Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958

WWP23127

1923 December 5

Letter from Jon Bouman to his family.

Gift of William C. and Evelina Suhler

Germany--History--1918-1933

Correspondence

Berlin, Germany

Rachel Dark

Denise Montgomery

English

PROOFREADING

Evelina Suhler is the granddaughter of Jon Anthony Bouman and inherited the family collection of his letters from the years of World War I. She and her husband gave the letters to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum in 2013.

Hotel Adlon,
Berlin Dec. 5, 1923


Dearest;
Sorry to hear about your trouble with the cistern – what a blessing that you discovered it at a time you could get help: it would have been disastrous if it had occurred later; I hope you got the workmen to do what is necessary to prevent it occurring again; was it not possible to wrap some parts up in sacking or straw? Because you may be up against the same thing when there is another cold spell… Here last week’s cold spell has never melted but the streets have been swept clean and there is nothing to show except heaps of muck at regular intervals along the sidewalk. It tried to snow a bit today but faired up again. Otherwise the weather seems to keep quite stable, without much variation which cannot be said of the money, but that is another story.

I am generally around the office late in the evening but wanted tonight to go to the Dom* where there was a special organ recital with Xmas music. As a cathedral is not a theatre, I thought I would be able to get in quite easily and pay at the door, but I found it was all sold out and hundreds of people, like myself, were disappointed. I had no other alternative in mind, and picture house programmes didn’t attract me (The Kid is the great vogue here and I can see that anywhere) so I ambled back to the office where I am writing this.

I will put in a programme of the Kreisler concert which I enjoyed very much. His style was masterly – it was a real treat.

On these occasions one gets doubts of the alleged ? of the middle classes; the concert hall was full of them and the whole street outside blocked with very good looking cars. And tonight, the Dom must hold thousands of people and all had to pay to get in; it would not be a show to attract the hard living and drinking class but people like ourselves – yet it was impossible to buy a ticket! And I’ll bet they all had a meal before going to the recital.

I am sorry about Isobel Mackenzie; her father doubtless will feel it greatly; I hope she will get better but it’s a long time yet before opening; the season is unfavorable for illness of that sort. Perhaps they will have to take her away again.

I notice you received Jones Harris’s cheques, so you will be fixed up all right for any eventualities of the ordinary sort.

Enderis got me another ticket for the press gallery in the Reichstag where I heard the new Chancellor’s maiden speech, interrupted by shouts from the Communists who announce another great demonstration tomorrow (Thursday). But when those things are announced beforehand it generally fizzles out – it is the unexpected that we must always be on the look out for.

You poor dubbies, I don’t think I shall be able to bring anything out of here as presents, so you had better not expect anything this time, but I will make it up in other ways. Even stamps are expensive – Pugh wanted me to buy some for his boy and he put down the price you could get for them in London, but they are dearer here. One cost 6 shillings in London (this was an exceptional one and not really wanted) but 20 shillings here! So he will be disappointed too, as he thought everything was so cheap here!

With love to all,
Thine,
Jack

*The Dom is the Berliner Dom, or Berlin Cathedral built in 1905, housing a Sauer organ constructed and installed at that time, which is the largest preserved organ from that period in Germany. Sauer Organ/ Berlin Cathedral

Letter

Bouman Family