22 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

22 May, 1945      0835

Leipzig, Germany

My darling fianceé –

I love you so – it’s difficult to write about anything else. You see, dear, although we’ve been engaged a long time now, you never seemed quite attainable with the war still on over here. Now things have changed and the realization that the chances of our getting married soon are so much better and nearer makes me very very happy. Somehow or other I can’t get worried about the Japanese angle of the war. We’re kicking them now and more power is getting there everyday. And I’m still here for awhile – with a leave coming up in the States and a great deal can happen before that leave is over with. I think that war will fold before Japan is ruined the way Germany was – because fanatics or not – there’s a responsible ruler at the head of the government and I don’t believe he’ll allow Japan to sink into the sea.

There I go discussing things way out of my scope, but it seems as if every individual alive today has his or her life irrevocably intertwined with world affairs and conditions – and we, darling, are no exception.

Well, yesterday pm was quiet and in the evening we heard there was a good movie at Corps. Recr. Both Corps Forward and Rear are here in Leipzig – that’s the 7th Corps, sweetheart – and for my money – the best Corps on the Western front – from Normandy to the end in Germany. We always had the toughest assignments, spearheading every big attack. But we had a swell General – Lightning Joe Collins – and he certainly kept our confidence high.

Anyway, dear, the picture turned out to be “Mr. Skeffinton” – it being the first decent picture we had been shown in months. I enjoyed it – not troubling to look for flaws. We got back here at 2145 and I read awhile and then listened to the radio. I’m using a new radio now. I still have my battery set – but with electricity available – I managed to get hold of a 12 tube set some time ago in Halle. But it was too big to lug around. The one I have now is portable size and German Navy equipment – the set being built for use in submarines. It plays beautifully. I’ll try to bring it home – but I’ll probably have to strap it to my back with all the junk I already have, plus my other portable radio.

Today it’s still cloudy – although warmer than the past couple of days. I may go in swimming this p.m. – having missed 2 days running. That’s no way to get into shape.

And that’s all for now, darling. By the way, censorship rules have been greatly relaxed – and if there’s something about the present or the past that you wondered about, ask me and I’ll be able to let you know, dear. Don’t ask me whether I love you darling, because you know that!!

So long for awhile, sweetheart, love to the folks – and

All my sincerest love

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about "Mr. Skeffington"


Poster for "Mr. Skeffington"

"Mr. Skeffington" made its debut in New York on 25 May, 1944, nearly a year before it was shown to Greg and the other men. The following plot summary came from Turner Classic Movie's web site.

In 1914, beautiful Fanny Trellis (Bette Davis) is courted by many men including Jim Conderley, Ed Morrison and Thatcher. One evening, while her suitors wait downstairs, Fanny's cousin, George Trellis, returns home after several years away. George learns that contrary to their extravagant lifestyle, Fanny and her brother Trippy (Richard Waring) have no money. Trippy, however, now has a job working on Wall Street for Jewish Job Skeffington (Claude Rains). Later that evening, Job calls unexpectedly for Trippy, who angrily refuses to see him. At George's instigation, he and Fanny speak to Job instead. Job has fired Trippy for embezzling and has come to ask him to repay the stolen money. He is stunned when Fanny explains their financial situation. The next day, Trippy threatens to commit suicide.

Fanny with her suitors

Determined to save her brother, Fanny sets her cap for Job and soon marries him, even though Job fully realizes that Fanny does not love him. Her ploy backfires, however, when an angry Trippy leaves for Europe, and that night, Fanny locks Job out of her room. Fanny's suitors are unfazed by her marriage and continue to pursue her. Job endures their presence because, although Fanny enjoys their attentions, she always sends them away. On the night of the Skeffingtons' first anniversary, they learn that Trippy has joined the Lafayette Esquadrille and that Fanny is pregnant. Although Job is delighted by the coming child, Fanny sees it as a sign that she is growing old and insists on leaving for California until the baby is born and she is once again beautiful.

Shortly after Fanny Junior (Marjorie Riordan) is born, the U.S. enters the war. When Trippy is killed, Fanny blames Job for his death, and Job finally realizes that Fanny will never love him. After the war ends, Job devotes himself to his daughter, while Fanny occupies herself with a series of lovers. During prohibition, Fanny attracts a bootlegger named MacMahon, who is determined to marry her. To convince her to divorce Job, he demonstrates that Job has had several mistresses during their marriage. Although Fanny's rejection of her husband can be seen as partly responsible for his behavior, Job agrees to a divorce. Not wanting to be bothered by a child, Fanny suggests that Job take custody of their daughter. Job is reluctant because of the difference in their religions and also because he plans to live in Europe, where the Fascists are coming to power. Fanny Junior's distress at losing her father, however, convinces Job to take her with him.

