A Better Life
The surviving twin, Alexander, was taken upstairs accompanied by another letter from “Elisabeth.” In reality, Elisabeth was devastated for her children to be taken away, as they were the only company she had, but torn because it meant that some of her children would at least have a better life than the ones suffering downstairs.
For years, Rosemarie chose to believe the story that Elisabeth really was out there leading her new life. She had no way to care for her babies and left them with the only people she knew. Josef used the letters as a way to bring mysterious new children into the house, all without piquing Rosemarie’s suspicions or those of the Austrian authorities.
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