RSS

Tag Archives: fashion

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

 
 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

May 25, 1935 – I think my letters are even more detailed than a diary.

May 25, 1935 – I think my letters are even more detailed than a diary.

May 25, 1935

Sherman House Stationery

My Sweet Sweets:

I am real fancy tonight. I am sitting at a nice desk in the Hotel Sherman while Leonard went to the barber shop to make him look his best. We are going to Gray’s later and we want to look real nice. Actually he always does.

I never thought I would keep a diary here but I think my letters are even more detailed than a diary.

Well, last Saturday we spent most of the night in the office. We even ate breakfast downtown before going home. Sunday I slept all day and we did not meet until 8:00 p.m. for supper.

Monday dinner at Mrs. Saunders. I finished the pullover from the ripped sweater and started a hat for myself.

hhorwitz

H. Horwitz Co,

On Tuesday we met downtown for breakfast. I took a beautiful silver vase Leonard bought for Mrs. Gray to have it engraved at Horwitz’s, the company Aunt Henny worked for at the fair. Dinner at Mrs. Saunders. Finished my hat, made 2 flowers and 1 bud similar to what I made at my test in the trade school. Wednesday I had to wait for 1 hour until the engraving was finished.

Wednesday: Dinner at Mrs. Saunders again. Change clothes: brown shoes, beige hose, beige new skirt, new crocheted sweater with hat to match, brown pocketbook, long beige kid gloves and navy blue coat. At 9:00 pm we went to Gray’s. I think I really looked very nice and never knew brown and beige would look that good on me.

We had some real nice warm days, but naturally that Wednesday when the birthday party was planned to be on the roof garden it was colder and raining. The party was anyhow very nice. I followed Papa’s good advice and had only 1 beer, 1 cocktail and a cup of black coffee.

I saw Len only when he brought me a plate with bread and cold cuts. He was sitting as far from me as possible with a few ladies and I far away with a few nice men, all kinds of professions including a newspaper reporter. It was very interesting and nice. We took 2 ladies home on our way. Leonard was trying to apologize for not being with me all evening but I assured him that for us 2 to be together we do not have to go to such a party. We went there to meet other people.

DoubleDecker

Double Decker

Please excuse my bad writing and making everything as short as possible. I am anxious to have this finished by the time Leonard comes back.

Enclosed I am sending you a petal of a rose I swiped and pinned on my bosom. It smells so wonderful, I want you to have a little part of it.

More explanation about Gray’s penthouse will follow with my next letter. It is too hard to do now. One of the nice things at Gray’s party is the fact we did not go home so very late. We left there already shortly after midnight. As a result I was not any more tired on Thursday than I am usually.

(Leonard has no car. He mostly takes taxis. He drove some years ago but had an accident and will not drive any more. I do not know what really happened, since I noticed he does not want to talk about it.)

Palmengarten

Palmengarten


Thursday: Ate again with Mrs. Saunders. We did want to go to a movie but the 4 films showing in our neighborhood we did not want to see – either one of us had seen it already or it did not sound good. So we saved our money and went to bed at 10:30 pm after doing some very neglected

Yesterday, Shabbos, I was again at Samuels and did not get home until 1:00 am. I often have that trouble going home from there.

Going I had a beautiful ride on the upper deck of a double decker bus, along the parks and the lake. The “Palmengarten” is very beautiful but no comparison with these parks for miles and miles. The Chicagoans do not really appreciate that beauty.

Sherman House

Sherman Hotel

Today I slept late, visited with Mrs. Saunders for 2 hours, then sitting in the sun on my bed I altered a dress and a hat, took off cape collar from my coat (it is too warm now), went downtown and picked up Leonard. Now after a good dinner I am sitting here in the lobby of the Sherman House, as I mentioned before. In the meantime only a toothache joined me.

I am glad Leonard left his fountain pen with me, otherwise I would have had to stop writing a long time ago. But that is it now. I am getting writer’s cramp, because I am trying to write real fast.

So now more next week.

A million greetings and kisses

Your Nudelsupp
[Noodle soup – A nickname for Trudel.]


At the end of this page of her translations, Trudel wrote:
Comment: Now that I have translated the letters of my first year in Chicago I will pick out only the highlights. You all know that I eat and sleep every day. It is really not important when or where. From here on it goes “diary style,” only different or interesting occurrences.


In the 1960s, many years later, Trudel would herself work at H. Horwitz Co. at 36 S. State Street in Chicago’s Loop.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 1, 1935 “Happy New Year! It was the most beautiful New Year’s Eve I ever had.”

January 1, 1935 “Happy New Year! It was the most beautiful New Year’s Eve I ever had.”

