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Category Archives: Memoir

Thanksgiving 1936 – Last night we decided to get married on the 5th.

This letter was written a couple of days after Thanksgiving, 1936, which was earlier that year. But because it mentions Thanksgiving and has exciting news, I am taking the liberty of posting it today. Trudel did give her family a few days more warning than it seems.

Devonshire Hotel

11/23/1936 Good news: Last night we decided to get married on Saturday the 5th. No big fuss, just by a judge, a civil wedding. As long as I have no family here I thought it was ridiculous to have a big reception and Leonard agreed with me.

To start I will move into the Devonshire Hotel with Leonard. I will keep my business for the time being.

Trudel, Leonard, Henny and her sister.

Thursday we had an excellent Thanksgiving dinner at Weils.

Thanksgiving, 1936

The following story appeared in a Chicago paper the next week.

Headline News

For the story behind the headline see Trudel’s letter dated August 31, 1935 .

2 Comments

Posted by Leonard Grossman on November 28, 1936 in Chicago, family, immigrant experience, Memoir

Tags: apartment, family, letters, romance, Thanksgiving, wedding

October 20, 1936 – Soon the election will be over.

20 Oct

While Leonard is busy with the election campaigns, Trudel goes to the movies.

Trudel continues to translate her letters diary style.

Movies, Movies!

10/20

Poster from Schoenemädel (1933)

Last week saw a German movie, “Schwartzwald Mädel” (Black Forest Girl) pretty nice.

Anthony Adverse

Saturday saw “Anthony Adverse.” Very good.

Maybe Leonard will have more time after the election.

Never-ending election.

November 3 the election will be over and I am really looking forward to it. Maybe Leonard will have some more time to be with me.

For the past few months Trudel’s fiancé, has been actively involved in election campaigns in addition to his law practice. He ran for judge and lost, he campaigned for Len Small, who lost and then died, and he campaigned for Big Bill Thompson and the Progressive party. We will have to see what happens in that campaign.

In these short posts, we have to read between the lines.

Shortlink this page: http://wp.me/p1yA95-mS

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Posted by Leonard Grossman on October 20, 1936 in Chicago, diary, immigrant experience, Memoir

Tags: election, movies

August 20, 1936 – The biggest and best night club; elegant people

20 Aug

Roof garden at the Seneca Hotel.

Trudel continues to translate only brief summaries of her original letters. The two entries she made for August 1936 only hint at the changes she had made in her life. But we can fill in some of the blanks from her photo album. Last month she mentioned sitting on the roof of the Seneca Hotel because it was so hot. Since posting that I found a photo of the Roof Garden at the Seneca in her album, which I have included here.

Although she doesn’t mention it in her translations, her photo album for the period includes photos on Chicago’s lake front and in the parks. I have included some of those as well.

The biggest and the best

8/3/36
Last night we went for the first time in the Chez Paree, the biggest and best nightclub here. Very elegant people, good dinner, excellent entertainment.

The Chez Paree

The most elegant people…

Chez Paree

8/20/36
Sully sold her business. I would like to take over, but the hotel has to settle with her first.

Summer, 1936 — Sully’s Hat Shop

Summer Scenes – 1936

Looking south toward Oak St. beach.

Between North Ave. and Oak St.

Looking North from Oak St Beach

Trudel and friend at the beach

Picnic in Jackson Park

Trudel takes a cool drink

Trudel with Parasol.

http://wp.me/p1yA95-lK

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Posted by Leonard Grossman on August 20, 1936 in Chicago, immigrant experience, Memoir

Tags: Beach, Chez Paree, Chicago, hats, Lake Michigan, Night Club, Oak Street, parks, work

June 1, 1936 – Trudel Moves to the Seneca Hotel

01 Jun

Trudel continues to translate only brief summaries from her letters, “diary style,” she calls it. In the coming months there are a few few full length letters so keep watching.

Rose LaMarque

6/1
I finally moved in with Mrs. Rose La Marque at the Seneca Hotel, after being sick for a week and in bed.

I am working for Sully only now at her hat shop, which is also in the Seneca.

The Seneca Hotel

Sully

Sully’s Hat Shop

Saw a nice movie “The Golden Arrow” with Bette Davis.

http://http://lgrossman.com/trudel/8q1

May 17, 1936 – Today I am 2 years in America. How the time flies.

17 May

5/17
Today I am 2 years in America. How the time flies!

Len Small, for whom Leonard was electioneering, died yesterday after an operation.

He [Leonard] won a case in the Illinois Supreme Court against several big Chicago lawyers.

Click on image.

We are now in his new office just 2 doors from the old one but much bigger and nicer.

[One of] LJG’s Offices

The Great Ziegfield

This week we saw the “Great Ziegfield” with William Powell and Myrna Loy. Great.

Love,
Your Trudelchen

The funeral notices and biography Len Small, who had been elected governor twice, but ran for office at least half a dozen times, tell a lot of his story. It makes me wonder why LJG supported him.

Perhaps this article sheds some light on the subject:

LJG in Chicago Jewish History

4 Comments

Posted by Leonard Grossman on May 17, 1936 in Chicago, immigrant experience, Memoir

Tags: law, movies, politics, Ziegfield

Trudel's Truth