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July 3, 1935 “I fell almost asleep last night while writing.”

July 2, 1935

My Good Sweet Dear Goldkind:

It is midnight and I just went to bed. But since I have not written to you in three weeks, I feel very conscious of guilt and will write now. Thanks for mail received. Hope you received those I sent.

On Wednesday, June 12, Leonard returned from a successful trip to the Illinois Supreme Court. We had dinner together but I went home immediately to alter a dress.

Thursday I had dinner at the family of my new boss.

Friday, June 14, I had Sabbath dinner again with the Samuels in Hyde Park.

Saturday, I had dinner with Leonard, then we stopped at his office and went home.

Trudel’s Skates

Sunday, June 16, we had beautiful weather. I sat three hours in sunshine in a park. For the first time in 14 years I went roller-skating, but only 2 blocks. The shoes with the skates which I had borrowed were too tight. But it was fun.

Trudel on Rollerskates

After one hour walk we had a wonderful dinner and then we sat for about one hour in my room where I gave Leonard a fashion show of all my clothes.

Continued 7/3

Good morning. I fell almost asleep last night while writing.

Monday, June 17, I spent all day at home.

Tuesday, I had a date with Aunt Henny. After waiting for her for one hour I went home again. It was raining too hard – she could not come!!!

Wednesday I worked overtime and ate downtown. In my ½ hour lunchtime I got soaked shopping for a birthday present for Leonard.

Because of everything I did [in the past few days] my back and shoulders still hurt.

Thursday at home. Sewing.

Steamer Theodore Rosevelt

Friday, June 21, Gwen and Eddy picked us up for a boat ride. Grace Gray had arranged a party of 12 people in the captain’s cabin. This boat trip took 2 ½ hours. I wore the altered chiffon dress, a new hat, white shoes, linen coat, white purse and gloves and a lot of makeup.

Flora Mae & LJG

Afterwards we ate downtown in a very nice place. Unfortunately it was raining all evening.

LJG Plays Tennis

Saturday, June 22, Leonard played tennis for the first time in three years and of course was very tired afterwards. We had dinner at a very nice rooftop restaurant with a very good with a nice floor show. Excellent orchestra and very good food, except that Leonard found a long, rusty nail in his steak. Fortunately he did not get hurt.

Sunday, June 23, I was with you in thought at the cemetery. [I believe that was the second anniversary of Trudel’s mother’s death. -Ed.]

Chinatown Squad

That day we spent time with Flora Mae. Also met Hans Kösterlitz. After dinner at a park, we went on a “merry go round” operated by foot and then on a “wippe [teeter totter or see-saw].” Leonard was 210 pounds on one side and Flora Mae and I (together) about 200 pounds. Up and down and down and up. It was hilarious.

Flora Mae, LJG, and Trudel

We stopped on the way home at a movie, “Chinatown Squad,” and a very good stage show.

Sunday, June 30, We picked up Flora Mae and spent afternoon on Gray’s roof. Fireworks on way home. Weather very hot, too hot to even go swimming.

On Gray’s Roof

On Tuesday, July 2, I had a date with a nice girl from Nürnberg I had met at Samuels. She helped me tie together 43 little packages I had wrapped for Leonard’s 43rd birthday which is July 4 (tomorrow).

1000 greetings and kisses,

Trudelchen

Trudel’s translations and notes did not include a letter specifically mentioning what they did on July 4, LJG’s Birthday, but her photo albums did include at least one photo taken that day.

Trudel, Flora Mae and LJG in the park on July 4, 1935

You may enjoy taking a look at the letter Trudel wrote exactly one year earlier.
Follow this link:http://is.gd/qZxq2E

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Posted by Leonard Grossman on July 3, 1935 in Chicago, diary, immigrant experience, Letters, Memoir

Tags: Birthday, Chicago, Chicago weather, clothes, Food, hats, letters, movies, park, Penthouse, roller skates, teeter-totter

April 7, 1935 “Talking about the weather -Today it is snowing pretty much while yesterday it was beautiful sunshine.”

07 Apr

April 7, 1935
671 N. Dearborn St.

My Dearest Dear Ones:

Madison Park Hotel

Since I forgot my fountain pen and do not see any ink here, I will write this with the silver pencil from Doddo [Trudel’s oldest sister]. It is Sunday afternoon and I am sitting here in the Madison Park Hotel waiting for Leonard. And you want to know what is new here.

