English Translation

13 W.CHRISTOFFERS DRESDEN-N.6, d. 30. 5. 1941. Angelikastrassle 1 telex 57098 C 7G aa secad L tTeopoek.oe in Deaman and mahcen. .y.: 3.JUNI 1941 Dear Mr. Frank ! My wife and I had always hoped that we could see you in Dresden once. Unfortunately it did not work once, since we were away. But if you come back here again, we would be very happy if we could have you with us for a pleasant evening. One likes to talk about the old beautiful times again, and even you will like to think back to our Spitsbergenfahrt despite your certainly more than sufficient work. I know, therefore, that the news I have to tell you today will certainly be painful to you. Our good captain Michaelsen has suffered the death of a sailor before the enemy. A very close nephew to my heart, Captain for example Krüder, was the commander of an auxiliary cruiser operating in overseas waters. The ship had already been out for ll months and had had fabulous successes of all kinds. There had been valuable prizes and besides large sinking numbers. Therefore my nephew had received the Knight's Cross. Our captain Michaelsen was now a navigation officer with him on board, and I am a little to blame for my nephew Michaelsen's request, because, as we know, I thought a lot about him. Now, in the previous week, we thought the message that was very shocking to us that the auxiliary cruiser had been sunk. 53 men are rescued from the crew, but there are neither my nephew Krüder nor Michaelsen. The day will come when the high song of the heroic deeds of these men will be sung out there alone on the sea! I hope that it is good for you to have a good health. You at home is all right. My wife sends you warm greetings. Our Claus is currently on vacation here. He has been with the Navy since September v. J. and has now finished a 6-month command on a outpost boat in the Atlantic Ocean, which my wife and I are quite happy about. Now he comes to the naval school in Flensburg-Mürwik for further training. With warm greetings and salvation Hitler I am always your CS$\9- 10(4