Several years later, a middle-aged Fanny becomes involved with the much younger Johnny Mitchell, and Fanny Junior returns to the U.S. from Berlin. After sailing in stormy weather with Johnny, Fanny falls seriously ill with diphtheria. She recovers, but the illness ages her greatly, and she begins to hallucinate, imagining that she sees Job everywhere. A psychiatrist tells her the hallucinations are a subconscious manifestation of a need to see her former husband because, now that she is fifty, her romantic life is over. Determined to prove him wrong, Fanny throws a dinner party for her old suitors, only to discover that they are all appalled by her aged appearance. Only Edward still seems smitten, but Fanny quickly realizes that he is only interested in her money.

Fanny as an older lady

When Fanny Junior later announces that she and Johnny are getting married and moving to Seattle, Fanny is left totally alone. The next morning, George tells Fanny that he has seen Job, now a broken man after his stay in a concentration camp. George begs Fanny to care for Job in return for his generous care of her, but she refuses, believing that her lack of beauty will drive Job away as it did all the others. When she realizes that Job is blind, however, she knows that here is one man who will always remember her as beautiful and welcomes him home.

Here is the trailer from Mr. Skeffington

21 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

21 May, 1945      0840

Leipzig, Germany

My dearest sweetheart –

It is now 1230. I got as far as the “My” and was called away. I was busy until lunch-time and I’ve just returned to my room. Before I go any farther, darling, I want to remind you that I love you so strongly that it hurts, dear, and knowing you love me too – enhances my feelings ten-fold. So, we’ll get married, darling, and live a happy life. That’s certainly putting everything on a simple basis, isn’t it. Oh, I know there’ll be more to it than that, but the fundamental thing is that we do love each other and can you think of a better way to start?

I enjoyed so much your letter of 11 May which I got yesterday – particularly about the plans various people are making for a wedding – our wedding. I get a little scared at the thought of a bunch of people etc – but there’s time enough to think of that. Barbara does sound cute. Gosh – she must have grown since I saw her last. She never was a beautiful child – but I’ll bet it’s hard finding a more lovable one. That’s the kind I want, darling. How about you?

I was sorry to read about Granny Br. You had mentioned her illness before and I had neglected to remark about it. I hope she is better – and when you see her next, send her my regards. And tell Granny Be. it’s perfectly all right if she doesn’t write; I understand. I just like to jot her a note from time to time. And that reminds me – I haven’t written Mother B. in some time. She was ill and I didn’t want her to feel that she had to be answering my letters. I’ll drop her a line one of these days soon.

I sure am proud of your Bridge-playing ability – and I hope you take it easy on me. I haven’t – we haven’t played in some while – what with the battalion spread out as it was. And even when we were playing, remember, dear, that I’m a novice. Guess I’ll have to start reading up on the stuff if the Alexanders are going to hold their own.

And boy – would I ever like to spend a week-end with you down on the Cape! Sweetheart – we’d just have to get married first, that’s all. It looks as if I won’t quite be able to make it this summer – although one never knows for sure. I’m willing of course – although every month I’m here gives me more overseas time, progresses the Jap war and gives me a respectable talking point once I get home and try to stay in the States. Gosh we’ll have busy days, darling – because don’t forget – I owe you something like 154,000 kisses – and that ain’t hay – and don’t think either – that you won’t get paid off, with interest. And that’s compounded interest, too. It’s going to be wonderful, sweetheart, getting back and being with you; and we’re going to make up – in full measure – for all we’ve missed because of our separation.

And now, dear, so long for awhile. Give my love to the folks – and

All my deepest love to you –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about What Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz Said


Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

In an article published in the TIME magazine issue on 21 May 1945, (Vol. XLV, No. 21), titled "World Battlefronts, THE WAR: No. 1 Priority", Chester Nimitz set the tone for what was to come in the war with Japan. Here is the article:

Cover of TIME magazine, 21 May 1945

"The Japs are going to get plenty," said Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, in a press interview last week. "The tempo of the air war will be stepped up very, very much. They will be hit by carrier as well as land-based aircraft. We will give them everything we've got."