Last night we saw a very good movie: “Enter Madame.” By the way, they are always showing pictures of Germany during the news in the movies and in the papers. Last week they showed the “Bockenheimer Warte.” 2 weeks ago there was a picture electronically transmitted, and I immediately said it was printed backwards, because the swastika on Hitler’s shirt sleeve was reversed. Of course I was right. A few days later the same picture in another paper was correct.

Enter Madam

Last Friday at Samuels I read the FFM edition of the “Hamburger Family News” and discovered several new news items. For instance that Liebermann and old Hauck have died. I felt really stupid that I did not know about it. You know things like that are still interesting to me, so I do not look too stupid in some company. In that paper I also read something about an orchestra conductor named Wolff. Is he the young man from “Amizitia” living on Eschersheimer Landstrasse?

Backenheimer Tower

I am very happy in my new job. Several of the girls worked also for Budwig (my first job here). I altered a hat for mother Samuel and she liked it very much. The 2 piece dress I crocheted for Gwen is finally finished and delivered on Wednesday. It looks so nice that I am considering making one for myself.

What would you expect if the menu said: “German Pot Roast”? I was until now always afraid to order it. Now I know what it is actually, and I like it.*

Yesterday I saw something really funny. I was in a grocery store to buy “Lux” soap flakes. There was a young girl, about 15 or 16 years old, in a spring sport coat (it was almost summer weather), no hat, on roller skates, cigarette in her beak, and a fox terrier on a leash. She was shopping too. I really had to laugh.

Lux Soap Ad (1935)

Talking about the weather, Since I had nothing better to do, I tried on my whole summer wardrobe and gave Mrs. Saunders a fashion show while she washed a few things for me. Then I took 6 pieces of my wardrobe to the cleaners.

Some clothes are really jinxed. I am sure the first time I will wear my green dress after I get it back from cleaning, I will spill something on it. This happens every time. 4 times in a row.

Thursday was such beautiful weather I did not feel like staying home. I walked downtown and after dinner Leonard and I went to a movie again, a very thrilling romance, “Bordertown”. Afterwards, I walked leisurely home again.

Click image for YouTube

On Tuesday I was already in bed at 7:30 pm but crocheted until about 10:00 pm. It does not hurt to go to bed early once in a while.

Friday night I dreamed that Ernale [Trudel’s other sister] had a beautiful ring made from Mother’s diamond and pearl brooch. The pretty little gold ring from Aunt Frieda I thought I had lost 2 weeks ago — I found it luckily a week later. I am not wearing it all the time now. Apparently my fingers have gotten thinner and I do not want to lose it for good.

By the time you receive this letter it will be Passover already. Anyway I will eat in a kosher restaurant downtown and try to get some invitations at Samuels. The other Jewish people I know here do not know much about Judaism. Hopefully they will not have to learn it some days, what and who they are.

How are Hedwig and children? And all other friends? Please give everybody my very best regards.

I am sending you herewith the photo I forgot to enclose last time.

Love, Greetings, and Kisses for you,
Your loving daughter & sister

Trudel

PS We just met Hans Werthan at the restaurant. He sat with us for a few minutes and took again my address and phone number which he had lost. He sends you best regards.

Here is one recipe for German Pot Roast

2 Comments

Posted by Leonard Grossman on April 7, 1935 in Chicago, family, immigrant experience, Judaism, Letters

Tags: clothes, Food, hats, Judaism, leisure, letters, movies, Passover, Pesach

March 24, 1935 – “I like changing jobs. At each place I learn more.”

24 Mar

3/24/35

My Dear Ones:

Last night I started answering your dear letter dated 3/8. Since I forgot to take with me today yours and the letter I started, I shall answer it next week.

I was quite busy all week. As a result I did not do a lot of things.

Last Sunday evening I met a few more nice people, then we went to an excellent chicken dinner and then home. Monday night I was at Aunt Henny’s and we played Rummy for a change. Auntie’s nice friend, who had driven us to Michigan City, happened to drop in and since he lives in my neighborhood, I got a ride home in his car.

Tuesday I worked at Miss Cooper’s. I am afraid I have to give that up. It is too much for me to work from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm, with only twice one hour intermission.

Wednesday, I had dinner with Mrs. Sanders and then finished the skirt I was crocheting for Gwen. I tacked it to my floor and steamed it so it would have the right shape. It looks very nice and I am anxious to see next week how it looks on Gwen. The sweater I had to take home again since I made the sleeves too tight. Hopefully I will have it ready by next Wednesday.

