Tag Archives: Europe 1952

60 Years Ago Today

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Sunday, 3 August 1952:

At 6 a.m. I was up and at it! We had a delicious breakfast and said goodbye to Kay, Kathleen, Afton, and Carmela. We took pictures of the Drachenloch staff. The hotel was kind of a rustic old Gasthaus, but we’ve certainly been treated like kings and queens.

Now we’re back on tree lined roads into Linz. We’ve left behind the little Swiss chalets and rolling hills. In Linz there was a new hospital that had been built after the war. There were beautiful grounds around the new Bahnhof train station which had also been built up since the war.

Hermine was going to stay here while we ventured into Vienna. She said she felt like a Canadian refugee. But when we pulled up and found three pretty tall missionaries, she felt much better. We thought we might like to stay as well. The three missionaries included Elder Blauser from Rexburg, a good looking elder from California, and one other.

Everybody warned us about the Russians as we drove into the Russian zone. In the immediate aftermath of the war, Austria was divided into four occupation zones and jointly occupied by different powers. There was lots of excitement and feelings in the bus as we approached the Russian zone. There was much anticipation mixed with fear. We faced the sign “You are now leaving the U.S. zone.”

I spied a pretty red, white and blue house on our side of the bridge with an American flag flying. On the other side of the Danube we got our first glimpse of the red flag of Russia. We accidently went a little way past the checking “dealy.” We were quiet as mice as tension filled the air. I wondered what this Russian soldier was like. There was a line of cars waiting to get out of the Russian zone.

All were quiet on the bus as a Russian soldier came on the bus to check our grey cards. He was very young and wore a uniform which was made of coarse looking material. He laughed and spoke a few words of German with us. Everything was okay and it went off without a hitch. He wished us a good trip in Deutsche and slapped Andre on the shoulder like a buddy.

The countryside doesn’t look any different except it was maybe a little drier. There were rolling hills with boys on bikes in brown uniforms. We headed towards a little town with red and white flags hanging from almost every building. A banner hung across the street saying Herrlische Willkommen. We passed through several little towns that seemed deserted. We saw nary a soul walking around in most of the towns. There was almost no one to wave to from our bus amongst the beautiful rolling hills and fields. Most of the grain fields from what I could see had been harvested.

It was fast Sunday today and Herr Rogers took an apple up to Andre to eat. He tends to get a little unhappy when he has to go a long time without eating. As we passed more tree-lined roads I saw the white strips on the trees for night driving. The closer we got to Wien, the fields were replaced with forest. Even though we were going through the nervous Russian Zone, there was lots of napping throughout the bus. It included me too.

“Hey man, what’s your rank?” U.S. Sentry, Pat Dubrieuil asked Andre. We should have had a paper at the border to show what time we had left the American zone just in case we didn’t arrive within a reasonable length of time through the Russian zone.

On the way we passed a big technical museum. There were metal window blinds on many of the stores and few people on the streets. Most of the buildings were built during days of Austrian Emperor Nikolaus Esterházy in the mid 1700’s. He was the principal employer of the composer Joseph Haydn. It once had been a carefree and happy city. At Habsburg Palace Dr. Watkins had heard Hitler speak from the balcony. Then we hurried onto the National Parliament, Votif Keiche and part of the university.

At the Hotel Bellevue we met Elders McIntire and Linstrom. We held a special Sacrament meeting where we all sat on the stand. The program consisted of a sextet singing group, chorus, and about ten talks. The Austrian people seemed reserved at first, but relaxed more as time went on. They seemed to enjoy the program and talked to us afterwards. We thought we were finally ready to go, but Betty and I hurried back inside to have punch. Someone showed us a picture of Dr. Watkins when he was on his mission here. We left at 10:30 p.m. to go back to the hotel.

60 Years Ago Today

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Saturday, 2 August 1952:

Another delicious breakfast with whipped cream in our chocolate. We gathered up the crew and went into Salzburg. It was a free period for shopping and foraging for lunches. Most of group left for some quiet spot in the mountains about 11a.m., Wolfgang Lake near St. Gilgen.

I decided to stay. My first task was to find a place to get the shoulder strap on my carry all bag fixed. I also wanted to see the inside of the Festival House whether or not I get to see the opera. I found a shopping market in College Church Square that was typical Austrian picturesque.
We ate lunch at the Winkler Café in Monschberg, an Austrian independent municipality. The views of Salzburg were spectacular and I took several pictures.

Then I was off to the Festival House. I saw a theatrical set of the Magic Flute, Mozart’s opera. Afterwards, I met K.K. and Carmela trying to get tickets for the opera. In my attempt, I met an American who graciously helped me do some further sightseeing in Salzburg. We ventured to the monastery, puppets, and Mirabel Gardens.

Again I met Carmela, Kay, and Kay at EES Snack Bar trying to find food. They had bought tickets to Marriage of Figaro on the black market and gave us a clue about getting some too. I went back to the Opera House to buy tickets. Success! I bought tickets for two dollars from a lady who had bought better seats.

I had one hour to go to get to the castle. I made a quick trip and was back at the opera at 7 p.m. just as Margaret Truman, the only child of President Truman, and her bodyguards were making a grand entrance. I followed with my Librettos program and tried to get her to autograph it at intermission. Unfortunately, a plainclothes man interceded.

After I met up with the rest of the gang at the bus. They had skipped the opera and been up to the big castle on the hill to see some native dancing. Those darling people at the Drachenloch Hotel had dinner waiting for us.

Students Attend World-Famous Music Festival at Salzburg

(Editor’s note: This is another in a series of letters from Mrs. Afton Hansen of Provo on her impressions of a trip through Europe she is making with a group of Utah college students.)

Dear Friends,
Salzburg in Austria has found itself in the genius of the past. From all over the world come music lovers to be at the Summer Music Festival, or Zutgust, during the month of August. Here in Mozart’s home town, in the harmony of music, we listen to a universal language.

Tickets being apparently unavailable did not stop Carmela, Kay and Kathleen for scouting for some. They were well paid for their efforts—and that evening they saw The Marriage of Figaro, along with Margaret Truman, Anna Roseberg, and others. It was a sweet sample and of course they wanted to stay in Salzburg for another day. The main group was scheduled to give a program in Vienna, so the bus load went on leaving the three girls and Afton in Salzburg with cautions, scares, and warning of—”Remember what happened to Voegler.” You see we had to pass through Russian territory, and Russian soldiers had to examine our passports and grey cards.

After saying good-bye to the group we went to the U.S.Service Club to read the play we expected to see—Everyman. At near 11 a.m. we went to the Festispielhaus to hear the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Clemens Krauss. What a glorious Sunday experience. When the music was about to begin I looked at my watch to see how punctual they were and discovered that my watch had stopped. Of course I started winding it, but the lady next to me motioned, no! no! So almost breathlessly, yet earnestly and eagerly, we listened for two-short hours to compositions of Hayden, Maurice Bavel and Ludwig Von Beethoven.

