BJ Kumferman Writes Home At The End of World War I

In this post, I would like to share a letter that my late aunt, Helen Heckman nee Hayes, found among her papers. It had been written to her great-grandmother. It was from Benjamin J. Kumferman. Yes, Lena spelled her name as Kunferman, as did many in her family. But, her brother spelled it with an 'm'. I have found a number of variations: Kunperman, Kunfermann, Cunferman, and so on. I will normally spell this last name the way Lena did. This is the way that it is found on her parents tombstones.

In sharing this four-page letter, I am seeking to establish our family's connection to this family. I also have a transcription of an 1882 Certificate of Baptism for Ursula Kunfermann. But, I leave that for a later post.

Here are the four pages of the letter which was copied and sent to me in 2006. I have digitally enhanced it to make it legible throughout as there is fading.

If your browser will not load the images or you are having trouble with the script, here is the text of the letter (I have added full-stops where there are are missing in the letter by looking for initial capital or by the sense of the sentence--America and States are not capitalised by Benjamin):

Page 1

Engers Germany

[About 60 kilometers south-south-east of Bonn on the Rhine] 

Feb-17-19 

[Three months after the Armistice] 

Dear Mother 

The last letter I rec'd from you was sent on the sixth of Jan that was the one from Susie. I am well and hope you are the same. We are having good weather here just now. It was trying to rain the other day, But dident rain much. We are all hoping for the day when we will all sail for america where we are  

Page 2 

all more at home but that is hard to tell how long that will be. The people here are somewhat dissatisfied. The Russians are making a little trouble once in a while but that will all blow over I think in time. The people here had a vote on having a ruler and they go a president his name is Ebert. I think that is the way it is spelt. The people here where I am quartered eat horse meat and when they are cooking it I can  

Page 3 

smell it for a block it sure is strong. I saw places on the front where the German Soldiers cut some steakes out from a horses flank. Those were horses that was killed by shell fire. It sure was high time for the war to quit I think. Many things that you ask me in letters that I received from you I caoulnt answer because the censor would not allowe it passed. I wish I cold come home to start in on the springs work.  

Page 4 

Some of the boys that have famleys in the states are getting discharged. 

From your Son 

Pvt B J Kumferman 

2nd Engrs Co-E-AEF 

APO-710 

[Censor: OK H L Hock 1st Lt. E USA]

Private; Engineers; Company; American Expeditionary Force; Army Post Office (Navy: Fleet Post Office)