In Hilde Domin's estate, there are over a thousand letters exchanged with her husband: from the beginnings of their relationship in Heidelberg, through their time in Italy and Santo Domingo, to their final return to Germany. The early letters from Hilde Domin's student days in Heidelberg and their years together in Italy are characterized by wit, playfulness, and a carefree spirit. They are spontaneous testimonies of a great love, but also of a strong sense of self-awareness. Both pursue their academic plans ambitiously, graduate in Italy, and marry there. When Hitler's racial laws also come into effect in Italy, the years of exile begin. Six years pass before Erwin Walter Palm receives permission to work as an archaeologist and art historian.