On Sunday morning, my boys went to the flea market. It was too cold for me to go, so I pottered around at home and went to Mass. The day was quite breezy, and Zach found an old piece of paper flying around the parking lot. It must have blown off one of the vendor's tables, but as there was no way of locating its rightful owner, Zach brought it home to me.
The paper is thin and deckle-edged, and it appears to be the second sheet of an old letter written on both sides. I am captivated and intrigued by the letter and its writer--this is a real glimpse into someone's personal experience during WWII, I believe. I will transcribe it for you here as best I can:
I do hate wasting time in bed. I've decided I won't go into politics as I once thought perhaps I would. I've thought it over and decided I'm too honest to hold down anything if I got it. However - I would like to do something besides come out next year. I'd like to work awfully hard at something. Hard enough to get tired. It might also be rather a nice idea to make some money. That reminds me - thanks for the check. I'm going to cash it in register/(?) in Austria when I go there next weekend.
There are very few people here who are either English or American. I'm quite glad. The University doesn't open till sometime in November + then quite a few come. Think what I'll miss by going to Paris. We're staying in Paris only two weeks now - then we're going to London to visit Lady Hamilton + the Reids for a couple of weeks. By that time Evelyn will start home + I'll come back to Munich. I rather expect we'll be here until about January - when we go to Spain. A couple of other girls have thought of joining us but I doubt very much if they do. I hope not anyway. I've wanted to write a little on this trip but I just haven't had a chance to be alone for one minute. Now + then I do nip off to the Englischer Garten but I don't dare sit for a minute - these German boys - even the nicest - are so persistent. We have a Victrola in our room. Belongs to Desmond but he's very generous. I just can't wait to get back to Salzburg - and without old God. It will be perfectly wonderful. - - I haven't sent you any
(second page):
postcards of Munich because I can't afford to buy them. It's a lousy city anyway + I can't understand what everyone liked so much about it. The only good things are the clubs + bars + they're just like others I've seen. I know the whole history of Bavaria and yesterday I went + followed up some of the points - Awfully interesting but not extraordinary. Wish I had more time. And more clothes. Tell (?) I'm simply crazy I have so few. Pretty soon I won't be able to go out. It costs a heck of a lot to get things cleaned. And nothing fits me because I'm at least 18 inches thinner. I still think I've changed; + my hair is quite different. That's another expense. It's absolutely impossible to wash your own hair so I must have it done every 8 days - Just another part of the (?) we (?).
The war is quite uninteresting. I was sorry to have the Austrians side more or less with Italy but it's absolutely necessary to them to keep up what little trading they do together. Austria is very broke. I feel sorry for it - poor thing. I've discovered that "Mr. Jones" has done quite a lot of worthwhile things in Germany + almost everyone has something to say for him. (?) (?) is very very strict and militaristic but that's just like their rolls for breakfast - taken for granted. I don't mind just rolls for (breakfast) now - It's been a life saver. They're lousy too so I can't eat too many. This is an awful letter! Most everything is confidential - I'm really quite all right - I hoped by now you've sent me permission for Paris, etc. - And tell ma not to write Miss God - but if she must tell her to use plenty of discretion.
Write me a long letter about everything - the mill, etc.
Always love to you,
(?)
P.S. I think it would be swell to move - either place.
(And then along the left margin she has written): Don't say anything to Goddard about Paris or London yet. I'll tell you when - I'll elope if you do.
I cannot make out the name of the writer. It begins with either F or J, but the rest of the signature is illegible to me. I've been thinking about this letter for the last few days, and my imagination has run rather wild, I'm afraid. It seems to me that it is written in code, that secret information about the war is being communicated in it. I wish so much that I had the first sheet of the letter, but I am very happy I have this much.
I would love to know your thoughts. Does this letter intrigue you as much as it does me?
You must be right, Susan. It really isn't saying anything, and your idea that it's some kind of code seems reasonable. Wow! They were going to see Lady Hamilton! When is Antiques Roadshow coming to New England? I wonder if this was a famous person. Were they Jewish? You need to look into this. At any rate, I'm sure you won't be able to just leave it alone! wow
ReplyDeleteLisa, I am so excited about this letter! My brother-in-law is an avid history buff and collector, so I'm hoping he might be able to shed some light on it when he sees it, but my imagination is gong wild.:)
DeleteI've been wondering about the Lady Hamilton thing, so I looked her up, and discovered "That Hamilton Woman" was a very popular film in Britain starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. In fact, it was Winston Churchill's favorite film. Then I saw this on the film's Wikipedia page:
"Critical sources usually point out that That Hamilton Woman was Winston Churchill's favorite film.[17][Note 1] In her research on the subject, film historian Professor Stacey Olster reveals that at the time the film was made, Alexander Korda’s New York offices were “supplying cover to MI-5 agents gathering intelligence on both German activities in the United States and isolationist sentiments among makers of American foreign policy.”[18] According to Anthony Holden, Olivier’s biographer, That Hamilton Woman “became Exhibit A in a case brought against Korda by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Committee had accused him of operating an espionage and propaganda center for Britain in the United States—a charge Korda only escaped by virtue of the fact that his scheduled appearance before the committee on December 12, 1941 was preempted by the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor five days earlier".
So now I'm thinking: Could this letter by written by a spy and "Lady Hamilton" is code for the British Government/Winston Churchill?
I thought there was something about her, that she was notorious in some way. I've got to find that film; gotta see it! It must be accurate, if it was Exhibit A - terribly exciting!!
DeleteThe whole thing is so SO vague, that it can't really mean anything except as a secret message. Is there any way to find out what kind of vendors were there - who would be selling such a thing?
DeleteIt is a large outdoor flea market held weekly from April through November that attracts lots of vendors of very unusual items. Many of them sell old historical documents, letters, postcards, etc. I think it would be impossible to find out who had it--it may even have been purchased by a customer who lost it on his way to his car. But, I agree with you that it does seem like a secret message--and, especially since it was kept all this time and in excellent condition.
DeleteSuch an interesting letter and I am with you, seems to be lots of code written throughout. It's fun to read old letters and wonder don't you think? Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love old letters and postcards and often look for them when I'm at the flea market.
DeleteInteresting!! I wonder who wrote it? I love wwII stuff and the coding that they did when they communicated.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know all that much about WWII. I knew that secrets were communicated by code (I read Shining Through, by Susan Isaacs, LOL), but to see it first hand is really thrilling.
DeleteI love that you can look at this letter both ways - code and spy, OR maybe just a silly rich girl making the grand tour with her governess. Which of course - could have been her cover.
ReplyDeleteI think her talk about conditions is interesting - can't wash her own hair - only have washed every 8 days (ick). Hard rolls for breakfast and 18 inches thinner. It really is too bad not to have the beginning page. I hope you can find something out.
Maybe the signature is "Jeannie"?
Yes, I think the signature could be Jeannie. The details you noticed are what lead me to believe it is a secret message. Eighteen inches is a LOT of weight to lose on a trip! The last couple of paragraphs seem, I don't know, rather cryptic. And then the post scripts definitely seem like they are conveying important information. I hope I can find more out about it, but I don't know how I will go about it. However, I am really pleased to have a lead about "Lady Hamilton" (which Lisa and I discuss in the comments above).
DeleteI also thought of the silly rich girl possibility, but it seems beyond that to me. It's too vague, even vaguer than a bored rich girl would sound. I think. :)
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