Item 1: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha in Villanova, Pennsylvania to Unknown Recipient, 1942 or 1943 January 30

Have not written because of husband's angina heart attack; husband had the attack on the train and it had to stop at Elkten where he was carried off to a local hospital for treatment by a fiendish head nurse; went to Johns Hopkins hospital for further treatment for a week; snowed in at home; mentions Germans holding and exterminating Poles at 24 concentration camps; will hold a piano recital for the Navy Hospital Signed Wladislaw Sapieha (?)

Item 2: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha in Villanova, Pennsylvania to Unknown Recipient, 1943 February 12

Cleans and takes care of children; comments on the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and the spread of the Bolshevism as happening after the conquest of Germany; Believes that the Jews are apart of the cause of the spread of Bolshevism; comments on civilization [and Germany especially] being led by ambitious men; comments against progress and the effects of the industrial revolution and reforms; comments on Russian character as arrogant, ambitious; explains that peace and the end of war as an illusion if Russia remains powerful; hopes allies can counter Russian conquest of the Baltics and Poland; Says Jews are trying to help spread Bolshevism and destroy and denounce the nobility; likes Americans but remarks on poor leadership; hopes to return to her husband’s Polish landholdings and cattle farm after the war.

Item 3: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha in Villanova, Pennsylvania to Unknown Recipient, possibly 1943 March 24

Laments over the fact that the clippings the recipient sent to Matilda Sapieha show that Churchill has forgotten Poland; worried that the Russians will take over Europe and Poland as the Germans had; hopes that America will be Poland's salvation; learning to cook and must ration the food; tried to make egg sandwiches for Senator Pepper and his wife but burned them; Senator sent two dozen eggs the next day; Countess Szechenyi visited her; husband is doing better; the weather is cold and snowy; wishes to go to Florida; misses her son who is in the Montgomery Army.

Item 4: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha in Villanova, Pennsylvania to Unknown Recipient], 1943 April 10

Received a ration card from the recipient and was able to purchase 5 pounds of sugar; comments on the fact that they are doing more domestic work out of self-preservation instinct; complains about her hands aching from washing and cleaning; mentions they are endeavoring to go to Florida the following winter; wish to go to Florida in September and find a home in Palm beach; weather where they are is cold and there are no leaves on the trees even though it is April; will be staying at their current home until June 10, then they will move to a new home in Newport for the Summer, arranged by their friends; mentions retired Senator George Pepper who is a lawyer; reading books suggested by the recipient on Europe and are trying to get the book [Promoscha Conspirators?] book; do not like to go to the library in Philadelphia because they do not like the city; hopes military work will not take them from Florida; mentions mother broke her type writer and must write in cursive; thanks recipient for meatloaf recipe; asks what the recipient thinks about Russia; Sapieha is happy that the Americans will seek Justice for Peace; mentions the Peppers and receiving [soy] from Mrs. Firkelstein?; mentions not being acquainted with Synthetic food; heard she will have to wear certain tapes of suits and clothes after the war; asks when the war will end.

Item 5: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha in Villanova, Pennsylvania to Unknown Recipient], Villanova. Broughton Lane Pennsylvania, December/November 6

Left Westport in November; Settled in a home in Villanova near a railway station and shopping center at Brynmar; when they left their previous home the cook stayed back, now they have a new old cook; Stayed with friend Gladys Szechenyi Vanderbilt before moving to Villanova; invited to many parties; heard about Germans making soaps and lubrications out of Jews; makes anti-Semitic; mentions a book by Dorothy Thompson called “Listen Hans” about Russia; laments over problems in Europe and does not want Jews to represent Poland in Europe; read the book on American civilization; wishes to set up an account at a library; practices piano; went to Columbia and Victors recordings but could not find aid because of their Jewish clientele; also mentions hardships of getting into Rubinstein or Rosenthal; is getting help from the Peabody in Baltimore and hopes to play a Concert there; has recitals in Newport; asked to perform by the Brush and Pen Club in New York but they would not give them money, therefore she can't go.

