Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958

WWP23137

1927 August 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.

Dearest;

Since Saturday last week I am at this hotel which is under the same management as the Adlon and not very far from it, but just one degree less luxurious and a good deal cheaper. I have the same size room, on the 3rd floor, with a tiled shower bath – I like this very much – and all I need, for 12 marks a day, instead of 22 at the Adlon, and the public rooms are quite magnificent, with a band playing in the dining room and so on. But of course I don’t use the hotel very much except for sleeping in.

I have just had my after-dinner coffee in a place which advertised: “Holland in Berlin” with a large picture of the bulb fields. So I went in and found an open air café laid out with little bridges across artificial ditches lined with (real) flowers, rushes &c and a band of Dutch musicians (I heard them talk, so I know it was Dutch) in Volendam dress, men and girls making a brave show. There is a dancing space where the guests perform if and when so inclined. Mostly jazz, of course.

These open air eating places are really a godsend these shifting days; that is, we had a few boilers here but it is cooler now. They are all so well arranged, with nice garden furniture and bright tablecloths and large umbrellas. I took Edwin Wilcox and his sister-in-law out to lunch the other day to the “Heidelberg” one of those places and he loaded me up with maps for walks in the neighborhood and wants me to join them on some excursions. Of course he can shut up shop on Friday evening and not return until Sunday evening, but that is an impossibility for me. However I hope to get a full day off some time and then I intend to take a trip along the lakes and waterways of the Spree and the Havel of which I have seen something already and ought to be very enjoyable.

The other day I had to go to the Broadcasting Center of Berlin to hear the opening of the wireless telephone from Berlin to Buenos Aires which was very interesting and of which I wrote a story. “A simple cold meal” was on the programme which turned out most luxurious, lobster mayonnaise, salmon mayonnaise and wine &c. You should see those German reporters fill up with caviar and stuffed tomatoes &c. Twas a rare sight, I don’t know where they put it all. Several helpings of each!

It has been too hot to go to any indoors places, but we have a seasons pass to about 12 cinema palaces all over the town, and I shall use this later on, all when I get time.

I also went out to a communist anti-war demonstration. Weird and sinister faces among them. There were processions with soviet emblems, banners, bands, men and women and they demonstrated in front of the Kaiser’s old palace. He would have had a fit if he could have seen them!

I see you had Eva with you – another grass widow! I do hope they will succeed in curing Muriel’s leg finally; it will be a long process no doubt. I shall always remember her little face when we were out for a walk. I thought she looked tired and I asked her and she said yes, she was, but she didn’t complain and marched bravely on. I was quite worried about that child at the time.

I hear from Enderis that Smith has asked him to pay me here as from Aug. 1 which means that I shall send you a cheque from here by the middle of the month. I have heard nothing directly from Smith, only a note from boy Fullick with some stuff that came to the office for me. He sent congratulations on a “rise” I had got but complained he couldn’t get one – which I think he ought to get for all the work he does.

Among the discoveries I have made is a brand of tobacco which is a close imitation of the English mixtures and really quite good.

Also I eat eggs out of a glass now and have found several places where they sell Wrigley’s chewing gum.

I have bought a pair of spectacles which are of course cheaper here – a very posh pair, for less than I paid for Bill’s. They still feel a bit strange, but I am getting used to them.

Well, I think that’s about all today. Much love to you all,
from Doc.

Letter

Bouman Family