This week the Jap radio underscored the Admiral's words by announcing that a tremendous force of 900 carrier planes was attacking airfields and other installations on Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu, making 14 strikes between dawn and 2 p.m. Right along with it, Japan was catching the heaviest punches ever thrown by the B-29 Superforts.

Japan was now the No.1 priority in the Allied war effort, and she was bitterly tasting what that meant even before the full overwhelming weight of the U.S. and Britain could be marshaled against her.

Worse than Germany. Lieutenant General Barney Giles, new Army Air Force commander in the Pacific, predicted more bombs for Japan's 148,000 square miles than had fallen on Germany's 215,000.

In England, Jimmy Doolittle gave up his command of the U.S. Eighth Air Force, and confidently forecast the happy day when as many as 2,000 U.S. planes would hit Japan in a single attack. Doolittle's big air force had wound up its war with 2,400 Fortresses and Liberators (the new "mediums") plus a considerable number of others in repair depots and reserve pools, and 1,200 fighters. Asked just what he expected to do in the Pacific, he answered, "I wish I knew." But it would be surprising if Bomber Doolittle and his crack operations officer, Major General Orvil Anderson, did not have plenty to do there.

The main, time-consuming Allied problem in the Pacific is building up bases and supply. It takes three cargo ships to do in the Pacific what one could do in the Atlantic. Air forces and service troops are being moved first.

Within three months there should be enough bases to accommodate all the air units that can be sent from Europe. Okinawa, four times the size of Guam, promises to be a fine base, even better than preliminary U.S. appraisals indicated. Within six months the Philippines should be in shape to take all the ground forces which can be redeployed in that time for the invasion of the Jap heartland.

How Much Can the Japs Take? By the time the invasion is ready, Allied air power should have smashed Japan's industry and transport, and she should be thoroughly shriveled by combined air and naval blockade. She might not be able or willing to keep on fighting. When a reporter asked Admiral Nimitz last week whether he believed that invasion would, in the end, be necessary, Nimitz replied: "I don't know. I don't know how much the Japs can take. They have seen what has happened in Europe, the wreckage of Germany. They know what is in store for them. ... All I do know is that it is necessary to go through with the planning of the invasion of Japan."

20 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

20 May, 1945      0810

Leipzig, Germany

Wilma, darling –

After I finish writing this I’m leaving for Weimar, which I never quite got to visit so far. Strictly speaking, I’m not going there to visit – but to buy some clothes at the officers’ Px there. It’s about 100 km (60 miles) from here. What in the world I want to but clothes for, I don’t know, but hell, I’ve got to be dressed up when I get back to see you, dear. I got an E.T.O. jacket when I was in Brussels, and I need a pair of trousers to match. We dress up more now – on Corps orders – to impress the Germans a bit, I guess. They’ve never been able to understand how officers and E.M. wear the same clothes all the time. It was definitely not so in their Army – or any other Army I guess. The Parisians were shocked too, to find officers dressed the way we were when we were on pass. It was combat clothes, of course, but they said the German officers made us look shabby by comparison. But what the heck – we won – and that’s what counts they way I see it.

Speaking of Paris – reminds me of your reference to my condition, darling, in the letter of 9 May which I got yesterday p.m. The only picture I can think of with me in it is the one at the sidewalk café. In answer to one question – yes – I had had a recent haircut and that’s the way the Army usually dishes them out. It all depends on the mood of our barber. But I hadn’t lost 10 lbs, darling – although I was plenty tired.

I enjoyed your letter, dear, and I wasn’t surprised to read that Boston had celebrated very much. Yes – I am anxious to get going, but my letters of the past week or so have certainly made that clear to you, I suspect. You bet it’s a good thing I wasn’t in New York trying to call you. Boy – I’d have been mad trying to get you while you were chatting on the phone – although I’d like to be mad right now. If that happens, sweetheart, don’t worry I’ll have your call cut off, you know – I’ve saved one dollar in U.S. money – just for that call – although more than likely all we’d have time for is to get down a couple of telegrams. Boy! Am I getting ahead of myself!

Say, I’m all mixed up about those people in Moscow. Apparently the family thinks I know one from the other. I don’t – but it’s nice of you to trouble yourself. Off hand I don’t believe any of our mail is allowed to go in that direction and I’m pretty certain there’s no mechanism set up for it, but I’ll speak with our Sgt.

