Manchester, England – Photo Credit: tourist-destinations.com
Biene’s Last Letter from England
December 10th, 1965 Didsbury
My dear love Peter,
As usual I can just drop a few lines although I am dying to write you all I have on my mind. Your last letter contained quite a lot of exciting news concerning my coming to you in Canada. I feel so relieved that everything is set going for it. I think the conditions are quite sensible and I do agree with them. Peter, imagine we both will get married in less than half a year. On the one hand it seems quite natural to me to get married to you because I cannot imagine another husband for me than you. Yet on the other hand it seems like an unbelievable marvellous wonder, which only happens in dreams and fairy-tales. The thought of it is really overwhelming me with thousands of exciting feelings.
On the 23rd I am flying home. I booked my flight yesterday in town. I am afraid that I will have to face much trouble at home. Yet I feel strong enough to defend my cause. My brother has caused all my relatives to write to me in order to bring me to reason. Are we really that foolish, Peter? I admit that our plans are extraordinary, yet the more I think it over the more I feel that we are doing nothing wrong. I must convince my family! I have so many arguments. But perhaps on both sides the emotional sphere is more powerful than reason, and since strong feelings are involved it will be difficult to come to terms. Oh I really wish I could see clear. At home I will see.
Mrs. Lande often wonders where I get all my patience from and why nothing can shake me and then she says that she really wished to know you because judging from me you must be a really marvellous man to make me always so happy. Do you know Peter that it is about a year ago that I realized how much I am in love with you? It was after the ‘Don Giovanni’ opera, after I had given you the little good luck charm, the magic ‘Glücksbringer’ and after you had left me, and the train had disappeared. I suddenly felt for the first time that I could never live anymore without you loving me. This discovery shook me so very much and stirred up all my feelings and frightened me to such a degree that I was really ill at night and then I wrote to you and then … oh Peter, I sometimes cannot believe that all I had so desperately wished in that night has come true. I do not believe in magic at all, yet you must admit that it was a strange coincidence that I gave you the ‘Glücksbringer’ just on that particular night.
Yours for ever Gertrud
After this passionately written letter more than two weeks passed until I received a card, which did not even arrive on time for Christmas, because it had been sent by surface mail. But her last letter from England was so heart-warming that its message of courage and love sustained me through the darkest days of the season. In quick succession I jotted down all my thoughts about the best possible strategy for Biene’s handling of parental opposition to our plans. I decided to keep writing in small instalments and wait, until I had received word from Biene before sending off the compiled letters. This method also served to bridge the time. However, as Christmas was drawing near, worries about how Biene was making out in her struggle with her parents occupied my heart and soul. Was it not exactly two years ago that I had worried about losing her forever during the gloomy days in the army? Should it be possible that her parents gain the upper hand? Would they be able to soften her resolve to come and marry me in the spring? With no Christmas greetings from Biene or from her parents the stage was set for the loneliest Christmas of my entire life.
The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Family 
So so beautiful! My favorite line:
I suddenly felt for the first time that I could never live anymore without you loving me. ❤
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This is a very thing to say, Jodi. I appreciate that you liked Biene’s very touching declaration.
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a wonderful love-story, dear Peter. I can imagine how you felt at Christmas without a card. It must have been very sad. I’m looking forward to the continuation of your story.
Have a nice weekend. I wish the Russian frost would move away here, but at least it’s a dry cold and we always have a lot of sun. Kind regards Mitza
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Thank you, dear Mitza, for your kind and appreciative words on our love story. As to the weather, when I have a choice between mild, grey and rainy weather and clear, blue sky with frosty temperature I would always take the second choice. Have a great weekend! Peter
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Was für eine wunderschöne Liebeserklärung!! Ich bin ganz ergriffen, nachdem ich Biene-Gertruds Zeilen an Dich gelesen habe.. Was da zwischen Euch passiert ist,war wirklich was ganz Besonderes..Ich könnte Biene noch jetzt für ihre wunderbaren Worte an Dich umarmen, Peter.
Die Zeit bis zur endgültigen Klärung muß sehr schwer für Euch beide gewesen sein..
Ich hab auch über Walter nachgedacht. Sicher wirkte es schockierend, daß er alle Verwandten mobilisierte, Euch solche Briefe zu schicken.Sein Verhalten hätte mich damals auch sehr gekränkt !