RCA Radio

Thursday I had dinner with Saunders again. For $5 I bought their old radio for Leonard’s room. Naturally I went to his room right away and connected it. This is very easy here. You just plug the cord into a wall outlet. He was very pleased with it.

I worked all week at “Gages” but realized that I could not work there for long. Maybe if I had started there before the start of the season, somebody could have shown and explained some things to me.

Now that everyone was very busy they had no time for me. I learned some things differently. When I followed the sample exactly, they wanted some changes made which I did not understand. If something was 2 millimeters different the whole thing had to be ripped. That is no good for me. I cannot make any money that way. I think I would go nuts.

Gage Building

Anyways for the 2 days of the first week I got $6.40 while at the old job at Lipper I got only $6.21 for 3 days’ work. Well, to make my story short, on Friday morning I finished a hat I had started, took my belongings and explained to the manager that I was not good enough for them, and left. I did learn a lot while I was there and will get paid for it. I left there at 9:00 am and for the first time in eight months was without a job. But I just could not worry about it.

It was such a beautiful spring day that I would not let anything upset me.

First I went 2 floors higher, in the same building, to see Marie Bing. She was very sorry that she could not hire me. We just visited for ½ hour. Then I went to see 2 school friends of Leonard whose address I got last Sunday.

Friday is the worst day to go job hunting

Friday is the worst day to go job hunting. They want all to finish as much as possible. I did talk to 1 of his friends and the manager. They took my address; “Maybe next week.” Then I went several floors down to a place where I knew somebody too. “Maybe next week.” Then I went across the street where Budwig had opened again: “Maybe next week.” Then I went to another place where I had been a few months ago. “Maybe next week.”

So I went to Mss Cooper to get some more addresses. When I came to the first one it turned out to be the company I had been looking for all morning.

They wanted me to start immediately. But since it was 11:30am they told me to eat lunch and come back afterwards. So I worked there Friday 1:00 to 6:30 pm. They manufacture similar junk as at Lippers, but better than not having any work at all. I sure am lucky!

Friday night I was at Samuels again. I invited myself for Friday nights there for the future. It is always so nice and restful at their home. Of course I always do some sewing and fixing for them when I am there.

At 10:30, we all piled into 2 cars to drive downtown. A cousin and his wife were here for 1 week and we took them to the bus to go back to NY. Afterwards the 8 of us went for ice cream and I was driven home at midnight. You can believe that I really slept well that night.

And now comes the best. Yesterday I received a letter from the company of Leonard’s friends that I should start there Monday morning at 8:30 am. Of course I will be there, work 1 day and see which job I like better. How do you like that? Now I have to choose which I like better!

Click image for YouTube

Anyway I like changing jobs. At each place I learn more. No 2 work exactly alike and I sure have learned a lot.

Yesterday I was home all day. I really had laundry to do, darn socks, sewing and mending etc. At 7:00 pm I picked up Leonard at the office and after eating we went to see a movie. Wallace Beery and Adolph Menjou in “The Mighty Barnum” — very good.

On the way home we both caught colds. It was beautiful and warm all day. When we left the movie house it suddenly got very cold. The weather really changes often very fast. Sine it was raining and cold all day today we only went to eat together. Now we are sitting in his hotel lobby. Leonard fell asleep while reading the paper so I may write a few more letters. For today I send you millions of greetings and kisses.

Your Lucky Trudel

PS How are Hedwig and children? Please give her my best regards and good wishes for a speedy recovery. I may write to her yet tonight.

PPS regards to all friends especially Liss.

Chicago was a center for the wholesale milinery business in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Gage Bros., was one of he most successful. The story of the “Gage Group,” a set of buildings built for Gage and two other hat manfuacturers on Michigan Avenue is part of Chicago’s architectural history. See also this excerpt from Carson Pirie Scott: Louis Sullivan and the Chicago department store By Joseph Siry. Click forward for several pages on the Google Books site to put the story in context.

This group of buildings was just a bock away from the Garland and Pittsfiled Buildings on opposite corners of Washington and Wabash where Trudel looked for work in her previous letter.

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Posted by Leonard Grossman on March 24, 1935 in Chicago, diary, family, immigrant experience, Letters, Memoir

Tags: architecture, Food, hats, letters, movies, radio, Sullivan, working

March 1, 1935 “My forelady just told me that I can’t sit still for 5 minutes without writing or doing something.”

