The Bea Blog consists primarily of excerpts from the
diaries my grandmother Bea Cohen (1899-1985) kept for 38 years, starting in
1913. For more background, see Part I -- Intro and 1913 (under Blog Archive).
Bea and
Elizabeth 1977
Ed.
Note In her later
diaries (1951-1980), Bea describes her legal battle with my grandfather Milton
over the terms of their separation (they never divorced). She also writes at
length about her struggle with anxiety and depression and her strained
relationship with her daughters (my mother Ande and my aunt Jean). Of course
she also writes about other topics, including me, after I was born in 1961. I was Bea’s only grandchild and my
relationship with her was a happy one. But much of the later diaries is pretty
grim. So, while I may post some more excerpts from Bea’s diaries, I plan to
draw mainly on other family documents for items of broader historical and
cultural interest.
Marion
and Ken Go to Europe
1926
In this
installment – based on the 1926 travel diary of Bea’s sister Marion – Bea’s
siblings, Marion (24) and Ken (17), take a three-month automobile trip through
Europe – driving over 5000 miles to and
from more than 50 towns and cities in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy and
England. They sail from New York, along with their Chrysler roadster, on the SS
Belgenland and return on the SS Veendam. (Unfortunately I have no photos from
this trip but I have reproduced two pages from Marion’s diary and whatever
pertinent illustrations I could find on Google.)
May
Marion and Ken
set sail for Europe on the SS Belgenland on May 29, 1926. (This was Marion's second trip to Europe and Ken's first.)
The Belgenland was built in 1914
and originally served as a freighter and World War I troopship for the White Star Line under
the name SS Belgic. She was given to the Red Star Line for reconstruction and on
April 4, 1923 made her maiden voyage as the Belgenland from Antwerp-Southhampton-New
York (http://www.geocities.ws/luxury_liners/Belgenland.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Belgenland_(1914)).
A
cutaway brochure showing a cross-section of the SS Belgenland, c. 1925
(http://www.christies.com/lotfinderimages/d49364/d4936410r.jpg)
June
June 7
Marion
and Ken arrive in Antwerp
Antwerp
at last after a rather disagreeable crossing! […] Quite a thrill to see the car
come out of the ship’s hold. Not a bump or a scratch on it. A Belgian exclaimed
“Tres chic” when he saw the car.
1926 ad for Chrysler 70 Roadster
(http://www.amazon.com/Antique-Chrysler-Roadster-Automobile-Pricing/dp/B006ERZV8O)
En
route to Brussels
It’s
very simple driving and the sky’s the limit for speed. No regulations at all.
Luxembourg
We
had a bottle of crème de cacao and feel quite gay and hysterical.
NB The US was in the midst of Prohibition.
Paris
Marion and Ken spend
most of their time shopping and dining out
Ken
is much occupied trying all kinds of liquor and a new Dunhill pipe.
Dinner
at La Tour d’Argent was perfect but cost us about $4.00 a piece. The food was
marvelous and we had Duck No. 78732 (since 1890).
Four dollars in 1926 is approximately $52 today. (http://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/inflation.php?amount=100&year=1926).
An
example of the duck number card given to diners at La Tour d’Argent (http://gherkinstomatoes.com/2012/04/27/la-tour-dargent-poinct-ne-leurre-or-pressed-duck-blood-and-guts-and-all/)
July
Lourdes
It’s
a strange place and I waited to see a cripple get cured but nothing happened.
Lourdes is a small town in the Pyrenees
where Bernadette Soubirous claimed
to have seen the Virgin Mary in 1858 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lourdes).
Dutch poster for "Le Miracle de Lourdes," a French movie released in 1926 (http://www.cinemacontext.nl/id/F005220)
Geneva
Finally
I’ve come to a place I really like. Geneva is spotlessly clean and a beautiful
city and such an air of prosperity [. . .] We had our first taste of mountain
climbing. What a thrill to be among the clouds.
Lugano
Marion finds a
bit of romance -- not uncommon for young Americans travelling abroad, but
fascinating to me as Marion never married and I had no sense of her
romantic life.
An
early morning visit to Pickfords [travel agency] to purchase railway tickets to
Venice brought a little more romance my way. A handsome romantic-looking chap
in charge of their office and as courteous and gracious and romantic as could
be. He promised me a letter in Venice so I wait to see.
Venice
My
letter came at 10 this morning and I was excited – almost a love letter. What a
souvenir to take home.
Pickfords poster c. 1930s (http://www.antikbar.co.uk/original_vintage_posters/travel_posters/venice,_pickfords_travel_service/PT0392/)
Marion and Ken
spot some celebrities
Sat
at Florian’s all evening [. . .] we watched everyone pass and saw Jules Bache
and Noel Coward.
Jules Semon Bache (1861–1944) was a German-born Jewish American banker, art collector and philanthropist. He founded the brokerage house J.S. Bache & Co in 1892 and his name survives in the current corporate name Prudential Bache.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Bache)
Jules Bache
Noel Coward (1899–1973), English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No%C3%ABl_Coward)
Back
in Lugano, Marion goes out with her Pickfords agent
Giovanni
De Michaeli – that’s all there is to write about today! […] We walked and I
heard the “nice things” that were promised me should we ever meet alone. I
think it is well we leave Lugano tomorrow as I am sure I could easily succumb
and actually fall in love! Is it possible he was sincere in all he said? I
sometimes wonder! […] How different life seems when there is someone who cares!
But,
en route to Paris, she knows the romance is not to be
He
phoned me tonight from Lugano even before he had gotten my letter. It’s hard to
think I shan’t speak with him again.
Paris
Back
to Paris and so happy to be here! […] Ken and I saw the Sultan of Morocco this
morning at Fountainebleau.
The Sultan at Fountainebleau (http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/france-moulai-youssef-sultan-of-morocco-on-a-visit-at-the-news-photo/152240353)
August
To
Normandy and Brittany – accumulating their eleventh flat tire since their trip
began
I
changed the tire myself while Ken held the car up.
And
finally to England
“Merrie
England” at last. I knew I’d love it and I do.
Had
a late tea and went to see Cochran’s Revue with Will Rogers which we enjoyed
very much.
American humorist Will Rogers performed in Cochran's Revue for
four weeks during the summer of 1926. He is said to have ripped up his Revue paycheck,
claiming that he was grateful for the publicity the show had brought him and
happy to aid the success of his friend, producer Charles Cochran (Betty Rogers, Will Rogers, p. 195-196; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._Cochran).
Will
Rogers (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rogers-Will-LOC.jpg)
September
I’m
dieting in a final effort to lose a little weight before I get home. Lunch of
lemonade and two cigarettes and dinner of tea and toast and fruit.
They send their
car ahead on the SS Majestic
Returning
home on the SS Veendam
September 9
Now
after a day’s inspection of the people I’m sorry to say it looks as though we’re
out of luck again. No Jewish people our age at all! Those that are here are
much older and I feel out of it. Damn it! Seven more days of this.
The SS Veendam made her maiden voyage on 18 April 1923
with a sailing from Rotterdam via Boulogne and Plymouth to New York. (http://www.hollandamericablog.com/holland-line-ships-past-and-present/the-ss-veendam-of-1922/).
SS
Veendam
