Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Title
Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Creator
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958
Identifier
WWP23186
Date
1928 June 15
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
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
28 Zimmerstr.
Berlin SW 68
June 15, 1928
Dearest;
The die is cast; I have signed the agreement, to run on month by month, 300 marks per month, payable on the 1st, and six weeks notice to precede any end of quarter. I made that concession - instead of a month's notice - at Mrs. Schmölcke's request, as it does not make much difference to me, anyhow. Months and quarters are by the calendar here, which is convenient as I never could remember Quarter Days in England without referring to the calendar.
I am always relieved to hear you say that "everything is moving along satisfactorily at your end." I hope you are not merely writing that to keep my mind easy, and that you are not over-working yourself. Anyhow I intend that you shall have an easier time now, with a maid to do all the work.
- Berlin voltage: 220. -
I believe there is an electric iron in the kitchen but I am not positive about it. If there is, there will be hardly any necessity to bring yours, will there?
Did I tell you there is a telephone? Well, there is. Unfortunately, there is no running water in the bedrooms, but of course there is a basin in the bathroom, which is small, and a WC in it. But we shan't spend much time in it, after all. Neither is there a balcony. But it is sure to be cosy and comfortable in the winter time. Here is another picture in the neighborhood.
Mary and I have great laughs over the different idiosyncracies of her people and the neighbours; I find she has acute observation and a very useful sense of humor. They seem to be very like the Dutch of a certain class - they live on a system; no work to be done after a certain hour etc. This amuses Mary to no end. I am very pleased with the progress Mary is making; she seems to be able to get anything she wants from shops, etc., without assistance. She even transacted the necessary formalities at the local police station without any aid, which is greatly to her credit.
Let Bill get an extra set of Pitman's Shorthand course, complete and bring it with him.
With much love,
Thine,
Jack
Berlin SW 68
June 15, 1928
Dearest;
The die is cast; I have signed the agreement, to run on month by month, 300 marks per month, payable on the 1st, and six weeks notice to precede any end of quarter. I made that concession - instead of a month's notice - at Mrs. Schmölcke's request, as it does not make much difference to me, anyhow. Months and quarters are by the calendar here, which is convenient as I never could remember Quarter Days in England without referring to the calendar.
I am always relieved to hear you say that "everything is moving along satisfactorily at your end." I hope you are not merely writing that to keep my mind easy, and that you are not over-working yourself. Anyhow I intend that you shall have an easier time now, with a maid to do all the work.
- Berlin voltage: 220. -
I believe there is an electric iron in the kitchen but I am not positive about it. If there is, there will be hardly any necessity to bring yours, will there?
Did I tell you there is a telephone? Well, there is. Unfortunately, there is no running water in the bedrooms, but of course there is a basin in the bathroom, which is small, and a WC in it. But we shan't spend much time in it, after all. Neither is there a balcony. But it is sure to be cosy and comfortable in the winter time. Here is another picture in the neighborhood.
Mary and I have great laughs over the different idiosyncracies of her people and the neighbours; I find she has acute observation and a very useful sense of humor. They seem to be very like the Dutch of a certain class - they live on a system; no work to be done after a certain hour etc. This amuses Mary to no end. I am very pleased with the progress Mary is making; she seems to be able to get anything she wants from shops, etc., without assistance. She even transacted the necessary formalities at the local police station without any aid, which is greatly to her credit.
Let Bill get an extra set of Pitman's Shorthand course, complete and bring it with him.
With much love,
Thine,
Jack
Original Format
Letter
To
Bouman Family
Files
Collection
Citation
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958, “Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family,” 1928 June 15, WWP23186, Jon Anthony Bouman Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.