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Story so far: Grandma Cecile had reached her relatives back in her home village of Nieder-Mohrau, Czechoslovakia. She had crossed the United States by train, from Oregon on the Pacific coast to New York on the Atlantic coast. The Europa, a ship with the North German Lloyd ship line, had carried her across the Atlantic Ocean. She had reached her destination of Nieder-Mohrau and had written some letters back home.
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Finally, she must have had a little extra time. On the 23rd of June, 1936, Grandma Cecile sat down and wrote in her diary. Her last entry before that had been June 8! Here is what she had to say:
This is JUNE 23 What a pause I left unwritten. It was just the same till our arrival in Bremen, except for the loss of my glasses. My, how I missed them.
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| Diary page |
I was sitting in the writing saloon by a writing table, when some Ladies called me to come along, they were going on deck. I had just written a letter to Weisers[1] and was taken up with a book in the library, the stewart wanted me to read. I jumped up and of course I couldn’t see unless I took the glasses off, and ran towards those that called me. I thought I had everything but noticed soon my glasses were missing. I went back but they were no place to be found. As a rule, if somebody finds something, it is brought to the chief steward and so I went there and told them. They had several glasses there, but none were mine, and they never were brought there either. They thought maybe somebody had some alike and thought they were theirs, but I don’t believe it now anymore, because by this time, they should have found out. They wanted to send them after me, if they would be found.
And now I want to mark down the most important happenings, that I can remember. At about 8:00 o’clock on the 12th of JUNE we seen BREMEN in the distance. Everybody got excited, and about 8:30 we were there. At CHERBOURG FRANCE we landed just 24 hours before, and in SOUTH HAMPTON ENGLAND we didn’t go in, but a boat came out and got the English passengers. We seen the English coast and some buildings in the distance.
And now Gustie called me for 10:00 o’clock lunch. We had liverwurst and ryebread.[Grandma Cecile must have started writing before lunch then made note of the interruption when she returned to her writing.]
When we arrived in BREMEN, all passengers were called in groups. We were left off into the revision dock, but they never bothered my luggage. I was through in a hurry. I was so dry [thirsty] and drank a glass of bier[beer?], and at 10:30 we left Bremerhaven in the train.
I guess by this time everybody realized they were no more in America. I was in second class but there was nothing fancy. In my little coupe was a woman from near Prague. She had been visiting her parents in MISSOURI, a thing that was turned around for once. I believe most of the time, rather the children are in America. When we neared Prague, she showed me her place, which was on a hill. She showed me the Wilson bahnhof [train station] and there was her husband dressed in black. He must have been some kind of an officer. She told me her husband was no farmer, she was playing with the farm. I didn’t especially like her because she smoked cigarettes.
I took a little dinner at PRAGUE, which was a big dumpling, vealsteak, and a glass of bier[beer?], with a roll. I figured it out in American money, it was about 75¢, and up to now, I know we can live a lot cheaper in America.
We certainly made good time from PRAGUE to Olmitz then I had to transfer again to the Trappaner Zug [Troppen? Train]. We had a bunch of “Checkish” German soldiers in our car, they were singing because they were going home.
Arriving finally at end station, Grosstohl, it was getting dark. Nobody but I got off and even the little depot was locked already. I was feeling kind of blue, went to a little house next to there and asked if they knew if somebody had a car to bring me up to MOHRAU. They knew of none except one little truck-car and they told me which house I would find the owner. So I went to ask, but left the suitcase by the people I was asking. There was no satisfaction. I was told they couldn’t haul people with their car, it was just for freight, so I left, and went back to the first house, begged them to keep the suitcase overnight and started out to walk.
About 10:30, just 24 hours after we landed, I was by my sister’s house. How tickled my sister was I could see that, and for that matter even the brother-in-law was nothing but gladness. It certainly is more to see a sister after 35 years than when you can see them oftener. I was pretty tired and went to bed just as soon as we could depart again.
When I got up to this room, and that is where I am writing now, I saw some of my mother’s things and felt quite at home. The next day was Sunday and they had a big celebration in the village, so I met some of my school chums and what is the sad thing about half of them are resting on the cemetery already. My sister MINA and brother JOHN I met together and it is a favor from heaven, that I could see them again.
Paragraph breaks were added to the letter to make it easier to read. Grandma Cecile always seemed to write in one giant block of text. Her writing is shown in the diary page included above. The high-lighting in green was probably added years later by Sr Agnes when she was doing the transcription to make the dates more apparent. To view the image, simply click on it.
[1] - Weisers - Grandpa Alois's sister Bertha and her husband Dan Weiser. They lived in Nebraska.
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Story to be continued......
To read Post "43 - Bank Transaction for Traveler's Checks - 23 June 1936 Click here
