Dear Listers, About a year before my 93 year old aunt died she gave me a shoebox full of letters from relatives in Germany. There were about 100 letters over 40 years and from 4 generations of relatives. The letters began in 1946, right after the end of World War II and ended in 1986. The early letters spoke quite openly about conditions in Germany and asked for help in getting food, clothing and other things they were not able to obtain. Fascinating letters and fill in some missing "gaps" in understanding that era. My parents and grandmother also received letters from them and I can remember sending boxes to them too. Unfortunately, my mother did not keep the letters. They are truly a treasure. I recently contacted the church in the German town where these relatives attended. They sent me several typed pages including my grandfather's birth record and genealogy back to the 1500s. I wrote again asking for the names of any living descendants and giving them permission to share my letters with them. The church responded with the name of a relative who is now 81 years old and one who wrote many of the letters to my aunt. I wrote her a long letter with pictures and an outline of how I fit into the family. I also sent her copies of the letters she and her husband had written to my aunt. She sent a Christmas card and said I would "receive a long letter in early January". I am eagerly awaiting her reply. I just had to share this story and this Milwaukee group is great! Jane In the beautiful northwoods of Wisconsin