01 Mar

March 1, 1935

My Golden Goldkind:

Actually the weather is much too nice to be sitting here writing to you. But what does one not do for love. After having a big snowstorm and very cold weather this week, we now have beautiful spring weather.

If you receive a letter with the stamps upside down, Leonard must have mailed it. Here nobody pays much attention to that.

First of all I like to answer Dear Papa’s letter of Feb. 13.

I have not talked to or seen Grossbergs for ages. The Mother has gone on my nerves for a long time since she is so slow and boring. And the daughter is too intelligent for me to keep up with her. We have really very little to talk about. And that club does not really interest me anymore.*

Dear Papa asked me what Aunt Henny is living on. That is really something I am wondering about too. I visited with her Monday night and I am always trying to find out what she does during the day. But to no avail. She does not tell me. After I went with her looking for a room in my neighborhood she called me that she just moved around the corner from her old place. So she won’t need my suitcase that I was going to loan her for moving, also it goes almost daily to court filled with books and papers. On Tuesday she helped at the election for the Democratic party. We are Republicans.

Grace Gray

Did you forget to keep your fingers crossed for us? As we had feared, Grace Gray was not elected. After all she was the first woman ever to run for Mayor of Chicago and that makes history. While the other candidates spent loads of money, she did not spend a penny, but she made a lot of new friends.**

Of course we spent the evening at her house and I am sure that it was not any nicer, relaxing, enjoyable and merry at the house of Mr. Kelly the newly elected mayor. We were about 25 people. Her [Grace Gray’s] mother, daughter, son-in-law and grandchild and best friends. Mr. Gray has a special cocktail called: “Bosom Caresser” of which I drank 4 glasses and a glass of beer. Besides they served wonderful cold cuts and all kinds of pickles, mustard etc.

Bosom Caresser Recipe

Except for 1 man who came rather late we all were a little more or less very cheerful, a little tipsy.

I really talk and understand English quite well now and feel very much at ease in American company. Just as we were ready to leave I was introduced to a couple who just came. Her parents came from Stuttgart and she has a cousin, “Heidecker” in Ffm. Unfortunately we had very little time to talk.

Grace's Drink

This week I have felt like usually during Mardi Gras. Saturday morning I was about 3 hrs downtown with Mrs. Saunders. Then I met Claire Samuels and we went to see her sister-in-law, also a German girl, with an adorable 2 yr old boy who knows exactly with whom to talk German or English.

For the 1st time here I had a real afternoon coffee and I took home a hat to be altered.

Dear Papa: you really have no idea about prices here. Gwen bought recently 3 beautiful hats at $2 each. And I should charge $3 for alteration? Actually I had saved a little money but had to use it all during the quiet season. I do not skimp on anything but try to make surprises for others. Starting next week I hope to be able to save a little again.

Saturday after dinner at Samuels I went to the North Side to meet Leonard at a meshuggenah club. They are all atheist, a very funny bunch who had asked to Len to speak.

A great spot for afernoon coffee

Actually I am glad now that I do not understand everything in English. Otherwise I would have a red face all the time. That were the kind of jokes they were telling. I met a few very nice rich people who read the announcement of the meeting in the paper and came only to hear Leonard. It was really a nice entertaining evening and did not break up until 2:00 a.m. Of course on Sunday I slept ½ of the day as usual.

Then Leonard and I went downtown to different newspaper offices to take care of some things for Grace Gray. We then went to her house. She is not allowed to go out since her recent car accident. She is OK again, and we had a very good supper there and stayed until 1:00 a.m.

Monday at work at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., home from Aunt Henny and still shampoo. Tuesday 9:00 a.m. at work. Evening at Grays’. Home 1:00 a.m., Wednesday 9:00 a.m. at work. Evening at Gwen’s. Already 11:30p.m. to bed.

Yesterday again 9:00 a.m. work and as a result of so little sleep, I fell asleep while waiting for work until the boss woke me and asked if I was OK. I told him that I still had a little hangover from the beginning of the week. Last night, I fixed the two hats for the Samuel girls and was in bed at 10:30 pm.

It felt good to sleep from 10:00 p.m. to 8 a.m. for a change. We have hardly any thing to do at work. I have not earned 20 cents so far today. My boss just asked me if I am writing a book because he sees me writing so much.

I hope you have received the Chicago map by now. From the family Klee I can find only 1 son left. If he could still remember you? Guess this is all for today. More next week.

