March 6, 1945

This letter is from Florida State’s Institute on World War II and the Human Experience, as part of the Sidney Rochelson Collection. This letter is not exactly what one would expect when reading an experience of World War II. Rochelson describes his situation in Luxembourg, living in a modern house, sleeping with clean sheets and being tended to by maids. It seems that Rochelson was some sort of medic or doctor; he explains the makeshift ward he is in charge of at a former luxurious hotel. Sidney’s overall tone is very optimistic and seems to be happy towards the end when he states they will probably be there for a while. It is important to remember this is an everyday conversation between a son and his worried parents, one that is most likely doctored towards the intended audience.

Rochelson does seem to be having a much easier experience than most during World War II, but he neglects to ever mention the tougher aspects of his job working in the hospital. At this point the war was still going on and there must have been some terribly wounded soldiers coming through the ward. This everyday writing is reflective of the way many people, not just Rochelson, dealt with the emotional taxation of war. By not communicating the pain through speech or writing, many simply denied it.  This writing reveals a trend that affected society while it was manifesting in individuals.