Item 6: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha in Villanova, Pennsylvania to Unknown Recipient], May 14

Complains about her Rheumatism from the weather; receiving pills and injections from the doctor; leaving June 8th to Newport at Bellevue Avenue Wayside c/o Mr. Bruguiere/Rhode Island; comments on the war news and the collapse of the German army to resistance; went to lecture on the Polish/Russian question yesterday and comments on the similarity of appeasement between Russia and Hitler and the consequences; mentions the pro Bolshevik rhetoric of Benes and Check man as dangerous to post war problems; worries about Russian expansion; asks if recipient has read a book about Marshall Pilsudski.

Item 7: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha at Wayside, Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Islands to Unknown Recipient], 1943 July 9

Apologizes for the delayed letter because they were packing and unpacking; wants to go to Florida during the winter; asks about Palm Beach, Florida; house they stay in is large but falling apart; mentions the millionaires being worried about taxes and the upkeep of the house; helps weed the garden of Countess Rjechyi?; mentions the war and asks for her friend's opinion of it; mentions the death of Sikorsky?; found Polish help for the summer who has thirteen children; asks about Butts?; asks about Mrs. Norton; best regards to Mrs. Shepard.

Item 8: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha at Wayside, Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Islands to Unknown Recipient], 1943 July, 22?

Discusses living in Rhode Island with the elderly rich widows trying to maintain their illusions of elite status; mentions her friend Gladys Szechenyi; location in America reminds her of her home and position in Europe before the curtain fell; wishes to return to Florida in autumn to visit recipients; asks for best wishes to Mrs. Shepherd; asks advice on gaining a house in Virginia.

Item 9: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha at Wayside, Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Islands to Unknown Recipient, 1943 August 19

Congratulating friends on the expectation of a baby; tired of taking care of the house; received a letter from Geraldine Norton? Who got her in touch with an agent in Virginia Beach; wants small bungalow to stay at before deciding; hope to see friends and baby in Daytona.

Item 10: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha at 1845 Nebraska Avenue to Unknown Recipient, 1944 February 17

Comments on the destructive spread of Bolshevism; comments on her correspondences last letter about her talk with the pseudo Russian; mentions Russian strategy of conquest must be stopped by allies; comments on how Germany caused the problems but may be better off after the war; comments on how the war was originally meant to be fought for small countries; mentions Mr. Bullitt's speech on Poland, believes that England will fail at trying to balance America and Russia against each other; hopes that England will keep its promises to Poland; complains about how everyone asks them about getting a job; trouble with coping with dealing with money [since they didn't have to worry about it before]; does not like humid North Carolina weather and wishes to move northward when they have more money to buy gas.

Item 11: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha at 1845 Nebraska Avenue to Unknown Recipient, December 26

Thanks her correspondences for Christmas and New Years wishes; would like to see them if it was not for the gasoline shortage; may give a recital in Daytona; mentions Mrs. Butts; she may give a recital at her current location or at Palm Beach; mentions that her hope for peace is ensured by Roosevelt; describes Roosevelt as a dreamer, but that he may be able to convince the other members of the United Nations to give up their lust for conquest and respect the smaller nations and their property; mentions that it would be an injustice if part of Poland was taken by Russia; Poles look to the American sense of justice; hopes that the Russians will not occupy Poland and harm more Poles after the mass-murder committed by the Germans; America is their only hope, they cannot depend on England who is concerned with itself; wishes her correspondences would come to Poland to visit their piano.

Item 12: Letter from Mathilda Sapieha, incomplete, undated

Delayed letter because of Mother Fabiea? Had a stroke that temporarily paralyzed her side; hope to get to Florida soon; asked friends not to mention stroke in their letter to the mother.

Item 13: Genealogical charts of the Mathilda Sapieha-Kodenski family (provided by Special Collections Staff)