Monthly Archives: December 1936

My mother, Trudel Adler, and my Father, Leonard J. Grossman were married on her 24th birthday, December 5, 1936. This post includes the events of that day and the next few days. Please click on the headline “Big Bill O.K’s ‘Wally’ – Won’t Give Away Bride” for an interesting and somewhat amusing account of the wedding. Most of the other images can be enlarged by clicking on them as well. Enjoy.

Leonard Grossman
One of Trudel’s sons.

December 7, 1936 – It is midnight, but I want to start this letter because I have so much to tell you. It is bitter cold again. On my birth-wedding day it was snowing as I had wished for. Last week it was much warmer, changing all the time. Good weather for colds. But we both are OK keeping each other warm.

Do not feel too bad when people move away. You should be happy for them, actually I fell that it would be foolish for you 2 to leave as long as you both have your jobs. But of course I can and should not advise you from here – so far away.

Here thousands of people are jobless. Money is not laying on the streets.

I cannot wear a pair of stockings more than a week, they rip so fast. When there is a run in them nobody mends it. Just put a little clear nail polish on it.

Now to something that may be more interesting to you. Friday evening I went to my sweetheart’s office where he gave me my “trousseau”: 1 pink lace nightgown, 1 pink set underwear, 1 pair pink undies, 1 bra, 1 pair brown gloves, 1 pair brown shoes, and a beautiful brown leather pocket book, 6 pair hose, 1 blue dressing gown, 1 pair slippers and a few more little things. By the time I came home, I was so excited I was afraid to be alone in my room. So I spent the night at Rose LaMarque. Which means I was with her over night, but could not sleep.

Leonard and I had an early breakfast and after talking to my friend Trudel Batzner on the phone for ½ hour I met Leonard in his office at 11:20 a.m. and at 12:50 we left with Leonard’s secretary, Carol with whom I have gotten very friendly lately, and an old friend of Leonard’s as witnesses.

We went to the Congress Hotel in former Mayor William H. Thompson’s room. There were quite a few friends and acquaintances there. “Big Bill” had his piano tuned and a very nice girl played the “Wedding March” while a lot of photos were taken. We ate appetizers and had a few drinks. I wore the dark red lace dress with matching hat and the new shoes and 3 beautiful orchids.

Cont’d 12/8 at 4:30 pm
From the windows of the 10th floor, I kept looking east over the lake because I knew you would be there, far, far away. Judge Padden, a very nice old friend of Leonard’s performed the marriage and fortunately talked only very short but very nice. Too bad you could not have been here.

After a while we went to Leonard’s office where a lot of people came to congratulate us. Somebody brought champagne, others wine, a large wedding cake, etc. Too bad Alex, whom we sent a wire, could not come. [Her future brother-in-law, Alex, was in Ohio on business.] I would have been so happy to have at least 1 person from home there.

We received a lot of presents and wires. I did not realize how many people I know here. We had planned to go to L’Aiglon for dinner and asked several people to join us there. Fortunately we said we phone first. When we got to our room we were too tired to change clothes and I suggested that we rest a bit before going out. Well, we both slept soundly from 8:30 pm until midnight. Of course we did not go out any more. So I moved in with Leonard and will give up my place Dec. 31st.

The next day we had breakfast in our room at noon. Then we went as usual on Sunday afternoon to the “Townsend Sunday Afternoon Club” where Leonard is Vice President. He was to be the main speaker that day. As we entered the hall some lady took my coat off, somebody played wedding march and the 800 or 900 people gathered there all rose out of their seats. A friend led us through the mirrored room to the stage. I thanked everybody and discovered Aunt Jenny and Alice in that crowd.

That’s when I realized that this had been planned before and I was the only one who did not know anything about it. My sweetheart talked more about me than about the “Townsend Plan.” If all the good wishes from these good people will come true I will be extremely happy. Afterwards we took Weils and another friend to the L’Aiglon for dinner. They too greeted us with the wedding march, since Leonard had reserved a table.

My new sister-in-law Madge invited us to visit them over the holidays. Maybe.

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