Today with an age of idealism and romanticism behind us we listen for new spiritual values ever present in the music of genius; and to the self-supporting, independent harmonics in thought and emotion stimulated by tone color.

The elegant simplicity, in gold and white, of the buildings interior, was an appropriate setting along with a capacity crowd of better dressed people.

In the lobby on our way out, five other people gravitated to our group, making nine in all. Two were soldiers, a Frenchman who was an architect student, a young Jewess concert pianist, and a blond young chap who was a Jewish soloist — all delightful company. We had two meals together that day, (one was in the famous Peterskeller) as well as the pleasure of the concert, a play and a tramp in the rain under half enough rain coats.

At 7 o’clock, the play Yederman was the main attraction, but standing in line one hour for tickets was a different kind of experience. The evening was rather warm and sultry, and the line was long. Soon we could see the black market dealers at their common and expected, though secret, game. Tickets and money were changing hands. I discovered that sometimes it pays to look weary—for a nice man came and offered me a ticket, saying that he didn’t like to see me standing in line so long. You see there are very fine people in Austria too.

The comfortable wooden benches to sit on afforded plenty of sitting and knee room.
Yederman (Everyman) on the open air stage, was clothed in a rich costume of gold, rust and black and had a voice deep resonant and clear. Behind him was the 250 year old Cathedral, with statues of St. Peter and St. Paul near the entrance. From the balconies above, to left and to right, came the voices of couriers, costumed to represent statues. The vice of the devil from below was effective, and the voice of God coming from the high church steeple sounded indeed as if it were coming from heaven. Costumes, voices and staging were all effective to the story with a theme of repentance. Toward the end of the play, thunder and rain hastened our exit, and we found shelter in another cathedral filled with singing worshipers.

At 9 o’clock we were nothing but lucky to get tickets to the Hayden concert—with choir, orchestra and soloists participating. This eventful Sunday ended with “good-byes” to our new found friends, and the exchange of addresses, after which “the four ‘Y’ers” took the midnight train for Vienna.
This ride was also interesting with new personalities—soldiers and local people. Sitting next to us in those hard wooden seats was a young couple going to their home in Vienna. Both had Ph.D. degrees. She is teaching German and English, and he is a lawyer to the state department. A most pleasant and enlightening conversation ensued until it was time for passport inspection about 3 a.m. by the Russians.

Those Russian soldiers were young looking chaps with plenty of room to grow into their uniforms—perhaps plenty of time too. After a few winks of sleep now and then, kinked necks, we arrived at Vienna, at 6 a.m. almost ready to see the grand old city.

Afton Hansen

60 Years Ago Today

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Friday, 1 August 1952:

At 7 a.m. in the morning it was cold and I had a sparse spit bath. After a good night of rest that was had by all, we had the most delicious continental breakfast of scrambled eggs and chocolate. It was the best breakfast I can remember on this trip.

Everyone was eager to see Salzburg and get going for the day. A group of us strolled down to the other hotel to find the bus. On the way I caught sight of the trains. Next thing I knew we were off to Salzburg in the bus.

The first part of Salzburg we sighted was a huge castle on a hill. It was a landmark from the surrounding country around it. And I spotted a military palace and some cobblestone streets that seemed older than Innsbruck. We drove closer to get a look at the castle. Along the way a red brick church was being rebuilt and a big sign asking for help. Then we circled around looking for an American Express across a bridge over the Salzach River which runs through the middle of Salzburg.

In Salzburg there were lots of Army personnel and equipment in evidence all around the city and a beautiful footbridge across the river. We discovered a statue of Mozart in the city square where we actually found the American Express.

There was a big plaza just below the castle with a huge fountain in the middle of the adjoining square. Water was spurting out of the horses mouth and nose. It was five minutes until opening time and servicemen were waiting in front of the building to go in, so we joined the crowd.

American Express resided in a structure that used to be an old café Glockenspiel. As I waited I observed a beautiful mural in front of the building on the adjoining street and old buildings intermingled with new buildings. There were no apparent bombed out buildings from World War II in evidence as of yet. All of us caused a traffic jam in the mail department which spread to all the other departments nearby. I received one letter from Twila, my old standby.

Now we went out in search of the post office. We found the military post office, but we were not supposed to use it. Everyone seemed willing to let us though. However, a man gave us a scare about the script and informed us, “that there was a five year sentence if you’re caught with it!” Finally, we found a civilian post office and bought air letters.

Then we met up with a cute female guide, Margaret, for the day. She wore a native costume with green anklets. She helped us get a guidebook in a tabak shop. At first she had trouble with a mike she was using so we could hear her.

I caught sight of the fortification on the left bank of the river, big grey building for trials, and prison. Then we passed an exhibition building and a Salzburg swimming pool full of kids, which had been made by the Americans. As we reached the top of the mountain we saw seven lakes. Then we passed barracks that had been built for German soldiers by Hitler that later was used as a concentration camp. The buildings were now private houses.

As we continued workmen were oiling the entrance of Hellbrunn Palace in Salzburg and its grounds. There were fish in the pond and then the water turned on in the mechanical theater that was built by salt mine workers. The water came out of stools, around the tables, out of tabletops, and out of the ground by the stools. Our guide, Margaret, tried to keep us together and warned us about the artificial rain that would be coming. This show included 114 moving figures, then afterwards the artificial rain would start all over again. We all got a little wet on this last dealy. The archbishop who built this must have been quite a card.

Margaret, our guide told us how all the refugees were trying to get into the United States zone. The intelligent ones found creative ways to get out of the Russian zone like through the arch of water. She said if the Russians ever came to Austria she would kill herself. Once again she warned us to get up on the steps to avoid the artificial rain. Dr. Rogers was standing down when the water came out under the step and his pants got a little wet.

Then we followed the regular palace tour and one man asked when the guide was going to say the information in English. Finally our guide who spoke many languages repeated to us what the guide was saying. Afterwards, we saw the gardens back in town and there was a famous high school music course. Music students were here for six weeks from all over the world.

We all trekked into the Mirabell Service Club which was now the EES Snack Bar where we found high school students practicing. Mirabell used to be one of the finest restaurants in Salzburg.
Then we were off to the Landes Theater, Trinity Church and a castle built by a famous archbishop. This archbishop gave the castle to a gypsy dancer, Mirabell, and it’s now used for town administration.

Soon after Margaret took us to a white house with a little wooden garden house where Mozart had composed The Magic Flute. As we continued we saw the Mozart Hotel, American Officers Hotel, and a famous cafe.

There was a small street with lots of traffic with tiny narrow streets going through to the next street. In the evening before a concert there could be over 5,000 vehicles in this area. Margaret told us that Napoleon had been in Salzburg three different times in his lifetime.

