Person:Erich Kramm (1)

Erich was baptized on 21 Jul 1887 in St. Johannis Church in Berlin, 24 Alt Moabit. He was confirmed on 13 Mar 1901 in the same place.

He attended Number 31 parish school in Berlin, NW 23, Alt-Moabit from Oct 1893 to Oct 1896, then Fichte High School in Berlin, 2 Stephan Street from Oct 1896 to Easter 1903. He lef t with a certifi cate authorizing one year enlistment in military service.

Erich attended prof eesional school serving practical apprenticeship as a bricklayer. Af ter passing the bricklay er journeyman examination successf ully, he attended the technical institution at Berlin, 141 W Kurf ursten Street from Oct 1904 to Aug 1906 and successf ully passed the final examination. He then attended the art school in Berlin, on Prinz Albrecht Street. He entered the architectural studio of Hartmann and Schlenzig in Berlin-Wilmersdorf , 16 Bruchsal St. as an architect. On 1 Jul 1907, Erich entered civil service and was located in Anger burg-Heidelburg area. He passed the state exam and was transf erred to Berlin on 1 May 1911.

From July 1915 to Aug 1916 Erich was drafted to participate in WWI as a sol dier in Poland and France. Then, from Aug 1916 to Apr 1917 he directed the structural engineering office as the managing director of planning in Swin emunde. He was transferred to Pyritz in Poland and was there from May 1917 to Dec 1918. On 1 Jan 1919 Erich be came the technical consultant in the main office for structural organization for the City of Berlin, Germany.

In December 1926 he purchased a three story flat at Berlin-Lichterfelde, 24 Kommandanten St. He and his wife moved into the lower flat in April 1927. As of February 1988 their daughter, Viola, still owns and lives in this house

Personal Description

The following description dated 2 Sep 1936 of Erich was written by his neph ew Alfred Henry Kramm while visiting Germany.

"I can best describe my two Uncles, Erich and Georg, by comparison. While brothers, they appear to have no com mon interests. Uncle Erich's interests are generally confined to things appar ent to the physical senses, things one can see, hear, touch, smell, and eat. Uncle Georg, by contrast, is mainly interested in ideas and concepts. I would call him and intellectual... not unlike my own brother Ernest.

"Cousin Heinz Nitschke, the son of Aunt "Kate" ( now deceased ), the sister of Erich and Georg, described this differ ence as follows: "Uncle Erich lives in a practical world; Uncle Georg lives in a clever world." For my part both uncles and their wives were wonderf ul to me. I loved them both dearly.

"Uncle Erich is about 5' 9" tall and of medium weight. He has more or less pointed features in contrast to those of Uncle Georg which are more rounded. His hair is receding. He has blue eyes which have a tendency to twinkle when he is amused. He has quite a sense of humor and enjoys to hear a funny story and to tell one.

"Uncle Erich has three great interests, the first is his daughter, Viola, the second is his wife, and the third is his house. I doubt that he is greatly in terested in his prof ession as long as it gives him a living.

"His title professionally is Baumeister (Architect). There is a higher title, Baurat, but he is contented to stay as he is. He does not design buildings. He works for the government inspection offices in Berlin and passes on plans submitted for approval. At home he does not talk of his work in the office. It is my impression he is not particu larly interested in his work; further more, Aunt Elisabeth appears to have little or no interest. When he is home he is usually in the garden of which he is very proud, or with his daughter.

"He owns his own house, lives on the first floor and rents the two floors above that. The income from renting comes to about 200 Marks a month. Now he plans to build a single family house for himself and family and rent his flat for 100 Marks a month. He has two objectives: the first is additional in come, and the second is that his wife's mother is living upstairs in the present house and that is just a little too close to suit him. ( Erich never built a single family house.)

"Both U ncle Erich and his wif e are very economical in buying and preparing food and in management of the house hold. Nothing is wasted, but they do not skimp to reduce expenses. They employ a live-in maid who lives and eats in the house. When one considers it is customary to serve 4 or 5 light meals a day it is almost a necessity to have help. The house is always spot lessly clean. Both are very careful about the electric light and water bill and never use these conveniences to excess. Also all the fruit raised in the garden is either used in the cooking or preserved. In fact, one year Uncle Erich actually counted 451 apples on his apple tree!

"Uncle Erich is an accomplished artist in pencil sketching, pen and ink and oil. The walls of his home were deco rated with his many excellent paintings.

"I was struck by the allocation of fi nancial resources. My Uncle and Au nt had no automobile or garage. Each member of the family had a bicycle for local transportation and used pu blic transportation for longer distances. They employed a live-in maid. In the U nited States (1936) a family in similar circumstances would own a car and a garage to park it. There would be no bicycles. Families would generally use the car for transportation, Few if any would have a live-in maid; most women would do their own housework and cooking with the aid of numerous labor saving devices."

