Teacher's husband died :(

[SSShakeTheChi]

Dd has been at school for about 6 months and we don't know her teacher all that well yet but she's lovely. Her husband died over Easter after a long illness and we've bought a card but I just can't find words. Can anyone help? I have to write it in German but TBH I don't even know what to write in English.

Hi there, welcome back to berlin ! (saw your email by the way). I can help with this maybe because I've been writing condolences in english but some in German all last week. I'll try to find them and then post what I wrote.

Here is the english one: The middle bit won't be of any use as you didn't know him but the first and last bit would be enough on a card.

My sincere sympathy and condolences go out to you and your family on your sudden and terrible loss.
I was deeply saddened when I heard of the loss of . He had a tremendous influence on my life, he inspired me and encouraged me and he will be greatly missed in the world of neuroscience.
In deep sympathy,

It was for dh's profoessor who dies suddenly and unexpectadly (no illness)and he was heart broken - he was at the funearl at the weekend in south Germnany and I wrote some condolence letters for the books for the family. The German version is coming up, I have to find it.

Hi Admylin. Thanks that would be such a help. I struggled to find words yesterday but really didn't think anything sounded right. It is so hard to find the right words though, isn't it?

I hope it wasn't someone in your family who died.

Oh it was dh's professor - his Doktorvater? Sorry to hear that. I think it is especially hard when it happens so suddenly because no one has time to prepare themselves for it or to say goodbye.

Sorry, you know my German is so bad. I sent a few ideas to dh by email and his friend corrected it but you could just write a few things along the line:
Ich moechte mein tiefes Mitgefuehl Ihnen und Ihre Familie ausdruecken

Yes it was his Doktorvater and dh was one of 3 ex-students who broke down in tears at the funeral. He said he didn't even cry so much when his own father died, it's the sudden death that is the worst to deal with. He didn't get to say goodbye sort of thing. The body was there to see - before the funeral everyone who wanted to could go in and pay their last respects. That was hard for him because dh said he had a slight smile on his face and he looked like he was asleep.
At the end of the ceremony the professors alsation dog had to be dragged away, he wouldn't leave the grave site. Very sad.

I do NOT know that your German is bad, you nutter. Your German is FINE! Thanks for that, I like that "tiefes Mitgefuhl". Have a bank appointment (yippee) so have to race off now. I'll post up what I thought of writing and maybe you could tell me if it sounds too corny or too wooden or whatever?

As to "welcome back", when we arrived at Hamburg at 11pm, dh raced off to pick up the car we'd ordered and I had to get the baggage and go through customs. Now of everyone who got off our flight from Egypt and about 5 other flights, I was the only one called over to customs. Got barked at "Kommen Sie!" and I felt like asking "was it welcome to Germany you wanted to say, maybe?!" Why me of all the people there? I asked dh if he thought I looked like a drug dealer or something. Wonder how they decide who they check?

admylin, I put the text under bilingualism. Can you let me know how you find it when you have time. I also mailed it to you.

How was your Easter?