Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Title
Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Creator
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958
Identifier
WWP23168
Date
1928 February 26
Description
Letter from Jon Bouman to his family.
Source
Gift of William C. and Evelina Suhler
Subject
Germany--History--1918-1933
Correspondence
Berlin, Germany
Contributor
Rachel Dark
Denise Montgomery
Language
English
Requires
PROOFREADING
Provenance
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.
Text
Feb. 26, 1928
Dearest,
I shall be writing again in a few days’ time with the cheque, but as this is Sunday, I have more time. This has been a perfect day, brilliant sunshine which we have enjoyed for the past few days, perhaps because King Amanullah of Afghanistan is here and aren’t the people just enjoying it! This is the first royal official visit they have had since Germany became a republic, and it tickles them to death to see royal pomp and splendor again. I dined with the King and Queen and a few hundred so-called “republicans” the other day, and kept the Afghan royal standard off the dining table as a memento. Here it is. In his brilliant uniform the King looks interesting, but in civilian clothes he is just like a Jewish old clo’man dressed up for the Sabbath. The Queen on the other hand is very beautiful. You will get them in London in a fortnight or so.
Glad to have Betty’s newsy letter; I hope she has not overworked herself. Tell me next time when the exam is, and above all, when you will be away on your trip, which I hope you will make, and all go well. It’s a rare opportunity, not to be missed.
George Grant flew in on Thursday, and we had dinner together; he was to be off to Mayence yesterday. When he came in I said: “Hallo George.” Old father Plintsch, who is the office cleaner, came afterwards to me with an awed face asking “if that gentleman was Lloyd George”; he had misunderstood me! George laughed like anything when I told him. I have asked him to report to you about his visit here.
I had a letter from Mary from up North, reporting that she had written to Mrs. S. whom I shall see coming week. Golly! You folks will ruin me with penalty postage; both your last and Mary’s only bore 1 1/2d stamp, instead of 2 1/2d.
Last night, instead of having my weekly bath, I went to the Sporting Palace, which has a splendid large ice rink where all the cracks from the Olympic Ice Games at St. Moritz showed off, including the victorious Canadian Ice Hockey Champions. That is some game! About the fastest thing on skates I’ve ever seen. They played against a Swiss team and licked them 5 goals to nil. Betty would have loved to see that game; it was thrilling.
The other stars of different nationalities also performed, singly and in pairs, very graceful and pleasing. Enderis and I came to the conclusion that this is the game to keep fit; they all certainly looked hard as nails.
Yes, I think the flat had better be given up notice on the March (Quarter Day). I shall be writing again soon. Mary’s time will soon come, too, and I shall want to discuss certain points. She will need a passport, and perhaps can have a dozen passport photos taken in preparation.
Love to all, from thine, Jack
Dearest,
I shall be writing again in a few days’ time with the cheque, but as this is Sunday, I have more time. This has been a perfect day, brilliant sunshine which we have enjoyed for the past few days, perhaps because King Amanullah of Afghanistan is here and aren’t the people just enjoying it! This is the first royal official visit they have had since Germany became a republic, and it tickles them to death to see royal pomp and splendor again. I dined with the King and Queen and a few hundred so-called “republicans” the other day, and kept the Afghan royal standard off the dining table as a memento. Here it is. In his brilliant uniform the King looks interesting, but in civilian clothes he is just like a Jewish old clo’man dressed up for the Sabbath. The Queen on the other hand is very beautiful. You will get them in London in a fortnight or so.
Glad to have Betty’s newsy letter; I hope she has not overworked herself. Tell me next time when the exam is, and above all, when you will be away on your trip, which I hope you will make, and all go well. It’s a rare opportunity, not to be missed.
George Grant flew in on Thursday, and we had dinner together; he was to be off to Mayence yesterday. When he came in I said: “Hallo George.” Old father Plintsch, who is the office cleaner, came afterwards to me with an awed face asking “if that gentleman was Lloyd George”; he had misunderstood me! George laughed like anything when I told him. I have asked him to report to you about his visit here.
I had a letter from Mary from up North, reporting that she had written to Mrs. S. whom I shall see coming week. Golly! You folks will ruin me with penalty postage; both your last and Mary’s only bore 1 1/2d stamp, instead of 2 1/2d.
Last night, instead of having my weekly bath, I went to the Sporting Palace, which has a splendid large ice rink where all the cracks from the Olympic Ice Games at St. Moritz showed off, including the victorious Canadian Ice Hockey Champions. That is some game! About the fastest thing on skates I’ve ever seen. They played against a Swiss team and licked them 5 goals to nil. Betty would have loved to see that game; it was thrilling.
The other stars of different nationalities also performed, singly and in pairs, very graceful and pleasing. Enderis and I came to the conclusion that this is the game to keep fit; they all certainly looked hard as nails.
Yes, I think the flat had better be given up notice on the March (Quarter Day). I shall be writing again soon. Mary’s time will soon come, too, and I shall want to discuss certain points. She will need a passport, and perhaps can have a dozen passport photos taken in preparation.
Love to all, from thine, Jack
Original Format
Letter
To
Bouman Family
Files
Collection
Citation
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958, “Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family,” 1928 February 26, WWP23168, Jon Anthony Bouman Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.