Frank Letter To Strauss

The second paragraph in Frank’s letter to Strauss begins with Frank saying that in 1938 he had filled out the paperwork for his family to immigrate to the United States in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, but all of the papers have been destroyed in Rotterdam. This shows that Frank had attempted to leave the country earlier than 1941, but resulted in a failure because Frank and his family were still located in the Netherlands. He states that his immigration papers in Rotterdam have been destroyed, this may be due to the aerial attack on the city of Rotterdam, by the Germans forces during Germany’s invasion. Frank goes on to say that “The dates of application are of no importance any longer, as everyone who has an effective affidavit from a member of

Sadly, Frank further explains that an affidavit from a family member in the United States is not an option for them because Frank’s brothers-in-law only could provide for their mother and as a result they would have to place a bank deposit in order to ensure the United States that you would not be on welfare because she did not have an affidavit to leave the country. As we have seen, Frank and his family had little to no money and a bank deposit would not be an option for them because Frank would not be asking Straus to send money if he could afford it himself. He closes his letter by asking Straus a critical question, the reason why he wrote to him, Frank explains that he and his family need $5,000 for the four of them to immigrate to the United States because the United States was willing to look past an affidavit if you could put a deposit down. Frank states “You are the only person I know that I can ask: Would it be possible for you to give a deposit in my favor?” This final statement by Frank to Straus really provides the true desperation in Frank’s tone. Frank knows that he, as a father, cannot provide for his family and he politely asks the only person he can think of for help, Nathan Straus. His final words add the desperation that Frank and his family in reality faced and that Straus’s help was Frank's’ last