And I’m sorry about Mother’s Day, dear. I know you’ve been busy and I didn’t want to bother you. I thought the easiest way was to have Eleanor order some flowers and let it go at that – and I did the same for the folk’s anniversary. I guess it’s too late now. And that reminds me, darling, I once asked you to remind me of anniversary and other days connected with your folks. You won’t forget, will you? I want to be a part of anything connected with them and right now I have to depend entirely on you. Once I’m back – I can give you more close support. I’m tired too of this long distance stuff. I’m kind of hoping for September at the latest – What was that about a Fall wedding?

And it’s so sweet of you to try to figure out my case. It’s difficult – and I can’t even do it from here. As I wrote – I have 67 points. I may get more; it seems we haven’t got credit for the Air offensive of Great Britain – we were attached to the 8th Air Force; also – we should get another star for the Battle of the Bulge. But all that doesn’t mean much. It’s the breaks that count. All I know is that I love you more strongly each day and want to get home, marry you and stay home – in or out of the Army. I don’t give a damn – as long as we’re married. It will come through – just as everything else has – and when it does – we’ll be ever so happy, darling. All for now – must be off to see the site of the Republic – at Weimar. Love to the folks – and

All my love is yours,

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about the Weimar Republic and the City of Weimar

The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the federal republic and parliamentary representative democracy established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government. It was named after Weimar, the city where the constitutional assembly took place. Its official name was German Realm (Deutsches Reich), which is often mistranslated into English as German Empire, or rendered by the partial translation German Reich.

Following World War I, the republic emerged from the German Revolution in November 1918. In 1919, a national assembly convened in Weimar, where a new constitution for the German Reich was written, then adopted on 11 August of that same year. The ensuing period of liberal democracy lapsed in the early 1930s, leading to the ascent of the nascent Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler in 1933. The legal measures taken by the Nazi government in February and March 1933, commonly known as Gleichschaltung ("coordination") meant that the government could legislate contrary to the constitution. The republic nominally continued to exist until 1945, as the constitution was never formally repealed. However, the measures taken by the Nazis in the early part of their rule rendered the constitution irrelevant. Thus, 1933 is usually seen as the end of the Weimar Republic and the beginning of Hitler's Third Reich.

The cultural heritage of the city of Weimar is vast. Besides giving its name to the Weimar Republic period in German politics, the city was also the focal point of the German Enlightenment and home of the leading characters of the literary genre of Weimar Classicism, the writers Goethe and Schiller. The city was also the birthplace of the Bauhaus movement, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, with artists Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Oskar Schlemmer, and Lyonel Feininger teaching in Weimar's Bauhaus School.

In 1937, the Nazis constructed the Buchenwald concentration camp, only eight kilometres from Weimar's city centre. The slogan Jedem das Seine (literally "to each his own", but figuratively "everyone gets what he deserves") was placed over the camp's main entrance gate. Between July 1938 and April 1945, some 240,000 people were incarcerated in the camp by the Nazi regime, including 168 Western Allied POWs. The number of deaths at Buchenwald is estimated at 56,545. The Buchenwald concentration camp provided slave labour for local industry (arms industry of Wilhelm-Gustloff-Werk).

The Allied ground advance into Germany reached Weimar in April 1945, and the city surrendered to the US 80th Infantry Division on April 12, 1945. The city ended up in the Soviet zone of occupation, however, so US troops were soon replaced with Russian forces. From 1945 to 1950, the Soviet Union used the occupied Buchenwald concentration camp to imprison defeated Nazis and other Germans. The camp slogan remained Jedem das Seine. On 6 January 1950, the Soviets handed over Buchenwald to the East German Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Weimar was part of the German Democratic Republic (DDR, East Germany) from 1949 to 1990. On 2 September 2004, a fire broke out at the Duchess Anna Amalia Library. The library contained a 13,000-volume collection including Goethe's masterpiece Faust, in addition to a music collection of the Duchess. An authentic Lutheran Bible from 1534 was saved from the fire. The damage stretched into the millions of dollars. The number of books in this historic library exceeded 1,000,000, of which 40,000 to 50,000 were destroyed past recovery.

19 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

19 May, 1945      0810

Leipzig, Germany

My dearest sweetheart –

It seems to me that all I did yesterday was to dash off a V-mail to you and let it go at that – for which I ought to be spanked. Actually – I didn’t get back here until quite late and I was a bit tired from pounding around in the jeep all day. They do have some swell roads over here, though, particularly the Reichsautobahn – which are super-highways in every sense of the word. They connect all Germany and never run through cities or towns. Also – there are no billboards, roadside stands or gas stations.

