jimmy, who until now had 

always celebrated Christmas with his family thinks it will be great to celebrate "a Finnish 

Christmas". Annika is already troubling her brains with what we are going to give as a Christmas 

gift for him. I bought fortunately already this summer from Kalevala koru a pair of hand knitted, 

patterned gaunt for him. Jimmy will arrive December 23 rd and go again January 21 st . We are all 

terribly sad after Kim and think with horror how lonely it will be next year when Ani is studying 

in America and Kim in Finland. Good thing we have Oli. Uli asks to tell that his fish that ate up 

time and again their eggs now have fry. Julia has not been allowed to clean his room for a week 

as he's afraid that she frightens the fish so that they eat up their breed. He now has fry in two 

aquariums. The first are already quite large, but not large enough to be sold, "he said. The 

Aquarium looks like a fish soup. In a third tank, he has frogs and lizards. All are fed 

scientifically with different kinds of live (worms, water fleas etc.) and other food. Even I, who in 

the beginning thought that the fish are the most dull that there is, begin to like them. Uli 

happened to see how the roe began to hatch and fry came out. It was early one morning as he 

was about to get ready for school. He sits for hours and looks at the fish. He has a few friends 

who are equally interested in fish. Because of his stomach flu he lost 6 kg. He seems to have 

gained back 1 kg. We are trying to reduce his eating so he keeps his current weight. My sweet 

little shepherd is trying to make it clear to me that she is so hungry that she just dies. The watch 

is only 15.15 and her first meal time is 16: 00. She is the world's largest eater. She shall get her 

dinner a little earlier today because she was working fine when I was and trained her at the 

shepherd club’s training ground. 


Kai was last week in Finland and celebrated the birthday of Kim. Abba makes himself very 

important. Kai asked Abba what time he could call Kim on Saturday morning so that Abba 

would not be disturbed. "Not before 12," said Abba. He wakes up 6 o'clock! The thing was 

managed so that Kim called Kai when he woke up. They were going shopping in town together. 

Kai came back to Frankfurt Sunday afternoon. Marimekko recently opened a sales office in 

Germany here in Frankfurt. Armi Ratia was here. In the evening we ate dinner in the former 

Finnish King Friedrich Karl von Hessen’s Castle in Kronberg. The castle is now a hotel and 

restaurant. The King was chosen in 1918 but never came to his throne. Finland became a 

Republic. The following day we were in Darmstadt and saw a very renowned "Jugend style" 

exhibition. It was very extensive. There was furniture, appliances, examples on the architecture, 

clothes, lithographs and prints, paintings, and it was divided into three locations because it was 

so big. I personally have always thought that Art Nouveau was the ugliest art style. Here I got a

55 

whole new perspective on the matter. The Exhibition catalogue is in the form of three books. I 

have not yet had time to read them. Oma had some Art Nouveau furniture and objects on 

Fjälldalsgatan. On Sunday, December 5 th shall we again have independence coffee for the 

Finnish colony here after the service. Last year we ordered sweet buns “bulla” from Finland. In 

Finland the bakeries are not working on Saturday so the “bullas” were from Friday. This year I 

have found a Hungarian-born Baker who bakes here also on Sunday. He's already baked a 

sample bulla-length that the family believes can be eaten. I will suggest a few small 

improvements and hope for the best. Pågen’s sells the same gingerbread here as in Finland. They 

are fine. We will be 8 people over Christmas. Five Helenus’s, Jimmy, Aja and Örjan. Social life 

in Frankfurt is extremely busy in December. We are invited somewhere almost every day. In 

between, I try to have an "eineskeittiö” (cooking for Mops and Christmas food which I freeze 

up). Yesterday I froze in red cabbage, meatballs and lots of goulash. 


Our Christmas was very nice with Aja, Örjan and Jimmy here and of course our oldest kid Kim. 

Kim the poor guy had to fly back to Finland already on the 27 th December with the morning

56 

plane. His furlough ended at midnight. He stayed here only nine days. The NCO officers ' school 

in Turku is over and he is now stationed in Upinniemi on a boat. His new year's furlough he 

celebrated in Helsinki. Stupid that he didn't get to stay here over New Year's Day. Luckily are 

the Poodle and Marju there. They really take care of him. Kim told us that he changed his mind 

and does not want to study at the University of Helsinki. Yesterday he sent his application to the 

University of Frankfurt. He intends to try to read his PhD in Economics partly here and partly in 

