A message from Alfred Schnell (1900-1944) and Eva Schnell (1913-1944) to Max Albert Bredig (1902-1977). Alfred Schnell was a former colleague of Max Bredig. In the early 1940s, Alfred and his wife Eva fled to The Hauge to escape the persecution of the Jewish people in Germany. In 1943, German forces invaded the Netherlands and the Schnells went into hiding. In their messages to Max Bredig, they use aliases such as Arthur and Erna Dalem, Arthur and Ellen Escaper, and Alfred and Eva Kwik.

In this letter, the Schnells tell Zadek that they are ill with “submergeritis” but on the road to recovery. “Submergeritis” may be a code word for their dread of being in hiding through another winter. The Schells' mentions of health and recovery in their letters may be a cipher for conveying their safety or status in hiding. While the message is dated September 22, 1943, it was not received until January 27, 1944.