Heute denke ich, er als Bruder,sogar Zwillingsbruder, hat sich ganz besonders vor der Trennung von seiner Schwester gefürchtet..? Deshalb eventuell auch seine heftige Reaktion?
Später ist er ja oft bei Euch gewesen und hatte solch einen liebevollen Umgang mit Euren Söhnen..Den Eindruck haben wir jedenfalls, wenn wir uns Eure Videos ansehen..
Aber sicher ist jetzt bald noch so einiges zu lesen, bevor alles zu einem guten Ende kommt..
Weiterhin gute Erholung für Dich, Peter und herzliche Grüße an Euch beide!
Edda
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Liebe Edda, mit der Geburt unseres ersten Sohnes kam auch die Aussöhnung mit der ganzen Familie, also auch mit Walter. Dann kam auch die Erkenntnis, dass wir für unsere eigene Familie das richtige Land gewählt hatten. Wo hätte ein Lehrer mit einem kleinen Anfangsgehalt für seine zahlreiche Kinderschar ein Haus in Deutschland kaufen können. Hier in Kanada kam gleich nach dem Auto das eigene Haus. Biene war noch keine 10 Jahre in Kanada, da hatten wir uns ein nagelneues Haus für $27000 erstanden. Natürlich gehörte das Haus durch eine langfristige Hypothek noch der Bank. Aber der Anfang war gemacht.
Liebe Edda, es geht nun wirklich aufwärts, langsam aber sicher. Vielen Dank für deine lieben Wünsche! Biene und ich hoffen, dass eure Kältewelle bald ein Ende hat. Herzliche Grüße an euch beiden! Peter
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Such a beautiful letter and a commitment from your love. You’re lucky.
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Thanks, Arv! I appreciate your feed-back.
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Happy to hear that 😃
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It’s so lovely love letter, Petter. I’m looking forward for the next story. The love between two of you must be so strong. Happy weekend…
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Your kind comment is greatly appreciated, Nurul. Thank you!
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Nice☺️🌸
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Thank you, Nasuko!
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Such a wonderful saga to follow! I can just imagine how difficult it was to keep your mind from wandering into the “what if” quagmire as Biene struggled with her parents overseas. Man, I bet that really was a lonely Christmas.
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In the face of uncertainty one is in a particularly frustrating situation. This is especially true during the Christmas Season. Thank you, Des, for your insightful comment!
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I can fully understand that she got frightenend. To feel dependened to such a degree makes you feel weak, I suppose.
I fell madly in love with a woman some 20 years ago and I felt immediately that this was somehow wrong.
A love should be strong but not to a degree that you can’t live without the other one.
Maybe I’m wrong in judging her feelings.?!
Beste Grüsse!
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Well, Gerhard, these were her feelings at that particular point in time. Also this is the language of love, which has its own vocabulary. As it turned out, my wife and I are fiercely independent, which became quite obvious during the course of our marriage. Conclusion: Nobody is never so independent as not being able to live without that special someone.
When I was told at my retirement from teaching that I was irreplaceable I took it as a joke.
Herzliche Grüße aus dem verschneiten Kanada!
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Oh, Peter, I can just imagine how anxious you were that Christmas! You knew that Biene loved you and wanted to marry you, but you also knew that her family was against it and that we was going to be listening to their point of view. For me, it is so sad that they didn’t see what a good match you two were for each other, but I suppose it isn’t that uncommon. I look forward to hearing more of your story!
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Any person with a big heart as my future wife would have experienced the same problem. People who still are still capable of loving those who oppose them are the ones who have to struggle with this kind of dilemma. Thank you very much, Ann, for your kind and understanding comment!
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Awwww a lonely Christmas. So true for so many. The blue of your sky in the photo so vibrant.
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Very very lonely indeed, Ruth!
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Clicking like to your comment seems wrong.
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It must have been extremely difficult for you to have spent that Christmas alone with only your fears about Biene’s plight for company. Even reading about it now and knowing the eventual outcome will be a happy one, I can’t help feeling nervous for her. The poor thing is going to have to stand up to the opposition of virtually every one of her family members while you are in a place so very distant.
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These were indeed difficult times for Biene. After all, having had a happy childhood in spite of all the hardships in postwar Germany, she still loved her father, brother and especially her mother. The love for her family made Biene very vulnerable. Thank you, for your kind and understanding comment!
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I feel more concerned about Biene. She must have also had a very sad, lonely Christmas.
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In the sense that she was not with me. Yet, she had her entire family with her to celebrate Christmas.
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