When I looked up I could see the houses built in the mountains. In olden times rocks would fall down on the houses and would kill many people. Starting in 1669 every spring the Austrians began clearing the loose rocks. After that it became much safer. There were bakery shops from 1429 a.d. A gate going into the old town was built by Markus Sittikus von Hohenems, Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, who made Hellbrun Palace in the 1600’s. We discovered some famous white horses and a stable and bathing place for the horses there. Afterwards, we passed the Restaurant Hotel Goldener Kirch, a famous restaurant.

While traveling on a street through the mountains we discovered the old University of Salzburg. This school, which provides secondary education, was called a gymnasium. Next we saw the market place in front of the University Church. We drove down the main street of the old town, which had been Mozart’s birthplace.

Nearby was a Franciscan Church that was the most interesting church in Salzburg to me. It had a wood carved altar. Then a Franciscan Monastery and Benedictins. Johann Michael Haydn, who was a famous composer, was buried in Salzburg. I noticed there was Baroque architecture all around us.

Farther on we observed a famous wine restaurant built in the mountains and St. Peters Cemetery which was located at the foot of the catacombs from 300 a.d. Blue Beard of Salzburg and many famous people were buried here.

Our guide told of a citizen of Salzburg that was killed by his seven wives by tickling him to death. The catacombs that were carved into the rock of the Festungsberg had provided hiding place for the Christians in the mountains. It was considered the oldest place in Salzburg. In 1491 a.d. the nearby St. Margaret’s Chapel was only opened for burial ceremonies.

Our bus turned around and we headed back to American Express. Our guide pointed out where Franz Schubert, an Austrian composer, had slept. The bus continued down the street where Mozart had been born. After a short distance we got out of the bus and ate at a café along this street. They charged us more than the menu had stated.

Now onto Mozart’s Museum where there was a sample of Mozart’s hair. Displays included his first violin, piano, and clavichord. There was a family portrait of Mozart with his family tree. Herr Watkins commented, “Mozart couldn’t stand the people in Salzburg and now he’s their favorite son.”

Next was an exhibit of a complete collection of his works. Amazingly Mozart was five years old at his first concert and performed before European royalty.

Lucile and I ran down to the little box office to get tickets for the concert tonight. There were 30 and 48 schilling seats to choose from. Then we wandered around to the catacombs, Mozart’s grave, and St. Margaret’s Chapel. This was the oldest church in Austria and Germany. There was a tomb with a tree growing out of the grave, tombstone, and wall. Next we hurried over to the Salzburg Square and Cathedral, which housed the largest organ in Austria. There was a Dominic organ and we listened to a recital. As I looked around I noticed the small altar. And the cathedral had been bombed and was being rebuilt.

Then we went down through an old gate to a little bakery which had been operating since 1429 a.d. We bought delicious honey bread and ate it in front of the shop while it was warm. We rushed back to the Glockenspiel in time to hear the bells play Minuet of Don Juan.

A small mad search ensued for the “john.” We hurriedly rushed up one alley and down another. Thankfully a lady looking out a window took us up to a private one up the stairs.

Afterwards, we wrote letters in the post office while some kids left to go back on the bus. Eloise and I went over to buy tickets for the concert. While waiting we sat near an American lady who taught music in Vienna. Then we purchased tickets for the trolley to St. Leonhard in case we were rushed for time getting to the concert.

Arriving at the concert Lucile and I had different seats on the top of the balcony. One seat on one side and another seat on the other side. There were mostly tourists and students in the audience. I sat next to an Italian fellow and lady from the eastern United States who had been teaching in Vienna for the past year. She had been to Utah and when I told her we were from BYU she replied that there were 50 Mormons in Vienna. I hadn’t even told her I was one, but she just presumed it.
The chamber music started and it was good. Afterwards, while we were waiting for the trolley we went to the ESS Snack Bar but they wouldn’t serve us. We didn’t have a PX card. We took the trolley back in the dark. Thankfully there was a delicious dinner waiting in our rooms.

Manner, Dress of Austrians Intrigue Visitors From Utah

Editor’s note: This is another in a series of articles by Mrs. Afton Hansen of Provo giving her impressions of an European tour she is making with a group of Utah college students.

Dear Friends;
Since last writing to you about our entrance into Germany, we have crossed the Austria-Germany border many times, with the usual passport procedure. Now in Austria we are partaking of its hearty hospitality.

“Its meadows living green, its harvests gold.
Broidered with flax and saffron, blue and yellow,
Sweet spiced with flowers and many a fragrant fruit,
A rich bouquet of blossoms every-where,
Tied with the Danube’s bow of silver ribbon.”
Franz Grillparzer.

Innsbruck on the River Inn is a fairy-tale city, so the guide book says, and that, we can easily believe, for we reached it late at night after traveling over curved mountain roads for hours. The lights of the valley town seemed so far below the lights in the darkness above. Not being able to see the outline of the lofty Tyrolean Alps, the lights from those castles, really seemed to be in the sky. Though at night, not in dream, they were castles in the sky.

Next morning, songs of birds in the wooded area close to our window was a pleasant awakening. The entire day at Inglerhog Hotel was a paradise enjoyed by the wealthy folk and also by us. Majestic mountain scenery seen from lawn chairs or walks in the garden or on mountain paths was relaxing to our travel weary selves.

The homey countryside added to our repose, with its ripened fields of heavy headed grain, hay being pitched and hauled, and in several spots, close to a tree, was a canopied crucifix where these sincerely genuine peasants could kneel to thank God for their plentiful harvests and good families.

Many steep mountain slopes are also cultivated. Often, farmers have not a meter of level land and it is said that even the chickens have climbing irons.

It is no wonder that these Tyrolean ladies wear no makeup. Climbing steep mountains, working in the fields, riding bicycles to work in town and factory, gives them a natural glow and sparkle with sturdy wholesomeness.

More often in these Alpine villages and towns, than in other countries, is the native dress worn. The Tyrolean dirndle skirt of the women of course is worn all over the world, but here combined with it is the puffed sleeve blouse over which is the red sleeveless basque with its sweetheart shaped front. An apron, low heeled shoes and half socks complete the costume and often the wardrobe. Very little jewelry is worn, nor is it seen to any extent in the shops.

The costume of the Tyrolean men is delightfully amusing to us. Those everlasting short leather pants are worn by many workers, hikers, natives and tourists. You will see some of our girls wearing them when they come home. They haven’t yet purchased the green suede hat with a 16 inch white chicken feather or brown brush-like decoration worn by the men of Tyrol. Tyrol is one of the nine provinces of Austria which has so much local color and atmosphere. Here we would love to stay longer.

The choice piece in many an inn is the colored tile stove.

