...was composed in January, 1946 and written to an Aunt who had moved to America decades ago and apparently had forgotten most of her Dutch. She was very helpful and had sent our family several food and clothes packages immediately after the war.

Amsterdam, January 27, 1946 Dear Auntie Mieke and Uncle Alois (Ladie) At first I will thank you for the shoes I was very glad with them amd they fitted me to a T. I can- not so good english, but I will write you yet in english. Now, I will tell you something over my self. I am 13 years old, and I go to the Grammar school. There I had learnt english since 4 months and well 3 times a week. It's fine there, but I (better) like (more) to skate. There is now ice here, and I skate passionately. Dear auntie, I shou(l)d like to photograph, and I can not acquire a film (6 x 4 1/2 Hollands cm) Should you be able to (acquire) (buy) there in America a film ? For I got an old photo-apparat, and during all the war I was not able to buy a film Now, I'll finish, many hearty greets from Ben these are the measures of the film in Dutch 4 1/2 x 6 cm.

The italicized corrections and additions in my letter were made by my father -
whose English was rather rusty in contrast to his French and German.
... talking to a British pilot about how expensive things were during the war: - DAD: "Everything was very yauker" -
(PILOT looks a bit confused) - DAD AGAIN: "Do you understand?" - PILOT: "yes, Sir, I do, indeed!" -
DAD: "yes, very yauker, inderdeed!" - (Explanation: "yauker" is a Yiddish word he remembered from his childhood)

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Ben Oostdam's Autobiography (years 1946-1950)