Jan 1, 1935

Happy New Year!

In my last letter I forgot to put a number, so today with the New Year I shall start with #1 again.

LaSalle Hotel New Year's Eve Menu

Menu Cover from LaSalle Hotel (a decade later)

Between midnight and 1 a.m. this morning I wanted to write a postal card to you but no matter how hard he tried, my sweetheart could not find a postal card in the whole La Salle Hotel. So now you know already where we started the New Year with good friends.

But now I want to tell things in chronological order.

I had a very enjoyable Xmas. We played Santa Klaus for darling Flora Mae. We spent the afternoon with her with a lot of presents. In the evening we went to a movie and then had a cognac at one of Leonard’s friends and we came home very late.

LaSalle Hotel

LaSalle Hotel

I told you already about the stockings I filled for my darling. Well, I never had more fun than when I watched him take out each little package and carefully unwrap it. And I got an extra kiss for each of the 32 packages* and I also received a beautiful Xmas card with a saying just perfect for both of us, and a gorgeous evening dress, made to order this week especially for last night. Enclosed samples.

The dress was made from the white and silver brocade and the short jacket is red velvet with a matching coat, silver shoes, and a small white pearl evening bag. From the left over materials I made myself a pretty turban. I really looked beautiful. I felt like the prettiest and most elegant woman there. I even went to a beauty parlor to have my hair and fingernails (not bright red) done.

We were together with Gwen and Ed Bishop. She is the one we tried to see horseback riding on my birthday. It was a great beginning for the New Year. We drank quite a bit and several times to your good health and well being and a good 1935.

Walkathon Ending

Near the End of a Walk-a-Thon (Life)

After supper we went to a walk-a-thon. You probably remember the marathon dancing. Here instead of dancing these poor people are walking or dragging themselves around for 22 days continuously now.

Leonard knows the manager and he announced us when we arrived over the microphone. I felt very funny having to stand up and get applause. We stayed only a very short time. By the way, at the La Salle Hotel we were followed by a newspaper photographer. If they print a picture I will of course send you a copy. We went to several other places and came home at 7:15 a.m. It was the most beautiful New Year’s Eve I ever had.

I better go to bed now to sleep out my hang-over.

Love,
Trudelchen

(On the edge of the letter, In German)

Greetings to you all. We celebrated the most beautiful New Year’s eve in our lives, with my beautiful sweetheart the prettiest young woman in the world. I wish you all as much happiness as Trudelchen is bringing me.

Devotedly,
Leonard


* In her handwritten corrections to the typescript of her translation, she inserted the Yiddish word chalomes before “packages.” But that doesn’t seem to make sense. It seems to mean “dreams.”

Shortlink: http://wp.me/p1yA95-8w

 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

December 2, 1934 “Here Santa Claus does not arrive until Xmas but I will try to celebrate on the usual date.”

December 2, 1934 “Here Santa Claus does not arrive until Xmas but I will try to celebrate on the usual date.”

Dec. 2, 1934

My dear Goldkinder,

It is again 1 week since I wrote to you last. Those seven days really go much too fast. Actually I have been writing to you too often lately and am neglecting all my other correspondence. But what am I to do if I always have so much to tell you. Yesterday I received Doddo’s nice letter with the “good luck” penny. It made me very happy. At the same time I received a birthday letter from Ilse.

The tin can from N.Y. has not arrived here yet and I am very much looking forward to it.

Here Santa Claus does not arrive until Xmas

Here Santa Claus does not arrive until Xmas but I will try to celebrate on the the usual date. [St. Nicholas Day is observed on December 6th in much of Europe. Presents were often opened the night before, which happened to be Trudel’s Birthday. Trudel’s Son]

Actually it makes sense that Santa Claus arrives here 2 weeks later. After all it took me 14 days to come here. Anyhow on my birthday it will be exactly 7 months since I left my beautiful Ffm. [Frankfurt am Main, Germany]

Trying to understand why some mail arrives opened

Isn’t it strange that only Doddo’s letter arrived opened? I used to think it was because of the business return address but the one I received yesterday had Beethoven Strasse as the return address. And it wasn’t because of that penny because Ilse’s letter had two hankies and a little box enclosed and was not opened. Anyway many many thanks for all your good wishes and the penny.

Postcard from the Rathskeller

Last Sunday after seeing “A Summer Nights Dream” in English we went to a new restaurant for a change. Just a block away from Leonard’s office. It is a real nice rathskeller, good food and nice dance music.

Monday we did not start work until 1:00 p.m., so I ate lunch with the very nice sister of Miss Samuel who works in a big department store downtown. She works on the 20th floor and when I am not busy I visit her sometimes.