In the dining room of our Sasthaus zum Schorn, in St. Leonhard, is one of light-green ceramic tile, narrow high-boy style, tall enough to reach the ceiling. In the next room, the beer parlor, is another beauty in tile stoves. It is dark green tile about five feet square, domed with cream colored tile which is studded with balls of dark green. Around the stove, and close to it, is a well polished hardwood bench (probably polished by the leather panted sitters), where the jolly people can sit and warm their backs during the cold winter evening.

During the month of August, as many as four opportunities a day are given for music lovers (and who isn’t such a lover in this spot) to enjoy the music of native musicians. Mozart, Hadyn, Bruchner, Schuber, Ravel, Strauss, Beethoven and others. If we were going to be here long enough and had we made reservations fully 10 months in advance we could have seen and heard the seasons rich offering of The Marriage of Figaro, The Misanthrope, The Magic Flute (we visited the house where Mozart wrote it), and The Love of Danae, Strauss’ last opera, only by a few hours did we miss Everyman, a play performed so effectively in open air in front of St. Peters cathedral.
Being scheduled to give the program in church in Vienna the bus and most of the students went on. Only four remained to attend the Sunday morning offering of the festival in Salzburg, of which I may tell you more, at a later day.

In Austria as in Germany, American G.I.’s are everywhere present. In Salzburg there are about 50 LDS servicemen, who hold their regular Sunday services.

Since 1946 the Allies have been conducting negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement on an Austrian State Treaty for the long promised freedom and complete independence. Just recently the Austrian government has appealed to the United Nations to bring about evacuation of their territory. The four powers have held 258 meetings on the problem, at the last of which the Soviet delegate was not present. In the meantime, the natural resources are unlawfully held from the Austrian people. Direct costs up to 1951 amount to $530,000,000 aside of the losses to Austrian economy. By far are those losses and expenses created by the Soviet Forces. Chief of them is the seizure of Austrian oil products. Some 270,300 acres of farm land in the richest provinces of lower Austria have been seized for maneuvers and proving grounds. One half of the fleet of Danube River Steam-ships and virtually all warehouses have been seized as well as 600 railroad engines with thousands of box cars, and at least 30,000 telephones.

All this is disheartening to the Austrian people, but they bravely carry on. Austria is a democratic republic. All citizens of the federation are equal before the law. Privileges of birth, sex, position and class and religion are abolished. Freedom of worship and conscience, freedom of press, freedom of assembly and association and correspondence are guaranteed by the basic laws.
The letter to me from my folks, which reached me in Vienna, was censored.

Within an area a little larger than the state of Maine, and with population of seven million there is a total of 6,105 schools of various levels—not including the Peoples University Movement, which is in full swing.

Austria has a rich and varied background, dating back to about 3500 b.c. when the first settlements began. About 2400 b.c.  the Indo-Germanic tribes found their way to the Danube River and Alpine regions—then in 400 b.c.  came the onrushing Celts. The expanding Roman Empire overflowed into what is now Austria about 200 b.c.  and about 300 a.d. Christianity began to spread in Austria and then in 1952 came the students from Brigham Young University in America in a bus chauffeured by Andre’ Gullchard, a Frenchman. Austria will “never be the same,” but it will undoubtedly recover from this visit as well as the visits of the warriors and bombs.

Afton Hansen

60 Years Ago Today

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Thursday, 31 July 1952:

At 6:30 a.m. I had a drip bath. Then I devoured another delicious continental breakfast. Soon after Helen and Margaret appeared in leather shorts ready to go. We got on the bus and wound down the road from Inglerhof into Innsbruck. A boy in shorts ran along beside the bus. He took a shortcut and beat us down the hill.

We passed the palace and theatre where there were two knights in silver armor in the store window. Then we traveled over a bridge above Inn River in Innsbruck where there was a sloping foot bridge. There were rows of wheat and hay drying on pointed sticks with, of course, red tile roofed houses. Little girls were out hoeing in the field, just like I used to do, with red and blue field rakes.

We drove by the sugar beet fields, corn fields, and a grey river. We passed fields of sticks with two cross boards and I guessed it was for the grain. And I spied other sticks with prongs. There were old castles along the way both high up on the hills and near the road. Another boy with leather shorts was washing in the trough by the road.

An overwhelming scent of fertilizer or manure wafted through the bus as I spotted a crucifix by the side of the road with flowers growing at its feet. Then I noticed a house with three different kinds of roofing with rocks spaced around the house on one section. As we continued to drive there were well stacked manure piles, which were square and flat on top. A man in leather shorts was mowing the field with a mower just like at home with a team of horses. There was so much scenery to look at in Austria.

After a while we reached the border to cross from Austria into Germany. Leaving Austria was as simple as Herr Rogers passport getting stamped for all of us.

Once again we crossed the Inn River and came to German customs on the other side. We waited while passports were stamped and cards were filled out for everybody. We wanted to get a picture of the customs official and border. We waited and waited till I finally had to settle for a picture of Helen and Margaret in their shorts by the border.

Then the custom officials herded us back in the bus and a customs man came out to us. Once again I was foiled with my picture taking. But I must say the German customs were really efficient and thorough.

Across the border Dick made an announcement, “It was our second month anniversary together.” He presented each of us girls with a flower which was gathered from along the border. Then we saw a road building crew as we passed what looked like a large factory of some kind. After driving awhile on one of Hitler’s big super highways, the autobahn, we traveled across another bridge over the Inn River again. Either the highway or river was circling, because we kept passing over the Inn River.

I observed benches and waste baskets by the side of the road for picnickers. They were located right in the middle of freshly cut hay fields with groves of trees behind it. Then turned off the autobahn to go to the castle. Dick was hanging out the window trying to pick an apple from each tree en route to the castle. There were summer sales in this little town, Prien, just like in Munich.

We stopped at the Hotel Bayerischen Hof Restaurant which had a long hallway with wooden booths and chairs. I noticed a green and yellow squared porcelain stove. There were snapdragons on the tables with the back of two booths with cute little dealies to hang coats on. The waitress knew only German. For some unknown reason Andre wouldn’t speak any German there.

We had delicious tomato soup with hot plates for the second course of wiener schnitzel. All of us had to be back by 20 minutes after the hour. While three of us got served first the other kids were getting worried about the time. I guess the hotel had to go out and kill another calf.

After the meal Alice paid her bill and then the waitress gave me my bill. We had the same meal but our totals were different. Alice thought she had been cheated because she had paid 3.79 schillings. Actually it was added as 3.17 pfennig and mine was added at 3.30 pfennig. I had been overcharged 10 pfennig and the waitress gave me back 10 pfennig. Alice tried to explain that she still had been overcharged.

In short it was quite an interesting experience as the other kids caught up with us. Five of us used the WC for 20 pfennig. Then we hurried back to the bus via the pastry shop with only a minute to spare.

Our next adventure involved a trip off to Chiemsee on a boat similar to the one on Lake Geneva. There were first and second class rates and it provided a good chance to sunbathe. I had my ever present shorts under my skirt which came in handy. There were sailboats around us as I took pictures of the kids on the boat. We had smooth sailing and nobody got sick. A big crowd waited on the shore to greet us. Then we had a long stroll down the road to a castle.