Well – anyway – it wasn’t until about 2000 that I was free and then someone suggested a swim. Of course – I was talked into it – and there you are, dear. The fact is – I’m trying to get into shape – and swimming is as good a way as any to get the muscles working and the wind developed. The funny thing is that every one is ‘soft’ – despite the fact that we’ve just come thru a war. Back in Normandy – we all dug trenches – but as we got into Germany and took over houses, we got lazy – and careless.

Mail has been rather punk – for no reason that I’m able to figure out. But I did get one – no three – swell letters from you this week – and they carried me over very well. I did get a bit disgruntled when I read about Dr. Diamond. It just makes you – and I’m not the only one over here who feels this way – a bit envious when you hear of this fellow or that back at home doing a pile of work, research etc – while you’re over here wasting time and slowly but surely becoming an also-ran. But I have said that what I wanted more than anything else was to last the war out without getting hit by something – and the Lord saw to that – so I’m going to be thankful for that and not complain about anything else. You may or may not know it, dear, the MC’s took quite a beating.

The other part of your letter – the one in which you mentioned Lou Diamond – was really in the groove – sweetheart – and the sort of stuff I really eat up – I mean the future and Salem and people visiting us and the Caplans telling you that you really beam when you discuss us. That’s what I like to read, darling, because it does something to me inside, too. And when I read a letter like that from you dear, it makes me realize how much I really love you – and I like to sit back then and just dream. You may have trouble with me, you know, dear – because I’ve become quite a dreamer. I’m likely to get a call some evening – sit back and dream I’ve made it – and not even leave the house. Oh yes – you’ll really have to watch me. Besides all that, darling, I’m very good at quick passes.

No news yet of any import as to the future. We’ll go back to the States – there’s no doubt about that. The unit may or may not be broken up. From there on – no one knows – but I’m betting I’ll get a good crack at the States – and if fate is kind – maybe I’ll stay.

Well – darling – that’s all for now. Some more work – and fraternization or no – our big problem now is V.D.

Love to the folks, sweetheart, and

All my everlasting love,

Greg

18 May 1945

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

18 May, 1945      0820

Leipzig, Germany

Dearest sweetheart –

Now we can say where we are – and it’s the old story of the Army taking a little time to make up its mind. I’m in a hurry this morning, darling, although irrelevant or not – this is as good a place as any to tell you I love you and only you. Oh yes. I’m in a hurry to get started for Halle – and a place just north of it – Kothen – to do some more physicals. If I grab that bunch today – I’ll have only a handful more to do. It’s quite a job – doing a battalion.

I got a swell letter yesterday of the 6th of May – and the events of the next two days were still not evident to you when you wrote the letter. Here – we had an inkling. But inkling or no – I love you very very hard – and as I see it from here – that’s the important thing – particularly since I suspect you love me too. Time to go, dear. Love to the folks – and all my deepest andsincerest love is yours –

Greg

17 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

17 May, 1945      0830

Germany

My dearest sweetheart –

This month, too, is slipping right along and soon we’ll have June. We’re still handling ex-prisoners of war, Allied, and still wondering what the next step will be and where. No doubt – some troops are already being processed and must be getting ready for the ride home. We happen to be a long long way from the ports – although I don’t believe that will make much difference. When they’re ready for us – off we’ll go.

I stayed close to battalion all day yesterday, dear, although I haven’t quite finished those physicals. I have one battery left to do – but they’re spread out so far – it’s almost a hopeless task rounding them up. I’ll wait a while longer. I think they’ll be coming in soon.

It warmed up nicely in the afternoon and we spent it swimming. Directly across the street from the factory we occupy – is a small park with a man-made swimming pool – about 40 yards by 20. It was built by the factory for its employees. We had it drained, cleaned, refilled and chlorinated and it’s wonderful. We have large rubber rafts in it (airplane gasoline tanks which were manufactured in a nearby plant) and the boys are having a swell time having Indian-style canoe fights. All in all – if we have to stick around awhile – it might as well be in this spot as any other.

