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World War II-dated ALS signed “Ike,” three pages, 8 x 10.5, May 27 [1945, “Sunday”]. Sent from Frankfurt, a handwritten letter to his wife, Mamie D. Eisenhower, in part: “Last eve we moved into our new house, up here in Germany. The place itself is very nice – but it is 30 minutes from headquarters (with some rather bad roads) so I have to give up going home to lunch. That's a disappointment – my noon lunch period has always been a restful period when I'm at my own headquarters. But German cities are so desolate – so destroyed – that we have to pick houses where we can get them. The population is sullen but only a very few individuals have tried sabotaging and brigandize. A few stray soldiers have been slugged – and there have been a small number of unpleasant incidents on the streets of the town. The Hqrs Command has gone back to guarding my car – mainly to prevent any embarrassment – and all of us carry our pistols. But I think there will be no real trouble. If the Germans have any sense they will devote their full energies to getting ready for next winter. The destruction of cities, docks, railways, bridges, roads – is something. We have here a good example of the cost and waste of war.
Since Johnny and I went off for our one V.E. celebration I have had no word from him. He is really a non-letter-writer! In this whole war that was my only time in a restaurant or a theater and John was tickled to go with me on my one celebration. Stack will probably forward this to you at White Sulphur. My present hopes are to see you shortly after the middle of June-I trust you'll be in top form by that time. Be sure to do exactly as the doctor says – and get well!! I'm truly impatient to see you – I didn't realize how much so until the shooting stopped.” Includes the original mailing envelope, which bears Eisenhower's ink censorship signature. In overall fine condition, with uniform toning and some chips to edges.
Less than three weeks earlier, in the early hours of May 7, 1945, Germany had signed its unconditional surrender at Eisenhower’s headquarters in Reims, and the Allies celebrated V-E Day on May 8. Written as SHAEF established its headquarters in Frankfurt, the letter dates from the beginning of Eisenhower’s work at the IG Farben Building, which had survived largely intact despite the bombing that destroyed much of the city. His residence was the Reimers villa, known as Haus Hohenbuchen, in nearby Bad Homburg, explaining the commute he describes. Requisitioned until 1953, the villa later housed U.S. military governor Lucius D. Clay and High Commissioner John McCloy. His comments about security came amid Allied concerns over possible sabotage and resistance to the occupation, including by the Nazi 'Werwolf' movement. Though SHAEF was dissolved in July, Eisenhower continued to work from the IG Farben Building as military governor of the U.S. occupation zone and commander of U.S. Forces, European Theater. Mamie, meanwhile, was recuperating at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where the Army had converted The Greenbrier resort into Ashford General Hospital. His hope of seeing her “shortly after the middle of June” was realized on June 18, 1945, when she met him at Washington’s National Airport.
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