Category Archives: Memoir

5/18/35
My Dear Ones,

Bubele’s letter arrived this morning just in time, otherwise this letter would sound very different.

I am very happy everything arrived on time and fitted OK. The photo is very nice. I always liked you with your hair parted in the middle.

The clipping from your paper about the fire in Rogers Park is correct, only they did already find the person who set the fire. The trial is not over yet.  

Erna

I received a postal card from “Fuchstanz.” I do miss those Sunday hikes. But there are so many beautiful parks here, which I like a lot.

What gray hat was Liss trying to fix? And what new dress are you wearing in the photo? I had a thin light brown skirt made to wear with that new pullover next Wednesday. Only buttons still have to be sewed on.

Is anything I planted on mother’s grave still there? Do not worry about Dr. Samuel. As soon as I have a little extra I will send it to him.

You know that I am one year in the USA yesterday.

You ask what Julius S. said to Aunt Jenny. Practically nothing! I really did not want to listen to him and got rid of him as quickly as possible.

Which Hilde Mayer is going to South America or Africa? My girlfriend?

What gives you the idea that Eddy and Gwen might not be married? I think I wrote you that they will be married 1 year very soon.

Postcard from Fuchstanz

I do not know if it is an American custom to sew in bed in the evening, but I like to do it.

Have not heard from Werthahn again.

That I am a little piggy is nothing new really. The reason I took so much at one time to the cleaner is the fact that I saved quite a bit of money that way. Almost ½ the price.

Smarty Ernale, if you had mailed that letter 6 days earlier it would have been here before your boss. This way I did not receive it until 5 days afterwards.

I was very upset when I came home Monday night about 10:00 pm. I had been at home until 7:45 pm, when Mrs. Saunders and I went downtown to see a very interesting slide show from the company where Aunt Henny works.

When we came home I found the calling card from Stefan Demuth with a few lines. He had been there at about 8:45 and would have liked to talk to me. Sorry I do not have such a good nose. I called the number he gave me the next day at noon. Talked to a very nice, polite lady who told me to call again at 6:30 pm, which I did. We talked together for only a few minutes. He was sorry he could not get together with me. He was going to leave that evening and wanted to make several more phone calls. Actually he was only about 24 hours in Chicago and I think it was very nice of him to stop by my place. He will tell you all about it but I was terribly upset of course.

I do not understand exactly why Papa waited three weeks before answering my letter. But I am very happy that he did answer it. I wish my sisters would follow his good example and write me once in a while.

Were those shoes that got soaked waterproofed?

So now those are answers to your letter.

Now for my weekly report. This is about the 50th letter I have been writing to you! Correct?

Click on image for Youtube

Last Sunday we ate a light dinner instead of breakfast. That is the custom in the South where Leonard comes from. It was a nice change and tasted real good. Then we as usual picked up Flora Mae and since she begged us we went again to Beryl and Fritz Samuel. She was so anxious to see the new baby again.

We walked a little and then took Flora Mae home. We walked a little more and I saw for the first time the ex Mrs. Leonard Grossman.

We then rode downtown and tried to decide where to eat. We finally went in a place and there Mr Isi Kosterlitz was sitting at the first table. We sat and he had to see us when he left. He was so shocked to see me again after 4 months that he left without paying after he stopped and talked to us a few minutes. He did come back soon to pay. And I won a pound of nuts. Leonard made a bet that he would not come back and I said he would. Of course I won.

Afterwards we went to see “Cardinal Richelieu” – excellent movie with George Arliss, one of the best current movie actors. In order to cool off we stopped for ice cream on the way home. Almost every evening I have ice cream for dessert.

Three Bridges

Bridges Open

Tuesday evening as usual with Mrs. Saunders.

Then I went to Mrs. Rose Lamarque, my dressmaker. Next morning, before I went to work, to buy some material. In the evening I went again to Bertl S. and for the first time in a long time played cards. Did not go home so late.

Michigan Avenue Bridge

Since 2 weeks, I go earlier to sleep.

Thursday again supper with Mrs Saunders, dressmaker, and 10:00 p.m., bed.

Last night as always on Friday at Samuel seniors. Home a little later – and such a long way – because I would sleep late today. From noon to 2:30 pm at Mrs. Lamarque just schmoozing. Then a haircut, shampoo in my room, and lying in bright sunshine on my bed – I am surprised I do not have sunburn yet – Crocheting.

[Then] fix my hair as nice as possible, get dressed, go downtown to Leonard’s office, eat a very good supper together of course. Now he is sound asleep again. Actually that is the best time for me to write letters.

Aunt Henny visited Mrs. Saunders yesterday and they talked about me for 2 hours. I would really like to know what Stefan Demuth had to say. Honestly — about my living quarters and my landlord Mr. Silver. The latter was avery astonished how well Demuth speaks English, after I explained to him who he is.

Next time you expect some body to come to Chicago please give them my phone number. Delaware 5425. Also Leonard’s office address and phone number. He can usually be reached in his office and knows where I can be found.

A few years ago chain letters were in style in Germany. Now they are big here. I got one too and mailed it to 5 other people. Wonder how many 5 cents I will get. Some people started chain letters with $1 and $5, but that is too much for me. It will take at least 3 weeks before the money may trickle in.

And now my very dear ones I hope to get mail from you soon again. For today I am sending you uncountable greetings and kisses,

Your loving Trudel

Best regards to Liss and all friends and relatives. How is Herr flying Heinrich?

Letter from LJG to Lotta and Erna, 5/18/1935

Dear Lotte and Erna,

They say the way to a man’s heart is thru his stomach, so a good cook is sure to win her man.
But the Adler sisters don’t have to win me by cooking. I knew and loved Trudel without ever knowing even to this day if she can cook water without burning it.

And in this country a man’s sweetheart is called is “sweet cookie.” [Drawing of hearts.] So it was appropriate and fine and wonderfully thoughtful of you all to send those sweet cookies to my “sweet cookie” and me. I just couldn’t eat enough of them – so I ate too many. Just ate, and ate, and ate your sweet cookies with my sweet cookie. And I want to thank you for every cookie you sent, and for those that may some day come – can I thank you in advance?

So Erna – before your picture – so lovely and gracious – arrived, your cookies – Trudel – the unbaked one- sweeter even than the ones you baked – and the baked ones – had won my heart completely – as Lotte – your dear and beautiful picture had won me long before.

But you know – if a man wants to stay on the safe side a lawyer’s advice is “Do right and fear no man.” Also, “Don’t right {write) and fear no woman.” Now if I write and sign myself “yours truly,” and I am not truly yours, you can sue me for breach of promise. But this week in Illinois the law against breach of promise was passed – so broken hearted ladies are out of luck from now on.

Of course I am not exactly yours truly, because I am all Trudel’s. But she tells me that what is hers is yours. So maybe a small piece of my heart is fastened in Frankfurt by your gracious pictures and the loving thoughts of your Father and all his dear ones. So please give him my love and keep some of it – each of you – for yourselves. I have given all the rest of my heart to darling Trudel – so I can only give you the small diagram of it with the arrow of our love on the other side.
Devotedly your (?)
Leonard

The photographs of the bridges were taken by Trudel from the window of the millinery place where she was working. If you look closely at the one captioned “Three Bridges,” you can see all three are in motion. The one on the right is just about closed. The one in the middle is just past its peak and the left bridge is opening. A boat has just moved past the middle bridge. In the other photo, the boat is to the right of the middle bridge.