To the editor: I am intrigued that Edith Velmans' story is not well-known, having been raised on the story of Anne Frank, who died when I was 2 months old.
My comment is more about the seeming rage against Berkshire transplants. We moved here during the pandemic and plan to stay forever. Edith Velmans is an example of a woman who made an amazing local impact after Sheffield became her permanent home. Reporter Heather Bellow quotes her daughter Hester, who also makes Berkshire County her home: “Edith became an active and popular member of the local community. ... Her life here was full to overflowing with friends, philanthropic work, and being a welcoming and loving ‘Oma’ to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren."
In these times that are beginning to look a lot like the beginnings of German and Italian fascism, it is a treat to hear a story of survival and hope. And locals who have such strong feelings about tourists and transplants might take note that this phenomenon makes the Berkshires a wonderful place to live.
Dena Fisher, Great Barrington