After we bought a ticket to the museum, we wandered inside with paintings and statues of King Ludwig. Also I observed sketches of the crown jewels, costumes, inlaid ivory carved pipes, and a jeweled bible. There were medals and coins of all kinds, shapes, and sizes. I viewed a baby dress along with pictures of the baby wearing the dress and his family too.

There was a section that was dedicated to Richard Wagner, a German composer and conductor. I discovered music by Wagner, programs of opera by Wagner, scenes from operas, letters from King Ludwig to Wagner, and letters from Wagner to the King Ludwig. Then in another area I viewed sketches of furniture, Miessen porcelain, paintings of royal carriages, and a portrait of King Ludwig in a statue.

As we continued on the tour we saw: a throne, pictures of gowns, costumes of royalty, small model of Munich Opera House, costumes from opera, model of Falkenstein Castle, drawings and plans for other castles, and small model of a honeymoon carriage which we saw in the Deutche Museum in Munich. Other paintings I looked at included Walkure, Meistersinger, Lohengrin, and Tannhauser, and Tristan and Isolde. Upon exiting the museum I noticed the heavy thick woods that surrounded the castle.

Afterwards we headed back to the boats and then to the bus. We retraced the road to the autobahn past a little village with a tall, tall pole with peculiar looking things all the way down the pole. I was too far away to see what it was.

Next we came across a bombed out bridge and detoured to the river bottom and back up. We cut off the road before we reached Salzburg in search of our hotel. We knew the hotel was out of the town so there was no use in going in town and back out again. We traveled through a little town with lots of shops, chalets, and a church.

Oh, Oh! Guess what? We got lost! We got on the wrong road or something. Dr. Watkins ran down a road to get some dope on the situation. He came back riding on a truck and told us we had missed the road back a ways. We went back, found the turn, and hit the border “Toute siste.” We pulled out our passports and had community singing while we waited.

A German customs officers came to the door of the bus and was amazed to see so many “schon madchens.” We left our passports at the border since it took up to 30 minutes to process them. So we’ll pick up the passports later. By the Linden tree we turned and traveled up the little road. Here it was! The Sonnhof Hotel in Austria looks quite pretty and new.

Oh! Oh! Consternation, because this hotel was full. There was a group of 28 students who had come over on the Grodte Beer. Three of the students who went back with us gave us some clues about England. They informed us that there was no sugar and hardly any food in the country. Dr. Rogers made some phone calls to someone at the hotel. The manager said that the hotel had turned down American Express a month ago concerning our reservations.

I strolled down the road with Margaret as we followed Dr. Watkins, Dick and Henry. We ended up at the border to pick up all of the passports. A man took us to a hotel near the border where maybe they could take care of us. It looked nice but if American Express had another spot for us they wouldn’t want to pay a lot of money for this hotel.

As we hurried back to the bus the other kids had been watching a soccer game down the hill. Apparently we got more hotel names so we were off in search of a place to stay. On our search I spotted a cow trail. I wondered if it went back to the autobahn. It was an exploration for me. Yep! It did, so off we went. It was getting late and we were getting hungrier. We started singing to take our minds off of it.

I don’t know how we found the hotel but we did. Actually we decided on two hotels to stay. One hotel was the Drachenloch Hotel in the little town of St. Leonhard at the foot of the hills and another hotel. Drachenloch Hotel had been expecting us since 6 p.m. and had dinner waiting for us. In the light of the moon it looked like Hotel Todtmauer. But when I got to my room that I was sharing with Betty Lou and Alice, it was entirely different. It was nice and clean with cold running water in our rooms. As we took our bags down from the bus for two different hotels it caused great confusion amongst us.

Finally, we ate dinner. It was delicious even though it had been ready for several hours. The manager wore lederhosen, which were breeches made of leather. The hotel had rustic halls, dining room, and wonderful service.

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Wednesday, 30 July 1952:

As I rolled over in my bed in the honeymoon suite it felt so good that I couldn’t get out of my bed. After we arrived here last night most of us went dancing and Innsbruck lost.

I finally got up around 10 a.m. to a huge continental breakfast. There were four different kinds of jam we could choose from. We had sent out for more rolls and the waitress brought us warm toast to tide us over. We had two big pitchers of chocolate and hard-boiled eggs. All of this food was only 2.75 schillings which was about 10 cents for us. They didn’t rush us or scowl at us or anything. Alicia asked for ein glass wasser and they brought all of us water in wine goblets.

The hotel had a beautiful lobby and some sitting rooms. The window boxes along the outside looked like opera boxes which were filled with beautiful begonias and other flowers. Lawn furniture was provided for enjoying the sunshine.

At 11 a.m. part of the gang headed for town. I decided to throw off my procrastinating and get letters off to all three of my aunts. I spent the better part of the rest of the day seeping in the beauty of my surroundings which included the mountains, hotel and town.

Later I airmailed the letters home for 6.20 schillings and regular mail to Sweden for 2.40 schillings. Then I walked down thru Ingls, Austria, about 5 p.m. going in and out of several little shops. There were lots of pretty jewelry and trinkets. I contemplated taking a bus down to Innsbruck, but I reconsidered when it started raining.

I hurried back to the hotel and found a little writing room where Carmela and I discussed our experiences so far. After the rain subsided I went out and back to my room. I ran into Dr. Watkins who had been sightseeing today and here I was under the delusion there was nothing particular to see.

Dinner at the hotel was over at 6 p.m., so we caught the 6:30 bus downtown and to the operetta. I enjoyed the bus ride even though you did have to hang on for all you were worth. It was a beautiful view of the valley, Innsbruck, and mountains. I noticed a little wooden teepee by the roadside and cute little garden like a patchwork quilt. Oh, what a beautiful shot!

On the bus there were two men with red jackets on that looked like native costumes and had musical instruments. Dr. Watkins pointed out the palace, museum, and church where Emperor Maximilian was buried.

After getting off the bus, we stopped at the Museumkeller Restaurant where the kids had eaten earlier. It had loads of atmosphere as I ate wienerschnitzel, soup, and vegetables for 40 cents. For 50 cents more at another place I could have had the same meal with a cleaner table cover.

Here in Austria the restaurants didn’t charge for the table cover like in France. Each roll or piece of bread costs 45 Groschen, which was about 2 cents, or 8 francs in Strasbourg, which was about 4 cents.

When we had finished we dashed over to the Landes Theatre. The theatre was not real elaborate but interesting. I bought a ticket for 80 cents or 20 schillings. In the city the streets were fairly wide and I noticed shops didn’t pull iron blinds down on the windows here. So I could actually go window shopping. They had cute little round waste baskets that hung from the light posts like in Strasbourg. However, the baskets were not white.

