November 2006 - This book is available at the Odebolt Public Library. The Odebolt History Pages
editors are in the process of transcribing excerpts from these letters. We want to thank the author, Lanelle Krueger, for her kind permission to publish parts of these family letters.The World War I Letters
of
John E. Kuhl
1918-1919
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my mother
Jane Kuhl Krueger
from whom I inherited
my appreciation for
family history and
treasures.
Forward
In 1911, Herman and Nella (Mieras) Kuhl of Sioux County, Iowa, lost their beloved daughter Katherine (Kitty) to illness and now seven years later, their only son, John, was going off to war – a war being fought against his father’s native Germany.
The family, which also included their daughter Louise, was residing in the small farming community of Odebolt, Iowa, when America entered the war in 1917. They were known to have “saved every piece of paper that ever came into the house.” Thus, the following letters from John’s year of service and memorabilia he kept along the way were passed down in our family.
These letters reveal the culture and development of rural mid-America in the early 1900’s, the community’s sense of patriotism and the gentility of the women stepping up to help with the war effort. So, too, do they depict a hard-working father, a fretful and doting mother, and an educated and sophisticated older sister’s mentoring of her younger brother. Their love and concern for each other shines through their correspondence, evidenced by their mailing a fruitcake insured and quickly dispatching telegrams to inform their absent loved one far from home that plenty of letters yet to arrive were on their way.
These letters retain their original grammar, punctuation, phonetic spellings, etc. to preserve their authenticity and convey the level of formal education common at that time. Herman, my great-grandfather, would have learned English as a second language after arriving in America as a youngster in 1867. At the time of these writings, John’s father and mother were 58 and 54 years old, respectively, and his sister was 30. John was just on the brink of turning 22 when he enlisted.
While serving abroad, John could disclose little about his location or strategic mission, but his writings still allow the reader to conjure up images of war-torn France and war’s devastation. The reader might want to first refer to the Appendix section to set context to the Great War and the type of work John performed. Information is also included on two things that figure prominently throughout his writings – the Red Cross and YMCA.
It’s my wish that this book will become of greater value as it passes down through our family generations and that it will be enjoyed as much as I enjoyed putting it together. What wonderful glimpses we get into our ancestors’ home, their personalities, lifestyle and values as brought forth by they themselves in these priceless heirlooms!
Lanelle Krueger
December, 2004
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