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Berthe was writing to a minister which is most likely the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. She describes the situation with her son Andrei Shimkevich, who travelled in 1929 to see his father, Mikhail, in the USSR and has been trying to return to France since. Mikhail resists his return and Andrei tried to escape the country several times, was arrested and put into prison. Berthe asks the recipient to interfere and to save her son. Full text in translation:

'Mr Minister,
I'm honored to be able to write to you and ask for a favor, to step in at the French Embassy in Moscow USSR, against the USSR authorities to repatriate to France, with his mother, my son Andre Schimkévitch, who was arrested not long ago in Batoum, where he was trying to cross the Turkish border with two friends so he could get back to France with his mother.
My son, Andre Schimkévitch, was born in Paris on the 20th February 1913. Registered at the townhall of the 14th arrondissement under 15 198c 488/1644. Myself, his mother, I've been living in France since 1908. French by naturalization, as well as my husband, the well-known sculptor Jacques Lipchitz with whom I've been living since 1915 and who was providing everything necessary for the education of my son.
My son, Andre Schimkévitch, was at the Janson de Sailly high school until the end of October 1927 when he felt the sudden urge to meet his father in Moscow at the age of fourteen. His father who'd promised to send him back to me immediately never did. The little one feeling homesick and unhappy kept begging us to bring him back to France. He sent his French passport, that helped him travel to Switzerland in 1923, and was renewed out of your kindness at the French Embassy in Moscow and is still waiting there.
But due to his young age and the conflict of ideas between my son and his father, who didn't want to help at all and not being able to say much in my letters due to severe censorship, the little one didn't know what to do and ended up being arrested several times for no reason, with not even myself knowing why.
Thus, when he was released with his childish mind, he must have thought that the only way to be sent back to France, a country that he loves so much and near his mother, was to cross the border without his official papers, which he attempted to do with two friends near Batoum where he got arrested.
Thus, my poor child, born and raised in France and whose only crime is to love France now risks forced labor. He is in prison in the greatest distress. Completely abandoned.
It is a worried mother that is begging you Mr. Minister, to save my young son, who is French, since he has his French passport in Moscow.
Considering his young age, only seventeen, and since he is completely lonely in his misery, abandoned by his father, would it be possible for the French Embassy to take him under their protection and to bring him back to France, near his mother? I will make you a large French cheque. [includes text that has been crossed]
I'm not exactly sure of where my young son is but I'm guessing in the prison of Moscow, where he must have been directed to as a resident of Moscow. Otherwise he may be in Batoum-Caucase where he was arrested.
In the hope that my request finds grace with you as the life of a child, talented, born, raised and only loving towards France depends on it. Dare I add that time is pressing.
Please accept, Mr. Minister, the assurance of my highest consideration and kindest regards.
Berthe Lipchitz
The exact name of my son is Andre Schimkévitch, born in Paris on the 20th of February 1913. '

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