When we finally scurried off to the theater for the operetta, a lady in a uniform rented to us opera glasses for 2 schillings and program for 20 schillings to us.

I found myself on the 7th row with a big aisle in front of us so we didn’t get stepped on. The circular auditorium had boxes five stories high directly above each other. At this operetta there was no dressing up. Everyone just came dressed as they were, I do believe. Local advertising flashed on the curtain while the orchestra played the introduction.

The Strauss operetta, Gypsy Baron, had three acts and three changes of scenery. Strangely when people clapped after one of the leads sang, the lead would sing another number. The crowd encored one Gypsy and Baron duet so they bowed and sang another song. Then there was another encore with a general and dancers. All of this was a new wrinkle to me.

There were such incredible costumes, but at the same time most of the male singers had a little too much tummy. Eloise and I slept on each others shoulders between the second and third acts. Alice poked at us to look up and there were people looking down at us with either curiosity or disgust.

When the operetta was over, we dashed down to the street car stop. At a little street side stand I grabbed two frankfurters and a piece of bread with mustard for 4.50 schillings. I just couldn’t resist. Herr Watkins got a Salzbourg for 3.80 schillings.

Eventually we realized Hermine and Cherie were not there. The doctors went looking to find them. Dr. Rogers went down to the bus stop. Soon after they casually strolled up just before the trolley arrived. We had a brisk walk from the trolley to the hotel up the winding road. “Mein bed where art thou?”

As I changed for bed I contemplated how the Austrian people seem to be a cross between the Italians and Germans. They seemed on first impression to be more openly curious and carefree than the Germans, but not as open or direct as the Italians.

 

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Tuesday, 29 July 1952:

For breakfast we had rolls and chocolate with no jam. While we ate Betty, the little girl, talked to us. Hurriedly we stopped to take pictures of Betty in front of her house before we left. This made us late and we had to pay a 50 pfennigs fine.

We were off to the French Rococo Linderhof Palace. The guide book I bought tells all about it. The young guide looked like the French actor, Peirre Aumont, to me. Although Linderhof Palace was much smaller than Versailles, it is evident that it was modeled after it. Linderhof Palace had a Hall of Mirrors just like Versailles and was used for some kind of living room. I tried to take a picture of it.

Then we continued on to see an Oriental house for teas and a cave where Ludwig II had an opera put on for him alone. I could see beautiful peacocks on the grounds. Afterwards, we went to the lady in the shop who accused us of taking six slides. Dr. Rogers didn’t argue and paid for the slides.

After the palace we traveled to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a mountain resort town in southern Germany. On the way we saw a golf course and found the station to Zugspitze. We drove back to town to look around and Hermine and kids bought ski boots. There was a bowling alley and service center with a snack bar as we got on the train. It seemed our Zugspitze train ticket was punched every time we turned around. What a beautiful trip up on the train! People on the train taught us Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart, a popular song.

After getting off the train, Helen lost her ticket just before we got to the cable car. We heard a story about a serviceman falling out of the car. Such beauty! Finally, we headed toward the Austrian border and Innsbruck.

 

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Monday, 28 July 1952:

After getting up at 6:30 a.m. in Munich, I had a quick bath using the basin. My keys to the suitcase and hangers were still missing. I guess I’ll leave them In Germany for a souvenir for someone else. Again I had a continental breakfast. The hotel had a couple of lobbies and it was raining outside. I retrieved my raincoat which was folded neatly in my bag.

Then I walked across to Tele-tel to mail four postcards air mail for 50 pfennies each. We gathered the crew up and took the long way to American Express through Konigsplatz Square. However, I didn’t receive any letters. Dorothy was back from Heidelberg by now. I’ve had it here and I’m ready to move on.

We headed out of Munich through Starnberg and then on to Oberammergau, in the Bavarian Alps. Then we ate chow in Alte Post. I had wienerschnitzel and strawberry pie. Oberammergau was famous for its Passion play that has been performed for over 300 years. It included a cast of over 1400 people who were made up of German natives or people who have lived here for over 20 years.

The Passion story was about Christ and had no pause in the play. It ran from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a two hour lunch from noon to 2 p.m. There were no artificial effects or makeup in the play and natural light was only used. If it rained, the play would go on.

A middle stage and sliding stage was used. A set was prepared and then slid forward. The supposed Last Supper table had been used in the play for over 200 years. We saw a showcase of costumes that had been last used in 1720 and Oriental costumes 120 years old. All other costumes were still in use. Swords and other objects were in different dressing rooms for each group of characters.

Afterwards I ran down to the café where we ate at the Gasthaus Alter Post Hotel owned by Anton Preisinger, the owner, who had played Christ in the theater in 1950. I got an autograph of Stak at the famous White Horse Inn. We hurried through a typical graveyard to a church. It was a Rococo Baroque church which was ornate and elaborate for such a small church. St. Amanda’s bones had been taken from the catacombs and buried there. The Trinity picture hung above.

Then we wandered around shops and at 4:30 p.m. we met the whole gang at the bus. It was still raining and little kids were there to meet us and take us to their homes. We drew cards to determine which house we were going to stay at. I drew a little girl named Betty Eder that had long dark pigtails and a cute smile. Henry and Dick were in the same house with some of us girls. We met her mother as she greeted us at the door.

As we talked with the little girl in our broken German, she was very hospitable. Alicia and Henry took the lead in the conversation, but I managed to get out a few words now and then. The little girl, Betty, showed us a picture of the surrounding country we would be seeing and explained some of the things to us. Alicia asked her about the Bible and she brought out a catechism book which was a summary or exposition of their doctrine.

There were pictures of the family in the living room. Unfortunately her father had been killed in Russia during World War II. Horns from animals that her father had killed made up decorations around the pictures. They had a beautiful stove with carving on the outside of it. I felt that I had received a really good lesson with the opportunity to stay with these people. I saw the suffering of this German family and their needs were just like anyone else.

My bedroom on the second story was clean as a pin with big feather comforters and two huge pillows. I spotted a huge wash basin and pitchers with a big tall square varnished stove in the corner. The modern toilette downstairs had a picture of an open window and a poem on the wall that said “Machs Fenster auf Lass frische auft herein der nachste wirddin dankbar sein!” At 6:30 p.m. we bid them adieu to go to the hotel post to eat. It was still raining and I had on my Vesuvius Sandles for a free foot bath.

As we arrived we discovered there was a private dining room just for us. Everyone reported each of our own experiences and good fortune. Eloise and Virginia claimed to have had ein bad or a bath. My meal was kind of like a hamburger steak, but it wasn’t cooked quite thoroughly. Sadly there was no dessert but otherwise it wasn’t too bad.