America. He said he is glad that he in this painless way, by being in the military of Finland 

discovered that he is a family man who would rather live at home while he is studying. When he 

became a student in the spring he thought that now life and liberty are beginning and he was 

happy to get rid of us and our influence. We are very happy about his decision. He gets a lot of 

benefits by staying at home. He has his own room with a private bathroom, he gets regularly 

proper food without having to go somewhere to get it, he can go to the Alps to ski when he is 

idle etc. He likes alpine skiing a lot and got for Christmas 75 proper equipment. In addition, this 

arrangement becomes cheaper for us. Two days before Christmas Eve sprained poor Kim his 

ankle. He was together with Annika and a lot of guys from school at the cinema. They had a 

walking competition on a pedestrian street in the city. It was very difficult to find an orthopedic 

surgeon the following morning. Most had gone on vacation. We did not know without x-ray if 

the ankle was broken or only sprained. Fortunately, it was only sprained and with ointment and 

dressings, we got the swelling and the blue to disappear. As you see he needs a mother's care. He 

is a "stromlare (blunderer)". We all liked Örjan. He is a very pleasant person. Also Aja was 

smiling about how fond Uli was of him. He did whatever you wished if you mentioned that 

Örjan said it. Aja, Örjan, Kai and I were invited to our German friends to celebrate the New Year 

with them. It was a very nice black-tie party. Aja and I were together with Örjan and bought a 

tuxedo for him. It fit him very well. On the 21 st i.e. next Friday, Jimmy returns to America. Since 

Annika’s school began the 3 rd January. He has gone every day with her to school. She got a ring 

from him for Christmas. A Sapphire with small brilliants around. Everyone in the school is green 

with envy and Ani is happy. He had also bought the same red velvet jeans to Ani and himself. He 

is a very sweet guy just waiting to be finished with his studies to be able to marry her. Kai is 

horrified and thinks that they are too young. Let’s see how it will end. We all like Jimmy a lot. 

At the end of February, Kai Uli and I plan to travel to Austria with some friends to ski. Now at 

least there's a lot of snow there. This winter has been unusually cold. Between Christmas and 

New Year there was even a little snow in Frankfurt. 


Aja would have married in Hamburg in the Finnish Seamen's Church (the same as last) last 

Friday, but a church certificate from Finland was missing. They wanted to have Kai and me as 

witnesses and we were in Hamburg last week-end because we participated in the "Presse Ball”. 

Now they are considering getting married in Helsinki on February 12 th when I'm in Finland. 

Gösta von Platen and I fly to Finland on the 11 th to participate in Ulfåsa’s (my school) "absolute 

closing party" that same night. The school will be merged with another school or become a 

comprehensive school or something similar, I do not yet know what. Kai stays home with the 

Mops as the party is only for Ulfåsa’s former students. He is this week in Finland. He went there 

from Hamburg and I flew a ¼ hour later to Frankfurt. I was about to get a stroke when I drove 

home from the airport. A House on the next street from us had flown in the air Saturday night. 

Gas explosion. The walls in the top floor were gone, the roof of the House opposite was 

damaged, all the houses in the vicinity were without panes, a bunch of dented cars on the street,

57 

worst was a VW, it was completely flat, the roof lay on the floor, and the mailbox we usually use 

was distorted as well as the traffic signs. As it happened Ani and Edda were home and Uli at a 

kiosk near here. Ani said that our house shook sidewise so she thought it would collapse. Last 

Wednesday our boiler broke down. We also heat with gas. I immediately rang up the city and 

said they must get myself a repair man as I feel as if I were sitting on a bomb. Within an hour, 

came a very amused man who explained to me that natural gas is completely harmless and not 

exploding, there is absolutely no reason for me to be nervous. He started the heating again and 

said that the following week they will come and clean the boiler and finalize everything. Monday 

morning, a few minutes past 8 a.m. the man was here again. He did not laugh any more about me 

being afraid of a gas explosion. Now it was instead Kai who laughed when I told him on the 

phone how fast service I had received. Here you generally have to wait weeks for repair men. 

Mops have just got their ratings. Ani last week and Uli yesterday. 

Ani got on the "Honor roll", i.e. all her 

grades were either the next highest or 

highest possible. Uli’s average was 2.8. A 1 

here corresponds to a 10 in Finland, where 

his average would equal 8. The rules here 

say, that one can get a 1 only if one's skills 

are significantly above the school course. 

He got 1 in biology, plus 2 in English, 

history and religion. He is very happy and 

waiting impatiently for his father to come 

home next Friday. His father has promised 

him a monetary compensation for fine 

grades. Uli is thinking of not coming with 

Kai and me to ski in order not to lose time in 

school. German schools have no winter 

break. 