By the way please excuse the ink spots in this letter. I dropped and broke my new 25¢ fountain pen.

Last week I made unintentionally a joke

Last week I made unintentionally a joke. Instead of saying about you girls sitting at your business all day I said on their business which means on top of the work.

Monday I was at Aunt Henny’s for a change. Tuesday eve I was home for a change. Actually, I was at the landlord’s. He gave me permission to sew on his sewing machine and we just visited a little afterwards with him and his wife and another couple who also live in the building. We listened to soft radio music until I thought it was time for me to retire.

Wednesday after work I went to see a German doctor who is here one year from Berlin. I got his address from a man in the wholesale millinery business.

After visiting for a little while we took the bus to the South Side together. On the way I stopped at Lindheimers who seemed very happy to see me. Since they had had supper already they heated up some German style red cabbage for me. I had not really intended to eat there but they did not let me leave until I finished the cabbage and the sausage. That is the big difference. Americans offer one only a cigarette or candy.

Aunt Henny took me to a new very rich customer

Then I met Aunt Henny who took me to a new very rich customer. I was there about 2 hrs and took only 6 hats with me to alter.

The only trouble is the fact that I have to pretend I am from France since only fashions from Paris are o.k. for her. While we were there her very snobbish daughter in a gorgeous evening dress was picked up by 2 young men in dress suits and top hats. Can you imagine?

Next Tuesday I will go there again and I hope she will be satisfied. I ripped all the hats apart and pinned them together as I thought they should look. She seemed to be satisfied with my ideas. She took a very beautiful gold bracelet, took it apart to put as trimming on 1 of the hats. It can always be repaired again. I wish I had 100 customers like that, then I would not have to work in a shop for somebody else.

Thursday we had a Holiday “Thanksgiving”

Xmas Decorations

Christmas on State Street

Thursday we had a Holiday “Thanksgiving.” Since I slept until 4:00 p.m. we skipped breakfast and had at 5 o’clock turkey dinner which is eaten here at this time of year like we had goose at home. On Tuesday we had a raffle at work so 1 of us could buy Turkey dinner. We will do the same once more before Xmas. You have no idea how much fuss they make here about Xmas although they only celebrate 1 day.

Friday we had a day off from work and I was bored all day which gave me time to work on those 6 hats. Yesterday morning, Chanukkah, I had intended to go to synagogue but was too busy.

I visited the uncle of the Berlin doctor. He is in the millinery business and he promised to let me hear from him when the season starts in January. He asked me a few questions in German and I did not realize till much later that I answered him in English.

For lunch I met Edith Grossberg plus father, brother and another lady. On the way I stopped to have some photos taken — 9 for 25¢. All very nice. Hope you like the enclosed.

Everything is beautifully decorated

Before going to Leonard’s office I did some window shopping. Everything is beautifully decorated, especially in the large toy departments. In the dept stores are so many people one can hardly get thru.

Mandel Brothers Tarzan Xmas display

Mandel Bros Dept Store Window

In the evening we had again dinner with the Singers, the portrait painter and his wife and then saw an excellent movie. Sorry I forgot the name. On the way home we stopped in a drug store for hot chocolate and afterward we sat for 2 more hours in their apartment.

Today, as usual on Sundays, I slept late. From 4 to 6 we were with Leonard’s adorable little girl in the Madison Park Hotel for dinner. I sang German songs to her.

And now as usual we are in his office. I really enjoy helping him at work. I can usually guess which book he needs next and I find it in his library of about 1000 books and after open it on the page he needs.

I hope we are going home early tonight. Before going to work tomorrow morning I want to work on those 6 hats.

I wonder if Aunt Henny will go to Florida this year.

I wonder if Aunt Henny will go to Florida this year. She keeps talking about it. But she wants to in the first place not give up her very lucrative Xmas card business now and 2nd she has not received any money from Julius yet and that has to be taken care of. He has paid the Aunt’s lawyer, Mr. Grossberg the 1st installment and Mr. Grossberg took me out for a wonderful lunch because of that.

I do not know what is wrong with Weils. After I explained that I am always busy on Sat and Sunday nights she replied that they are out every evening during the week and only home Sat and Sun. That is just the opposite of what other people do here. Well, we’ll get together 1 of these days.

I hope–I hope you are getting used to your new apt and feel as content there as I do in my Paradise here. Now I cannot think of anything else to tell you except that I ate oysters for the 1st time last week and did not like them.

My love and greetings to one and all.

Your loving,
Trudel


Shortlink to this page: http://wp.me/p1yA95-7e

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,