| 1. |  Karl Felixleop Günter "Günter" Thilo was born 23 Aug 1907; died 10 Oct 1966. Notes:
Dr. G. Thilo
Head - Master of High-School 17.3.1948
Bad Blankenburg/Thuringia-Forest
Germany
Frobelstr. 7
Mr. Milton and Mrs. Majory B e s c h w i t z
457 Roslyn Pl.
C h i c a g o 14, Ill.
U.S.A
Dear Cousin Milton!
It is now three years, that this war with all its senseless cruelties is over and this is the first time that I write you a letter, I hope you will excuse my bad English. When we got the first letter of your dear mother, aunt Maud, our eyes filled with tears. That your dearest father, our uncle George, has gone away for ever without seeing the end of this cruel war and that you are all thinking of us with cordiality, these both facts have affected us strongly. So many years have passed, that uncle George has left Germany, and although, he remained always one of our dearest relatives. Since the first day of my youth, my dear mother has spoken so much of her elder brother George and about his excellent violin-playing. That was my mother's greatest desire, that I should continue this splendid tradition of our common grandfather Leopold and uncle George, and so I began violin-playing when I was a child of six years. Although the musical art hasn't become my profession I am fond of violin-playing also still to-day and every week I have the pleasure to play with some excellent artist's quartettes of stringed instruments, and the notes, we use, are the old volumes of grandfather and of your dearest father. Uncle George has written so many signs in it, and so I have an everlasting memorial of your dear father. I am happy to have saved these notes, worse luck I have lost my beautiful violin by the bombardment of Dresden, also an old remembrance of Beschwitz family. On my piano in Dresden there was always placed a picture of uncle George together with his intimate friend Concertmaster Alfred Meyer - Wianko, my own teacher in violin-playing, unfortunately, both pictures are burnt.
I was glad to hear of Majories letter, that your son George, the dear "Bob", as uncle George has often written, is also fond of music and above all of Chopin, the favorite of my dear mother. Alas! I have rarely time to play music, my scientificall works occupy myself completely. Last year in September I got the position as head-master of a high school, I give every week lectures in history and literature. During the time of National Socialism I was not permitted to practice my profession on account of my antagonism to the Nazis, that were bad times for my little family, my wife has lost her health by these calamities, 1933 - 36 I have spent some years in France, the Nazi-government has me given no work in Germany, because of my membership to the social - democratic party. Indeed these were difficult times and above all my dear mother was always declining this government. But we were never allowed to write uncle George a word about these things, we should have lost our heads! And now, dear cousin Milton, I hope you are confessed, that we can write you "everything". But don't we speak about.
With your dear father, the last of my mother's brothers and sisters has gone in a better world, my mother was the youngest of all, I have had two sisters, my eldest sister Annemarie has died few weeks after the bombardment of Dresden, this was the worst day of our life, my parents house has completely dashed to pieces. But I will be always full of gratitude to the Lord, that I was able to save my old parents and my younger sister out of the ruins, Gretel has also lost her husband by the National Socialist terror. Two days after the bombardment we have moved from Dresden to the lovely Blankenburg/Thuringia - Forest, the native - town of Beschwitz family, and we are happy, that God in His grace has given us the joy that we can live here all together. On account of the heavy illness of my wife, she and my little son have lived here in Blankenburg already before the end of the war. I have married 1935, my wife Hanna is two years younger than I, (38) and my son has been born 1938. I have given him the old name of Beschwitz family "Hans - Christoph". He is the single heir of Beschwitz and Thilo name in Europe, a handsome boy, I may say without presumption diligent, he thinks to become a medicin, but we have to wait, nobody can say, what future will bring to Germany! It is only so mournful, that the childhood of our little - one has to miss all. He doesn't know all these beautiful things, children like so much. You can't imagine the beaming eyes he has made, when he tasted the chocolate on Christmas, he received from his grandmother, the present of dear aunt Maud. Up to this moment he has never seen something like, though he is ten years old! But we will not complain of, we will be thankful to our Savior, when we don't starve, but may be, there are still more serious dangers ahead of us.
But now I will come to an end with my letter, dear cousin Milton, I cannot but thank you, dearest aunt Maud and Majory that you have supported my old parents with some parcels, that was a very pleasant assistance for them in this unimaginable hard struggle for life. Papa has had the kindness to give me the tobacco, because he is non-smoker. We are only ashamed that we can do nothing for our dear relationship in America, we can only thank the Lord for so much love. I myself, I should be very glad to keep up a correspondence with one of my dear cousins, that maybe an interesting interchange and besides I should be thankful to improve my English knowledge. Please, give me notice of my mistakes.
What is your dearest mother doing? Has she arrived already by cousin Willard? We have nothing heard so long time of her.
Dear cousin Milton, dear cousin Majory
with kindest regards
your cousin G u n t e r and H a n n a
P.S. We were full astonished that Claus Erleck has written you. Till now he has neer cared for his family not to mention his relationship in America. He is the grandson of our dear uncle Moritz, the eldest brother of uncle George and my mother. We were often sad, that this part of the family had so little interest for Beschwitz family, this was also and everlasting grief of our dear uncle Moritz up to the end of his life (1934). But now, it is a favorite pleasure of many people here in Germany to write American relationship, although they never cared for them before.
In this moment, my dear mother comes to see me, she also is sending you the best greetings. Have the kindness and write, if you are able to read my "exellent" English, I enclosure a small Photo of my little family, hoping to give you an impression of my wife and son. Will you send me also some photos? I have some photos of you, but only made at the time 1925 - 1936.
Your G u n t e r
Karl married Johanna Wilfrieda Margarete "Hanna" "Margo" Luboch 3 Mar 1935. Johanna was born 30 Jun 1908, Calau; died 22 Mar 1949, Bad Blankenburg, Germany. [Group Sheet]
Karl married Wera Lutze 1 Oct 1955, Bad Gandersheim, Germany. Wera was born 2 Jan 1927. [Group Sheet]
Children:
- 3. Sabine Thilo
 was born 22 May 1957, Bad Gandersheim, Germany.
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1907 - 1966 (59 years)
Ernst Ferdinand Hans-Christoph "Hans-Christoph" Thilo