I was re-reading a few of your letters from March, darling, and I came across one telling me about the Freeman boy. You made a very thoughtful suggestion and I’m sorry I overlooked it until now – about sending him something. I’d like very much for you to – if you would, dear. As far as I know he’s still at the Valley Forge Gen. Hosp. Phoenixville, Pa – and he’s Sgt. Myer Freeman – or T4 M. Freeman. Don’t send him a book because the hospital libraries are chock full of the best in reading material. And while I think of it – it’s getting closer to Father’s Day. Will you start thinking about it dear and let’s get something for Dad A and B in both our names and will you let me know what all of it costs – and this time – I don’t want any of this 50-50 stuff. I agreed to that once before because you suggested it, dear – but I’d much rather that you just tell me how much you laid out and I’ll send you a check. And get them both something nice, huh?

I’ve been waiting for mail from you eagerly. Any day now I should get a letter showing your reaction to VE day and I’m anxious to read what you had to say.

I’ve got to run along and see the Colonel. He hasn’t been feeling well and I put him to bed – over-fatigue. So I’ll close now, sweetheart. If in the past week I haven’t made clear to you how much I love you and how much freer I feel in telling you that – now that one big phase of the war is over – it hasn’t been because I haven’t tried, sweetheart. But I do love you and so strongly, I’m sure you must feel it too.

Love to the folks, darling, and remember that I love you more than anything or anyone and that I want to be

Always yours alone

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Christ with the Adulteress

From the web site of Lund University in Sweden came this extract from an article with the title "Creating and Exposing Forgeries Using Chemistry".

When the allied troops finally found Göring’s art collection in an Austrian salt mine on 17 May 1945, they found a minor sensation. Among the 6,750 works of art was a hitherto unknown work by the master of the Dutch Golden Age, Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer never received recognition during his lifetime, 1632–1675, butduring the latter part of the 19th century, his works were rediscovered and sold for sky-high prices.

Vermeer’s style is characterized by different light effects as well as frequent use of the sky blue colour ultramarine. Ultramarine means “beyond the seas” and the raw material for the pigment, the mineral lazurite or lapis lazuli, is a blue semi-precious stone which in the 17th century was mainly mined in Afghanistan. In 1822, the German chemist Gmelin discovered a method for producing synthetic ultramarine and soon even poor artists could paint in bright shades of blue. In Vermeer’s day, however, ultramarine was very expensive and his generous use of the color became a signature that is found in paintings including “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, the subject of Tracy Chevalier’s novel of the same name.

So, in 1945 a new, unknown Vermeer had been found. The allied forces managed to trace the person who had sold the work to Göring, a banker called Alois Miedl. The tracks led from there to the immensely rich Dutch artist and art dealer Hans van Meegeren. On 29 May 1945, van Meegeren was accused of having plundered and sold Dutch cultural property to the enemy – a charge that could lead to the death penalty. The Vermeer painting had been sold for the tidy sum of 1,650,000 guilders, an astounding amount, today equivalent to somewhere between SEK 50 and 100 million.

After three days in jail, van Meegeren called the investigators and explained that it was not a question of treason. The painting was a forgery and he had painted it himself. In addition, van Meegeren admitted that he had painted and sold a further five Vermeers, all of which had been affirmed as authentic by a number of experts. The experts protested and refused to accept that van Meegeren had fooled them; to prove his innocence – or rather his guilt – van Meegeren offered to show them how he had done it by painting another fake Vermeer – this time in front of the investigators. It must have been a fascinating demonstration. In order to forge a painting, considerable chemical knowledge is required, and to expose it, even more sophisticated methods are needed.

van Meergeren at trial

“It was a Vermeer canvas, Viktor observed, or rather a skillful Vermeer forgery. According to the marshal of the realm, who talked unceasingly, it was entitled ‘Christ and the Adulteress’. He explained that he had bought it from a Dutch art dealer.” - Extract from Kunzelmann & Kunzelmann, Carl-Johan Vallgren, 2009.

van Meegeren was, however, a master of forgery. He began by purchasing a canvas from the same period, in this case the 17th century, and carefully removed the old painting. It is after this that the chemistry comes in.

Chemical methods make it quite simple to expose when a forger has used a modern pigment. For example, Vermeer only had access to white lead, whereas titanium white and zinc white were not discovered until the 19th century. van Meegeren, however, was extremely thorough and only used those pigments to which Vermeer would have had access – as well as ultramarine, these included white lead, indigo and the red mercury mineral cinnabar. In order to avoid being exposed, he even used paintbrushes made of badger hairs, as Vermeer did. Now only the really difficult part was left – getting the painting to age. When oil paint dries, a large number of chemical processes occur. Unlike watercolors, the components of oils do not evaporate when the paint dries; on the contrary, the oil used in oil paint contains many double compounds that slowly react with the oxygen in the air and initially the oil film becomes heavier as oxygen is bonded in. Oxidation also polymerizes the chains of fat and once the process is complete, the canvas has been transformed into one complete cross-linked mass.