I've been in Finland and Austria. Both trips 

were amazing. Kim was on furlough all the 

time while I was in Finland. He had a 

terrible cold then the heating on the boat he 

is stationed on broke the night before he got 

furlough. He had been sleeping in sub-zero 

temperatures. His thermo-suit he had left in 

Lauttasaari. The Ulfåsa party was at Interconti. Kai had booked a room for me there the first 

night as he did not want me to move about alone in the middle of the night. In addition, he had 

arranged an appointment with Mrs. Höök who sewed an evening dress for me while I was in 

Finland. It was insanely cold in Finland. It was all the time approx. –20 °, one day it was -30 ° 

(the year's coldest day). So much snow as this year has not been in several years. It is 13 years 

since I was last there in February (maybe 14, I don't remember if we went to China in late 

January or February). Kim and I are the only ones who have seen Aja’s both weddings. She was 

ordained in Olaus Petri Church. Afterward we drank coffee at Abba’s. She had only told Abba,

58 

her siblings and Christel about the wedding ceremony. To our surprise came also Astrid and 

Guni to the Church. They were also participating on the coffee. In the evening, Busse ordered a 

Cabinet at Hesperia where Abba, Paul, Tomi, Giffe, Busse, Marju, Tony, Lilo, Winston, Christel, 

Aja, Gregory, Kim and I ate the wedding dinner. All paid for themselves. I had suggested it to 

Aja. Marju had been finding Abba’s dark suit and white shirt, and matching tie and handkerchief, 

shoes and socks. I made sure that he put on all this. Marju had asked him to try the suit, but that 

he had forgotten. I had to open the pants on the backside. Marju promised to enlarge them as 

much as possible at a later time. It must be done with the machine. What would we do without 

Marju? She is stunning. She makes sure that Kim and Abba are kept alive. Abba’s eating habits 

are terrible. He eats only cold food, he does not even boil tea. If Marju wouldn't invite him on 

hot, cooked food from time to time he would surely die When Kim is on furlough, he always eats 

at Marju’s. When I was there I stayed four 

nights in Abba. Sunday dinner, Aja was 

ordained on Saturday, we ate all at 

Marju’s. She had cooked a steak, but as 

we were so many had Paul also cooked 

reindeer. Mirja was in England on a dog 

exhibition. Kai's uncle Adolf died on 

February 9 th . Kai went to Finland for the 

funeral. We were pretty sour on Kai's 

mom for not having called or telegraphed 

us. She wrote a regular postcard that came 

slowly. I had intended to visit him the day 

I came to Finland, i.e. the 11 th but did 

when Mrs. Höök could not receive me 

before 6 p.m. and the Ulfåsa party 

commenced at 7 p.m. They live in the 

same block as Mrs. Höök. The next 

morning I was going to try dresses 

between 10 and11 and thought again that 

afterwards I am visiting them. But in the 

hotel Hall, I met an old classmate and was 

so delayed that I needed to hurry up so I 

could make myself useful with wedding 

chores. Imagine how terrible if I had 

rushed in and shouted that "How is Adolf, 

I came to greet him". When we got to 

know of death did Kim and me a 

condolence visit to Sirkka. All of her 

children and grandchildren were there. 

Ani is going in a model-school. Her Scandinavian type is said to be in great demand here and in 

America. She will travel to Jimmy over Easter. He comes to us on May 18 th . They plan to get 

engaged when he becomes a student. Busse and Marju with children will celebrate Easter with 

us. Kim will probably start officers ' school at the time so he can hardly come. He believes that 

the school is more important than furlough. Uli will be 14 years March 30 th . Before that, Kai and

59 

I will make a short vacation trip to Italy. Ski holidays in Austria were nice but we didn't have 

much sun; here it is already spring. + 14 + 15 ° during the day and the garden forsythia already in 

bloom. Kai is currently in Finland. He will return tomorrow or Sunday depending on Kim's 

furlough. 

771025 Monte Carlo 

Boys and Edda are here with us because their ship had engine failure and will be delayed until 

November 1 st . It is so warm here that we can walk around in summer clothes. One can also swim 

in the Mediterranean Sea. 

771027 Venice 

The Boys, Edda, cars and furniture are in Trieste and waiting for the sea voyage. We came at 

night by train from Trieste to Venice. It was a real adventure. We have with us more luggage 

than two people can carry. In addition, you do not drive here as in other cities, but use water 

taxis, water bus or gondola. If you are not careful you end up in the channel.

771029 Rom 

Our friends here have driven around us in two days so we've seen a lot of interesting things. 

Today we were, among other things. St. Peter's Basilica. The boys called me last night from 

Trieste and announced that "Silver cloud" (my car) disappeared. Kim spoke with the hotel's 

doorman who called the police. They announced that they hauled out the car as it stood wrongly 

parked. Today they got the vehicle back. Edda is staying in their hotel room and doing fine. 

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61

Kirja - Our Family in Germany illustrated

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