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May 11, 1935 – “All afternoon today I was sitting in sunshine on my bed.”

May 11, 1935 – “All afternoon today I was sitting in sunshine on my bed.”

May 11, 1935

My beloved Love Ones!

Often I wish time would not go so fast so I would not have to write you so often.

The cookies, which I received Friday night, were gone by Monday. They were delicious, of course not enough. One half of them we ate already by Friday night at Samuels. I almost thought there would not be any left for me to take home.

What ever happened to mother’s jet dress? I wrote you a couple of times that we could use it very well here.

Slot Machine


I ate so many cookies on Saturday morning that I could not eat any breakfast. At 3:00 pm I finally had some hot chocolate and a little toast. After that I lay on my bed in beautiful sunshine. Later I picked up Leonard for supper.

On the way home we found a different slot machine that we had not seen before. I decided to try my luck for a change and won 55 cents. Of course about 1/3 of it went back into the machine.

Sunday after sleeping late I went to the “south side” for the bris of the newest Samuel baby. The father, Fritz, is the youngest of the 4 Samuel children. Leonard came later with Flora Mae. We ate as usual in the Madison Park Hotel and afterwards saw a movie, “Life begins at 40.”

Life Begins at 40

Click Image for YouTube

On Monday we worked only until 3:00 pm. It was miserable rainy weather so I had nothing better to do than to go to a movie again: “The Night is Young” after a novel by Vicky Baum and playing in Vienna. The main actor was Ramon Navarro and a small part played by Hermann Bing, brother of Gus.

Then I picked up Leonard and we met Louise and Alfred Hamburger. She is giving lectures to new German refugees on American literature. It was really very interesting.

Afterwards we went to the room of a lady in the same hotel and had very interesting conversation. In 10 years Leonard has not heard as much German as that evening.

The Night is Young

Click image to see trailer

Tuesday night I was at Aunt Henny’s. She moved into a nice, quiet hotel for the same amount of money. Wednesday I stayed home, ate dinner with Mrs. Saunders and went to sleep at 9:00 pm.

Do you remember the red sweater I started to make for Ellen? I ripped it all and made it very pretty, all new.

Thursday I ate at Fritz and Bertl Samuel. I am altering a hat for the new mother. Fritz worked in FFM at the “Flôrsheimer Stiftung” [Florsheim Foundation] Addie Eggner worked several years at Sigmund Strauss Jr. and the 3 of us talked about a lot of Frankfurters.

Both young men know Alex from the “Stift” although Fritzis much younger. He and Addie used to go often to Wehrheim to sell goods. Addie sends his best regards to Doddo [Trudel’s sister] and thanks her for the letter. He thinks you really should find time to write to me and described you as a “light blond goyishe girl.” What about that “light blond?”

By the way do you still have so much trouble with your stomach? I found a very cheap easy cure. From all that not so good restaurant food my stomach was in pretty bad shape. Now I drink a cup of very warm water with just a little sugar first thing every morning. At first I did not like it, but now I got used to It and my stomach is fine. After that I eat 3 or 4 cooked prunes with milk or cream.

Frozen Cream on Top

By cream I mean what is on top of the milk in the bottle. One can get milk here only in bottles, homogenized and does not need to be cooked. Just try my prescription for a little while and you will have no need for other medicine. Good Luck! Maybe you will feel so much better that you will write me more often.

Now back to my itinerary. Friday night again I went to the senior Samuels. Tomorrow, Mother’s Day, they will be married 40 years. I gave them a very pretty salad serving set and salt and pepper shakers. When they scolded me for spending my hard earned money I declared that I wanted to give to a mother who deserved something for Mother’s Day. After all she is the “mother” of a bunch of young people. As always, the meal was very, very good. Too bad we live so far away from each other. Maybe it is just as well. If I would eat there too often I would gain a lot of weight.

Mr. Eggener has not found a job yet also. All of us are trying to help him. It is always very hard to find work until one speaks better English.

Today I went downtown early to pay Leonard’s phone bill, then I spent $4 for a collar, cuffs, belt and some flowers to make the blue dress and coat look new.

LJGinChair

LJG

Since [For] 3 days we were having gorgeous summer weather, but now it is starting to rain.

I am writing this in the office after dinner. Leonard is sound asleep in his chair again. The poor guy did not get home until 4:00 am every night this week and had to be in court at 10:00 am every morning. I do not know how he could do that if he did not sleep here 1 or 2 hours in between sometimes.

I really have to try to get more sleep too. I got a good start on Wednesday. All afternoon today I was sitting in sunshine on my bed and sewed, washed and ironed a little.