We scrambled off to the Oberammergan, the Passion play. It turned out to be in a cute little theatre dealy with our own theatre Passion play guide. He came over to sit by us and tried to explain what was going on. He said it was in a German dialect so we wouldn’t be able to understand it even if we knew German. Since we didn’t know German, we were left to decipher for ourselves with the guide’s help. However, the first part was typical music with three musicians. One person had a double guitar and another had a Zither. Two little girls and four boys sang and yodeled a cuckoo clock among other sounds. Then three funny guys in typical dress with leather shorts did likewise.

Then came the play. The play turned out to be a political brawl and I couldn’t understand any of the jokes so I napped now and then. Our small Oberammergan guide thought we didn’t enjoy it very much cause we were catching up on our sleep. We just couldn’t understand it.

Outside again the rain greeted us as we left the little theatre and headed for the bus. Some of the kids were left off along the way. They were bragging about the baths they had had and we didn’t know whether to believe them or not. Then we stopped in bar for a drink where I got a really nasty orange drink. Those of us staying at the Eder house had a dark trail to walk along to get to the house. Mrs. Eder was still waiting up for us and showed us where the kitchen was located.

 

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Sunday, 27 July 1952:

I gloriously slept in. However, I missed breakfast which had been already paid for. Rats! Then I walked to church for several miles it seemed, cause I had on heels and a knit suit. It wasn’t cool and a little treacherous. There were missionaries and servicemen at the gate to meet us.

Opening exercises were in German while class was in English. We remarked on the trip at church and all said a few corny words. Many servicemen and English speaking people were at church with American kids born in Germany. Bruce Neville helped me load my new camera. I snapped my first picture in front of the church. Then we were back to the hotel for dinner.

Next we went sightseeing on the bus with a soldier who was a convert. He used to be a Spanish Pastor. I caught sight of the Nymphenburg Palace again, but was disappointed because we didn’t get to see the botanical gardens. All of us drove around town and saw the bombed out buildings. We journeyed past the Kurst House, English Gardens, and saw the Bavarian Band playing at Beer Garten. I noticed kids bathing in the Isar River. Later we passed the Deutchen Museum and then back home to our hotels.

We had an early dinner with the serviceman convert. Dinner consisted of cold plates of food that had been prepared for five. Afterwards, we caught a cab to church because we were late. I quickly dashed from the church to the opera and barely made it. Opera Electra had one set that was two hours long. It was a superb performance with the lead singing in every imaginable position. There was a twenty minute ovation.

Dear Folks,            27 July 1952
Mail stop in Munich was wonderful because I had two newsy letters from you. You just can’t imagine all the wonderful things we’ve seen and done. I just wish you could all be here with me. I have to write at the funniest places and times. We spent a wonderful Sunday today with the members and missionaries here in Munich. We have the program again tonight, but I didn’t have to talk this week because I had my turn twice last Sunday and get it again next Sunday in Vienna. It’s really a thrill. We only have a little over a month left, and I really hate to see the time go so fast. Last night we heard a wonderful concert in the Nymphenburg Palace and tonight the Opera Electra, the most wonderful I’ve seen.

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Saturday, 26 July 1952:

I had continental breakfast in the hotel. Then we met the missionaries, Bruce and Bob Neville, downstairs as we started off on foot to see the sights. Dr. Watkins was under the weather today. I happened to be walking with Bruce when he decided he had to stop in a watch shop to get a new watch band. Consequently, we got separated from the group. We looked for them at Peter’s kirche. Nope. No luck.

After some discussion we decided to head for Kurst Art Gallery through the gardens. We met Rowland Larkin, a serviceman from Ogden, who was taking picture of Prince’s House near Kurst. He was visiting Marg, Henry, and Dick at American Express.

Bruce and I spent the morning in the art gallery and it cost 50 pfennigs to get in. During our tour we had an interesting guide for 2 marks. She was an artist and explained the pictures to us and the technique of the artists. We experienced many of the masters: Rubins, VanDyke, Rafael, Botticelli, Titian, and Tintoretti.

Afterwards we walked back to the American Express from the Kurst House. At last we met up with Margaret, Rowland, Dot, Dick and others there. Rowland cashed $50 into script for me so I could get a camera. Then we dashed back to the hotel for lunch. Rowland and Bruce Neville ate with us. I endured another dainty meal at the Esplanada.

After lunch Rowland took the $50 of script to go camera hunting along with Margaret’s script. Then we all took off for the famous Deutche Scientific Museum of Munchen. Inside the museum we learned about coal mines, oil mines, and salt mines. In short we saw the mining business as it really used to happen and how it happens now. There was a history of the mining industry depicted through sample mines such as big oil drilling. It included a physics division of all kinds of instruments. A physicist would really have a hayday here.

During our tour there was a big huge clock that told all kinds of different times and position of earth and planets during different seasons. At 4 p.m. we went into a dark round domed room and heard a lecture in several languages including a few words in English about the heavens. I gazed at the stars, planets, sun, and moon moving across the sky as the guide talked. He pointed out the varied positions for all the different seasons of the year.

Next was the music room that had all different kinds of musical instruments from way back. The guide played them for us to show us the great progress in instruments. Another room included engines that varied from little ones to great big ones, and soon after a textile room which displayed all different kinds of materials. Finally we came out of the last door at 5 p.m.

As I exited Margaret with other kids was waiting for me in the entrance lobby and handed me a box. It contained a brand new beautiful Retina 1a camera with a case and all for $39.95. Rowland had apparently gotten the only one in town and had to go to the PX on the other side of town to find it. Grateful, I window shopped back to the hotel to get cleaned up for the concert. Dinner was early and good but once again not enough.

I caught a trolley on the other side of a big bombed out station for a Baroque Nymphenburg Palace for the concert. The conductor who spoke English was helpful and told us when to get off. At twilight the beautiful grounds surrounded all around us and then we scurried off to a gold concert room. Unfortunately we missed half of the first number.

After intermission we strolled on the grounds by candlelight. I was struck by the fact that Mozart and Beethoven were being played by German musicians. We hurried back to catch the trolley. There were fireworks on the way home as we stopped at the Bahnhoff square to get postcards. I observed four German men who were talking to Alicia. I bought a ham sandwich to eat. Later the elevator man in the hotel showed us pictures of his wife and little boy.

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Friday, 25 July 1952:

I woke at 2:30 a.m. having fallen asleep and left the lights on. I stirred again at 7 a.m. since the bus was coming to pick us up at 8 a.m. As our day started, we dropped Marilyn in town, who was going to Berlin. Then we crossed the Blue Danube into the Bavaria section of Ulm. I spotted a tractor and combine and wondered if they were part of the Marshall Plan to help Europe recover from the war.

Soon we stopped in Augsburg, one of Germany’s oldest cities, which was founded in the 1st Century a.d. We found the Fugger house which was historically a prominent group of European bankers and parked in the midst of a cathedral. There was a monument to Bavarian soldiers and the foundation of an earlier church.