Coping with WWII

Letter from Erich, 20 Nov 1945

The following is a letter dated 20 Nov 1945 written in English by Erich Kramm. It is believed he spent a great deal of time writing it in English himself so it would pass the censors without cutting out pieces or all of it. The letter was set airmail by a sympathetic U.S.A. soldier, P.F.C. Charles Anderton, through the U.S. Army Postal Service to Erich's brother, Alfred in the U.S.A. It was the very first news that Alf red M. Kramm family had received on the fate of his family in Germany during WWII (Germany had surrendered 8 May 1945).

"I will try to give you advice from us. We are all well, nobod y from us is dead. Erna Nitschke is living with her child in the province of Westfalen on a goods. Ursula Saal, the daughter from Kathe, is also living on this country near Erna. Her husband is in Mannheim, he is dip.ling by Brown and Bovery. The wif e from George, who lived during the war in the Riesengebirge, took the flight timely and is now again in Berlin.

"Now the war is over, But all Germany is destroyed, every village, every town. Berlin is one mass of ruins. It was not alone in the long war, no, the Nazis were those, who finaly indepted the whole misry.

"It were those, who fought on in spite of the sightless war, they bursted all the brid ges and set fire many pu blic houses.

"We have had a very difficile time. At first the air attacks, every moment full of anguish to fly into the air. And then the invasion of the Russian. No water, no light, nothing to eat, every time in the anxiety to be killed. Viola was hidden for four weeks in a deep and dark cellar, so she escaped the dis grace.

"Our house is not destroyed. On your birthday, the 26,11.1943, the American aeroplanes attached Berlin and threw a bomb near us, perhaps 50 m f rom us. One house was completely away. The same bomb also destroyed three houses fast beside. Among these was also the lodging from Heinz Nitschke. Four persons were dead.

"My house had had a damage in high of 15000 M. The roof had lif ted 15 cm, the walls had bursted, the windows and doors were thrown away and we would have been nearly killed.

"I said, this a greeting from brother Alf red to his birthday!

"Lichterf elde is occupied from the Americans. Now we feel sure, but ever are hungry. Will you not so kindly to send us a lot of fine delicatesses? This would be a pleasure.

"Viola has made her abiture. She has the intention to study medicine. But the university is not yet opened and she probable is in the first time not able to begin her study on account of replation. So she has gone return to school to do another time her abiture. The abiture, made under the regime from Hitler is said to be not legal.

"Besides, I will you tell, I was a sharp opponent of Hitler. It was not easy to keep me in my position as a functionary without to be in the Partei. But now I am rewarded.

"And how are you feeling? Are you in good health? If it will be possible, write me soon a letter, I would be very enjoyed with it.

"Your sons, were they soldiers? Elisabeth, is she married? And your lovely wif e, how does she do?

"With the heartly greetings I remain for you, your wif e and your children.

"In love your brother"

Letter from Erich, 5 May 1946

The following is a translated excerpt from Erich's last letter, dated 5 May 1946, to his brother Alf red, 9 weeks before Erich died.

"... Af ter all we withstood everything ( bombing of Berlin in WWII), though with unbelievable suffering. Yet with it all we feel fortunate in the midst of all this misfortune ... things are ( now) slowing improving, and Ihope in the future, the world will be more united in a peaceable effort. All of us could live like in a heavenly paradise if we would not be so unreasonable and would en deavor to understand each other bet ter. (This) goes as much with nations as it does with friends and family mem bers.... If it were not for the hunger (famine) , we might say that the worst ( in Germany ) is over. Today we took ref uge in our "petmeal", consisting of "brennesseln" ( this plant, uncooked, has leaves covered with hundreds of ver y fine poisonous needles) which we collect with difficulty among rubbish piles and along street edges. You have no idea how difficult it is to find a few of these weeds as everybod y is search ing for them to add a little substance to their meager meals. For this evening we prepared for us a Sunday festival, potato dumplings, made from peelings given us by a more fortunate person. This is the way we manage to keep on existing!

"We have already turned our lawn over and replanted about 150 square feet with cabbage and Kohlrabi. In thought we were already imagining the eating of great numbers of large heads of cab bage, etc, when the following night, two little rabbits which had escaped from their huts,. cleared up everything. All our hard labors were in vain, I felt like breaking down completely. What could I do? All my hopes were de stroyed.

"We hoped to have a good crop of fruit. Our apple trees are blooming wonder fully. But this does not guarantee a good crop. Two of them are inf ected with insects (and) they are dropping their blossoms. My only three pear trees froze three years ago. Up to then they bore unbelievable well. Our garden is, in a way, so neat and invit ing. If only Ihad more spare time...to attend to it. As it is, one job drives the other"