Best regards to all from all.

Loads of love and kisses from your
Trudel.

PS My forelady just told me that I can’t sit still for 5 minutes without writing or doing something. Mrs. Saunders said the same last week. I am not all nervous.

PPS Julius Seckbach, who now lives with Mr. Kasterlitz (better known by me as Opa) came to Leonard’s office asking for my address. He did not get it. Leonard does not want me to have any contact with him. Thanks G’d.

*Trudel mentioned going to a “Chai-Club” with the Grossbergs in an earlier letter. Apparently to help her with her English.
**The election Trudel is talking about was the Republican primary. Edward J. Kelly won the Democratic primary which was held the same day and was eventually elected mayor.

4 Comments

Posted by Leonard Grossman on March 1, 1935 in Chicago, diary, family, immigrant experience, Judaism, Letters, Memoir

Tags: candidates, Chicago, Chicago Politics, first woman, hats, letters, mayoral, Primary election, youth

February 22, 1935 “The girls call each other by the same silly names as we used to do.”

22 Feb

Feb 22, 1935
671 N. Dearborn St.

My very dear Goldchildren:

How do you like me? Here everybody thinks the photo is very nice. Especially Leonard, who got an enlargement for a Valentine, likes it very much.

It is exactly 3 yrs that we 3 had our pictures taken at Gabor Hirsch* and 1 yr ago today I was with the motorbike at the cemetery.

Trudel, Erna, Lotte - 1932

I guess I bought my Hyacinth bulbs too late this year. They are not blooming yet as they should today on Mother’s birthday. Did one of you go to the cemetery today?* How does the grave look? Is my geranium still alive?

I really intended to go to the synagogue tonight but I am invited at Samuels again like last Friday night. I feel very much at home with them. Father Samuel makes Kiddish. It is a household very much like ours used to be. The girls call each other by the same silly names as we used to do.

Trudel and Erna 1934

Last week a brother of Mr. Samuel who is here 45 yrs was there. He lived for some time in Darmstadt. So they all talked Frankfurter and Darmstaedter German.

Dear Papa do you or did you know Leopold Hirsch and Adolf Furth? They are related to Samuels.

Last Saturday I heard Leonard for the first time talking in court, in the Yogi case. After 4 hrs the case was postponed.

On Sunday Flora Mae had her 6th birthday. I made a real cute present for her — A clothes hanger as a doll, from material from my evening dress and some red velvet. It really is very pretty. In honor of the day we took her along to the radio station in Hammond. And then she had dinner with us at the Madison Park Hotel. Besides her birthday we celebrated my being 3/4 yr in the U.S.A.

Click to read story

Now that we are working full time again I can write in my lunchtime again or do something else.

I had to make my brown coat and skirt much tighter and took out enough material to make a cap for myself.

Something strange happened to me last night, while I was at Mrs. Saunders, the lady here in my house. The Landlord called to ask her if she would take a message for me. He knows we are good friends and see each other daily. He said a woman called and said she was my German friend and would like to meet me at 7:00 p.m. tonight or call her. I am supposed to have her phone number#. Well, I immediately called Claire Samuels but it was not her. Now I cannot imagine who it was. Maybe it was a hoax. Well, she can call again. Last Wed. I was as usual at Gwen’s.

I think I wrote you before that I was making hats for her and a new customer. Saturday the new customer returned hers.

Why did Erna not take her skis with her to Oberreifenberg? That would have been more fun. I did not see Aunt Henny all this week. She called me Tuesday night but I was not at home. Now I have to spend several nickels until I can reach her. Otherwise I do not know anything more today. I am very tired since I am too lazy to go to bed every night and stay up much too late. I hope to hear from you soon again.

A million kisses,
Yours Trudel.

*Gabor Hirsh was a famous German photographer. Trudel may have been talking about his studio or shop

*Trudel’s mother died in 1933, nearly a year before Trudel left Germany.

[Spoiler alert: References to “Leonard,” refer to the man who would become my father. He was Leonard Jacob Grossman. I was named Leonard Albert Grossman. Editor ]

http://lgrossman.com/trudel/87i

4 Comments

Posted by Leonard Grossman on February 22, 1935 in Chicago, diary, family, immigrant experience, Judaism, Letters, Memoir

Tags: clothes, court, family, flowers, hats, kiddush, motorcycle, synagog, Yogi

Trudel's Truth