Shirley Temple Paper Dolls

Shirley Temple Paper Dolls

We are invited for Mrs. Gray’s birthday on the 22nd. At the same time they are opening their “roof garden” for the summer season. That is when I want to look very nice. I have no idea what I should wear. Hopefully I will have that pullover sweater ready by then. It would look nice with my white linen suit.

Shirly Temple Paper Clothes

When will I receive a photo of Ernst? Did you receive the underwear? Do not forget Erna Grünebaum’s birthday on the 25th. I will send her a Shirley Temple “paper doll” with paper clothes. I hope it arrives safely.

When do I get answers to my letters? I asked weeks ago what was wrong with Steffie O? I am giving up hope that my sisters will answer. At least my dear Papa writes to me now and then. What else is new?

I do not know any more to write.

Love and kisses
Trudel and Leonard


I am trying to learn more about the “Flôrsheimer Stiftung” or “Stift.” Flôrsheim is a city in the mountains near Frankfort. There also appears to have been a Flôrsheim street in Frankfurt. In my research, I discovered Dr. Max Scholl was a chemist who built a business specialzing in the chemical treatment of leather in Flôrsheim. Since Trudel’s sister and her boyfriend were in the leather business, there may have been a connection. Dr. Scholl’s tragic story is told in a series of letters in a 1997 NYTimes article Dear Cousin Julius, We Trust on Our God and on You…’

There does not appear to be any connection to Dr. Scholl’s shoes or to the Florsheim shoe company which was founded in Chicago in 1892.

 

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June 1, 1935 – Hopefully we can celebrate for many years to come.

June 1, 1935 – Hopefully we can celebrate for many years to come.

6/1/35

Dear Sisters,

After finishing my last letter we went to Gray’s and showed homemade movies in their “penthouse” on the roof of their home. Had a nice evening.

[Continued 6/2/35]

Sunday we had beautiful weather and we visited with [LJG’s daughter] Flora Mae. Afterwards we went to a very good movie: “Going to Town” with Mae West.

May West

Click image for YouTube

Monday night with I went with Aunt Henny to a movie show about her current business. Then we went for about an hour to Leonard’s office.

Tuesday at Samuels, met a Mr. Bartenstein, who will call you when he is in Germany the beginning of July for 2 weeks.

Wednesday eve we met Henny in the office so the three of us could celebrate my first year in Chicago at the Chez Paree supper club. We had a very excellent meal, good wine, and 2 beautiful floor shows. Left past midnight. Hopefully we 3 can celebrate that anniversary together for many, many years to come.

Chez Paree

Chez Paree

Thursday – Decoration Day. Excellent dinner at Gwen and Eddy Bishop, then to Grays who have a fur business in the same building where they live. I tried on several silver fox scarves. Nothing for me! We were there from 5:00 until 10:00 p.m. Eddy drove us home.

Friday – no work – holiday – we are not busy at all. Have to find money for Leonard’s birthday July 4th.

Click for YouTube

Beautiful weather. Take several walks.

Saturday morning breakfast downtown. Then starting this letter after talking to Gene Weil for ½ hour.

Aunt Jenny has not been well for some time already.

We went shopping with Flora Mae and her “kinderfraulein” who had come downtown. Then we went to see the movie “G-Men.” It was pretty good.

Much mail this week. Doris, Hilde Meyer, Ernst Goldschmidt etc.

Now I am hungry again. I have lost 12 lb. since I am here.

Love,
Trudel

Decoration day 1935



Trudel celebrated her life in Chicago for more than 70 more years.

This is the first of the letters Trudel translated in a more abbreviated style. I wish she hadn’t thrown away the originals when she finished translating so that I could fill in details.

Trudel’s Son

 
 

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June 9, 1935 – One has to be lucky and I really was.

June 9, 1935 – One has to be lucky and I really was.

6/9/35

Trudel’s highlights for the week:*

Sunday: Visited with Flora Mae. It was the warmest day so far this year, so we walked a little and went home early.

Make blue skirt 6 inches tighter.

Monday: Breakfast downtown which costs only about ½ of here in the neighborhood and is much better. Aunt Henny and I spent 2 hours together and visited several people in their offices. We ate at a very reasonable restaurant and she went home with me, where I started a hat for her and made one for a friend of hers. She went home at 11:30 pm. In the meantime, Eugene Weil called and gave me the address of a hat shop where I might get a job.

[Trudel’s translations do not mention that she is not working although she mentioned there being less work in her previous letter.]

Tuesday: Went early to apply for a job there. Waited for one hour for the boss, left my address and phone number. “Maybe” if they get busier.

Now in a beautiful neighborhood with beautiful stores. Stopped in one store to ask if they could use help for sewing alterations. Hired me to start next day for a few hours. One has to be lucky and I really was. Afterwards I straightened out my room.