An old method used to expose a forgery was to rub the painting with alcohol. In a 17th century painting, all the chains of fat were cross-linked, while color came off newer works. In order to achieve the right surface on the forgeries, van Meegeren had invented a method where he treated the surface with resol, a phenol formaldehyde resin, and then baked the painting in an oven at 120°C to cross-link the polymers.

When a painting ages, a thin network of cracks develops, known as craquelure, and to imitate this he bent and pried the painting over a steel groove until a fine web of cracks had formed. Finally, in order to recreate a proper 300 year layer of grime, he brushed the surface with India ink, which is a mixture of soot and water, and then carefully washed off the excess.

The result was perfect! The public rejoiced that a Dutchman had succeeded in fooling Göring and in October 1947 van Meegeren was voted the second most popular person in Holland. A few months later, however, he died following a series of heart attacks and the story could have ended there. The six forged works had been studied by a Belgian chemist, Dr Paul Coremans, who confirmed that they were all most likely forgeries. A few years later, however, the owner of some of the fake paintings, Daniel George van Beuningen, sued Coremans, demanding £500,000 in compensation for the fall in value of the paintings. It was not until a decade later that another chemist, Dr Bernard Keisch, was finally able to solve the problem.

Natural lead ore contains small quantities of radium-226, which has a half-life of 1,600 years and decomposes to chemicals including lead-210, which has a half-life of 22 years. Both Vermeer and van Meegeren used the pigment white lead, lead (II) hydroxide carbonate. When the pigment is produced, most of the radium is cleaned away, while both lead-210 and the stable lead-206 remain. There is therefore significantly more lead-210 than radium-226 in the pigment white lead to start with. If 99 % of the radium has been cleaned away, it takes around 150 years for the balance between radium-226 and lead-210 to become even again. In the case of the Vermeer forgeries, the levels of lead-210 were far higher than radium-226, which proved that the paintings were modern.

Today a range of chemical methods are used to expose forgeries and chemistry has made it extremely difficult to get away with art forgery. van Meegeren’s forged paintings continue to fascinate, however, and ironically they have become so valuable that forgeries appear every year!

16 May 1945

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

16 May, 1945      0825

Germany

Dearest darling Wilma –

It was late afternoon – 18 months ago today – that we boarded our ship and got ready for sailing – the next day. We had taken a train from Camp Shanks, and then the ferry. When we got to the piers – we saw no evidence of a convoy, but the Aquitania was being loaded. Despite all the secrecy supposedly connected with the transport of troops, there was actually a band there – playing music as we marched the 200 yards or so from the ferry – to the loading spot. The Red Cross was there with coffee and donuts – but few of us could take the time or trouble for that – we were loaded down so with horseshoe pack, aid kits – in case of the medics, gas masks etc. For most of us – it was a question of getting on that damn boat and unloading some of our stuff. And although we joked a bit, etc. – we weren’t a happy lot. We knew we’d sail the next day – unescorted – and make a dash across. Not only that – but we knew we were going away for a long time. I know I wrote you a sort of serial letter during the trip, dear. I wonder how I sounded in that letter. I know how I felt.

And now – well that’s all gone by and I’m looking forward to that homeward trip as I’ve looked forward to nothing before this. I just can’t wait to get going – and yet – the more we stay here – the more the war in Japan develops and that’s O.K. with me. I took part in the initial stages of one major assault landing – and that’s enough for me.

Say that was a coincidence – meeting that volunteer whose brother-in-law is Joe Auerbach. Gosh – I hadn’t thought about him in 5 or 6 years. He was a helluva nice kid and went to the Law School after getting his A.B. That’s when I lost track of him. I ran into him a couple of times – but not when he was married. And Leonard Kane (né Cohen) was at School with us. We did sell mags together one summer in Conn. and had one swell time. He didn’t go to Graduate school – but into business – and I lost track of him for several years – until one day when I was a student and having a couple of months of medicine at the B.I. – I ran into him – as a patient. He had developed diabetes and associated thyrotoxicosis (toxic goiter) and was pretty sick. But he snapped out of it. I haven’t seen him since. I didn’t know any of the others you mentioned. It’s funny how you lose contact with old friends. In my case – it was due to med. school. And you lose your medical school friends when you go away to intern. Sometime after the war – I’ll have to pick up some loose threads.