Next we went in a Catholic Cathedral where mass was being held with inside scaffolding to repair the cathedral all around us. It was huge and massive inside with only a few stained glass windows left. The Gothic south portal was unusual.

On the wooden streets, I talked to an officer about buying some cameras. I missed seeing the place where Martin Luther, a Protestant Reformist, made the Augsburg Confession. It took place at a little St. Anne’s Church in order to resolve religious controversies between the Protestants and Catholics. The Catholic Church tried to get him to recant here, but he wouldn’t.

Today St. Anne’s Church was used for either Catholic or Protestant members and the benches were able to be turned around. Half of the group was late seeing St. Anne’s Church. Henry came running back to let us know about it and everyone got excited about this fine deal. However, some of the kids had to pay this morning.

Then we went on to the Dachau Concentration Camp that was the first camp opened for political prisoners. It opened in 1933 where 70,000 people were killed. The town had spotlights with a little girl playing with a doll in the streets. Families of the refugees from East Germany lived there now.

During the tour I saw a German MP and the crematorium where the Jews were forced to dispose of their own corpses. Big ovens were used to burn their bodies and I glimpsed wreaths on the furnaces. What an eerie feeling to be where there had been so much suffering during the war.

There was a crematorium tombstone by the gate with flowers around it. The entrance gate stated “Arbeit macht frei” which was a German phrase that means work sets you free. Denket Daran Wie Wie Heir Starben. In front of the crematorium there was a monument of a skeleton like a man that represented all unknown prisoners and stated never again. Din Toten Zurchr Den Lebenden Zur Mahmung.

Farther on we went into a building that had a map of all the prison camps. The whole of Germany was dotted with prison camps. There were almost more camps than cities it seemed.

On April 29, 1945 when Dachau was liberated 31,432 persons were interned here. Along the walls were pictures of the appalling conditions during that time. There were gas chambers where prisoners were told to take a shower and then they were showered with gas instead of water. It was a death chamber. I also noticed a large tree that was used for hanging in the cemetery for prisoners who were then put in mass graves.

On the tour we passed a new crematorium which was used as another death chamber. Jewish prisoners were used for crematorium workers to perform the dirty work. Then they had their turn at death after five to six weeks. Afterwards, new workers were brought in and kept separate from the rest of the camp to supposedly keep the secret of what really was going on.

On the walls was a picture of Ilse Koch, who was a wife of the commandant and a guard. She was known as “The Witch of Buchenwald” by the inmates because of her alleged cruelty and lasciviousness toward prisoners at the Buchenwald Prison Camp. She embodied a woman that did not esteem the dignity of mankind. A sign stated: “Dignity of Mankind Entrusted to you. Guard it! It is you who degrades it. It is you who elates it!”

Afterwards, we proceeded to Munchen or Munich. Once getting there we traveled into town by the Bahnhofplatz train station plaza. In Königsplatz, a city square, we looked for an American Express for mail. It seems Munich has had better days. There were many beautiful buildings that were in ruins. However, some of the buildings had been restored.

We passed the obelisk that was erected in commemoration of 30,000 Bavarian Soldiers that had fallen in Napoleon’s Russian campaign of 1812. Finally, we found the American Express at the Odeonsplatz, a large square in central Munich, which was named after the former concert hall Odeon. Our mail was in a whole big wad of letters. With anticipation I joyously received two letters from Mom and Twila. I tried to buy some script. Ha ha! No luck again.

While we got our luggage from the bus we found out there were two main hotels for our group. Half the mob would stay at Three Lions Hotel and the rest of the mob at Esplanade Hotel just around the corner. Well, what do you know? We found ourselves right back by the Bahnhof, a former railway terminus in Berlin.

At the hotel I had room 27 which was nice and clean. The bed had sheets that were stuffed with a blanket for a cover and one big pillow. There was a window door opening onto the balcony that overlooked the station Platz. I discovered hot water and a door leading to a bath that was locked. I checked with the desk and found out that the bathroom was open for 6 marks 24 hours a day. I’ll have to see what I can arrange.

After checking about what was going on, I ran across the street to the ticket office to get a clue about concert tickets. There were only a few expensive tickets left for the concert. So I decided to rush down to Karlsplatz, a large square, to another ticket booth. Only two tickets were left for 7.80 marks. I dashed back to give Herr Rogers the dope and then went to pick up Carol.

I searched for the military PX and I couldn’t find it. Meanwhile a small nice serviceman helped us find American Express, but it was closed. Then we went back trying to find the military PX. And it wasn’t across the street where we had been told it was and where we thought it was. Everyone we asked said it was just five minutes farther.

As we continued looking we passed the Art Museum and Officer’s Club with English gardens behind. Then we spotted a sign down the street. Yea! We found it. We couldn’t go in but we checked to see if there were any cameras that we wanted. The PX had them, but we didn’t have any script. So we decided to give up for today and try again tomorrow.

As we walked back along the route we came on, we had a conducted tour of the American Way. It was situated in a bombed out building. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel for dinner. Dinner was good but quite meager.

I chatted with a desk clerk from Cologne, Germany. He told us to see the Hoffbrau House or Famous Beer Gardens. Carol asked him if he would take us there and he said he would be glad to at 10 p.m. when he got off work.

So we wandered out to take a look at the city by night. The ruined buildings didn’t have quite the harsh look as they did by daylight. We wandered through the Beer Gardens near the hotel to see what it was like. The beer was served in great big mugs. There was a band playing inside and out wearing native costumes. I observed German Frauleins with colored US Soldiers and other US Soldiers looking for other Frauleins. A serviceman told us that the Frauleins who associated with the colored soldiers would be branded for life after the troops left.

We hurried back to the hotel to wait for Mike. He seemed to be very well educated and was interesting to talk to. He came out with a briefcase and light blue sweater over a shirt with the sleeves of his shirt rolled up over his sweater. On the way to the Hoffbrau House, we discussed nationalities and how he felt about Americans. We heard a little of his life history where he apparently hadn’t suffered too much during World War II. His parents had sent him to a private school near where we saw Rommel’s house. He was 24 years old and seemed to have quite a superior air as we had been told to expect from the better educated in the German cast system. He claimed he liked Americans and was going to visit some relative in Boston next year. As we walked he told us the Marshall Plan built the hotel where we were staying. He pointed out all the landmarks, like the clocks, to us on the way down.

When we arrived at the Hoffbrau House, it was filled with people. We wandered past the band and had to sit at a table with some other people. Unfortunately, the band played only one tune after we got there. This was the low brow part.

It was an interesting crowd. All the people came to the Beer Gardens and everybody seemed happy and gay. We talked to a German who had been to Argentina and discussed how Hitler had been here and talked. Bombs had exploded here as well. On the way back we saw the place where Hitler was captured in 1923 in the early days of the Nazi party when they unsuccessfully tried to seize power. Hitler had hit the ground after being wounded when his group was fired at and then fled.