Wednesday: Worked from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Thursday: Worked from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Friday: From 9:00-1:00 and again from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Then the pleasant bus ride to Samuels for Shabbat dinner. There I met a very nice refugee girl who also lives on the north side like I do, and we went home together via Leonard’s office.

Saturday: work from 9-1. Then to visit Rose La Marque. Aunt Henny visited me all afternoon.

In the evening Leonard and I went to a movie, “Let ’Em Have It.” Very good. Afterwards I helped Leonard in the office by finding the books he needed and opening them on the right pages. He worked until 7:00 Sunday morning. I went home much much earlier.

Sunday: We met Mr. Goodman, his former partner and picked up Flora Mae. She and I played in the yard while the two men wrote speeches for Mr. Goodman’s case in the State Supreme Court in Springfield, where Leonard defended him the next day. He expects to be back on Wednesday.


*After over 250 handwritten pages of translations, Trudel decided to translate only the highlights.

Take a look at the letter Trudel wrote exactly one year earlier, “June 9, 1934 “I have already one order for a hat.””

 

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July 1935 – “Very, very hot summer . . . Nothing special otherwise”

July 1935 – “Very, very hot summer . . . Nothing special otherwise”

After having completed 250 handwritten 8 1/2 x 11 pages, on whatever paper she had, Trudel wrote on page 251,

“Now that I have translated the letters of my 1st year in Chicago will pick out only the highlights. You all know that I eat + sleep every day. It is really not important which restaurant when or where. So here goes “Diary Style” only different or interessant occurrences.”

Trudel's Comment

Trudel Explains

And, so, here Trudel’s regular detailed letters end. But her story does not end here. There are another 50 pages of notes covering another year and a half. Fortunately some of the gaps can be filled by photos from her albums and other sources.

Trudel and Flora Mae - July 4

Tridel amd Flora Mae-July 4, 1935

Trudel, Flora Mae and LJG

With Flora Mae and Leonard

Some of the summaries of her letters from this point on are cryptic. There are major omissions. Strangely she does not mention what she did on July 4th, my father’s birthday, the first she celebrated with him, even though in her previous letters she wrote about shopping for presents and wrapping them. Fortunately there are photographs taken that day, as well as throughout the month and the coming years.



Unfinished Symphony

Click image for YouTube

LJJ and others in the water

LJG and others

7/17/35 Previous week saw excellent movie, “Unfinished Symphony,” with Martha Eggerth, a part of the life of Schubert.

Very, very hot summer.

Working again at C&R. Nothing special otherwise.

7/27/25 On Sunday Senator Searcy picked us up by taxi. We went to Gray’s (very early) then 11 people in two cars to a beautiful private home several miles north of here, through forests, small towns, along the lake, etc. A beautiful day with lots of good food, swimming, boating, and playing croquet.

On the Beach

At the beach

Enjoying the Lake

Enjoying the Lake

 

C&R Ad

C&R Ad














Notes: Trudel doesn’t mention whether she saw the German or English version of “Unfinished Symphony.” An English version is supposed to have been released in 1935. However, I could only find posters and YouTubes from the German version. Clicking in the thumbnail of the poster will take you to one video. Clicking on he highlighted name of the film will take you to another. I have noticed that in some browsers you go directly to the video, in others a short ad may run first. My apologies for Google’s mercenary policies.

Earl B Searcy

Senator Searcy

Earle B. Searcy was a real estate broker; member of Illinois state house of representatives 45th District, 1921-23; member of Illinois state senate 45th District, 1923-45.
From The Political Graveyard.com

 














Shortlink: http://lgrossman.com/trudel/8ej

 

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December, 1935 – Happy New Year

December, 1935 – Happy New Year

Although it was an exciting time, Trudel’s notes from December 1935 have only two dated entries. Remember to click on the images. Most will expand to a larger or more complete image or a YouTube.


LJG Trudel Wooster

Leonard and Trudel in Wooster

12/8/1935

Belated thanks for the very pretty napkin rings and birthday letters.

Our trip to Wooster [to visit with my sister’s fiance’] was my birthday present. It cost a lot of money and took Leonard away from his work. He has to finish a brief, have it printed, and it has to be in the state Supreme Court on Monday.

LJG DESK

LJG at his Desk



Thursday we had Thanksgiving turkey dinner at Bishops.

Ed and Gwen Bishop's Home

Ed and Gwen Bishop’s Home

12/22/1935

Saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a wonderful movie. We saw the live play a year ago.

Midsummer Night's Dream

Click on image for YouTube


Aunt Henny

Aunt Henny

Undated notes
Aunt Henny stayed with me for a few days before going to Florida.

I am still working on two jobs and like both very much.

Happy New Year
Best Wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Love,
Trudelchen

 
 

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