And by the way, sweetheart, a thousand apologies for not remembering to ask you about your smoking. Do you mean to say you haven’t smoked since February? It’s hard to believe – hard to believe. But I think it’s an excellent idea – and honestly they say – or as the French put it – on dit – that you have healthier babies if you don’t smoke. Now I really don’t know much about such things, sweetheart, but I’m sure willing to help you give it a try; meaning by that, darling – that I love you deeply and that I find myself more and more thinking of you only in the most intimate of ways. Hang on – dear – hang on!

Well – I hate to stop right there – but what else is there to do. See you later, sweetheart, take care of yourself, love to the folks – and

All my deepest love to you

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about the Battle for Sugar Loaf Hill


Battle of Sugar Loaf Hill, 16-17 May 1945

From Today's History Lesson came this description of the battle for Sugar Loaf Hill on the island of Okinawa, Japan. The report, written by Joel Mundt is titled "Sugar Loaf Hill: Mighty Sweet Name, Mighty Bitter Taste".

Sugar Loaf Hill. A casual glance at the name might take your mind to one of those special squares on a Candy-Land board. You know, those special cards you draw where you move forward or backward a bunch of spaces – the Molasses Swamp or the Dew-Drop Inn or whatever - that add a little excitement to the game. It sounds sweet and happy, like a vacation destination for Strawberry Shortcake or a place where My Little Pony can prance and play. Sugar Loaf Hill exudes all that is cotton-candy nice and right with the world.

That’s what you might think. The real-life Sugar Loaf Hill is none of those things.

As the Battle of Okinawa (the final battle fought by the U.S. in World War II) worked through its second month, the Sixth Marine Division was tasked with moving down the west side of the island to sever Japanese lines and then move eastward behind the heights of Shuri. On top stood the bombed-out, shelled-out ruins of Shuri Castle, the visible part of elaborate network of tunnels and pillboxes that comprised General Mitsuru Ushijima’s main defensive fortifications on the island.

In front of the Sixth Marines stood three small hills, though “hill” is kind of a strong word as none of them was much more than 50 feet high. “But“, as Bill Sloan writes in The Ultimate Battle, “the identities bestowed on them by the Sixth Division Marines who repeatedly tried, failed, and tried again to take them would become synonyms for the most horrific struggle in the division’s history…Among those who survived the three hills, they are inevitably remembered at Horseshoe, Half Moon, and Sugar Loaf.”

For twelve (mostly rainy) days, the Marines fought the Japanese over this seemingly insignificant hillock, no more than three football fields in size. On eleven different occasions, the hill was assaulted. Men sprang into action, clamoring up the hill, only to be shelled and shot at with such accuracy and ferocity that they were forced to retreat. It became apparent that all three of these small hills would have to be taken together due to the covering fire each hill provided the others.

16 May 1945 proved to be an especially trying day, as four times the Sixth Marines reached the summit…and four times were driven back. Bob Sherer, a First Lieutenant, spoke to everyone’s struggle.

The frustrating thing about those hills was that they just looked like barren little humps covered with tree stumps left by Navy gunfire. There was no outward indication of all the caves and tunnels inside.

The morning of May 18, 1945 provided the breakthrough. The First Marines were able to take Wana Ridge, which housed Japanese 75mm guns used to shell Sugar Loaf. This allowed tanks to be brought in, encircle the hill, and provide suppression along with artillery while Marines worked to dynamite and seal the caves. General Ushijima’s efforts to reinforce Sugar Loaf failed under intense American artillery, and the Sixth Marines stood atop Sugar Loaf Hill… never to relinquish it.

Sugar Loaf Hill, 18 May 1945

But the cost had been tremendous. Over nearly two weeks, regiments had been reduced to company strength, and companies to platoons. Many platoons were wiped out to a man. More than 1,600 Marines died in the fight for this 50-foot-high strongpoint, with another 7,400 wounded.

The fight for Sugar Loaf Hill would come to epitomize the brutal battle of attrition that was the experience not only in the fight for Okinawa, but in many far-flung island battles of the Pacific campaign.