Is this woman ever going to teach school?

September 1, 1953

Still no principal.  (In my head, I'm thinking to myself that she may not be too disappointed in this development.)

We went into town this afternoon.  It certainly is a nice little town.  I took my suitcase to have it fixed.  That was really something.  We went to 3 places before I found somebody to do it and nobody spoke English.  But I finally got it done.

Met 2 of the wives and had a Coke.

Practically everyone has a bicycle or motor scooter as I said before.  Most of the motor scooters have two seats.  Lots of the bicycles have a little seat in front of the big one for a child.  We even saw one mother with a child in front and one in back.  They carry everything with them – suitcases, etc.  We even saw a man with a dog on his.  It really is just fascinating.

They also have 3 wheel trucks.  Saw 2 horses pulling one of the wagons with a tremendous beer barrel on it too.

September 2, 1953

We spent most of the day at school working on records.  Found out our principal went home for the summer, and they don’t know when or if he is coming.  The way things stand now I am to have a 1^st grade with 22 students.  There is a colored boy, 1 child who speaks only German, 1 who speaks only Spanish, and 1 who speaks broken English.  They are going to get a dependent to teach the upper grades whom they say is a negro.  It’s going to be great!

So I have to admit that this is the kind of stuff that always made me nervous about my mother.  I know that in her day and time, the terms "colored" and "Negro" were pretty commonly used, but it always made me nervous when she said them out loud.  She was born and raised in the South, in a very different time, and her prejudices and beliefs never changed.  She also tried to pass those prejudices and beliefs on to me and my brothers.  I'm sure it bothered her that I didn't want to be prejudiced against people who didn't look like me, just like it bothered me for her to say "Oh, Marian, what is that colored man doing over there?"  I used to roll my eyes and ask her why she couldn't just refer to him as "that man" or, if she absolutely had to describe him, why not say "that man in the green pants".  We had a lot of arguments about that.

When I was in junior high school in New Jersey, one of the girls in my group of friends was black.  When I wanted to have a slumber party and invite all the girls, my mother wouldn't allow me to invite Jackie for that reason.  That was so awkward and difficult.  It damaged my relationship with Jackie, obviously, and it made me so angry with my mother that she put me in that position.  I was probably too young then to really understand it from her perspective.  As I got older, I understood, although I never accepted it as my own point of view and I never understood why she wouldn't let herself change her own point of view.  She was never unkind or mean to anyone, but she had very rigid social interaction rules that she never let go of.  I can only imagine how this went down over in Germany....

Tonight a couple of the boys took us downtown to dinner to the Wittelsbach Hotel.  They say that that is the place to eat in town.  It was very nice and the food was grand.

September 3, 1953

Stayed at school all day and made preparations for opening of school.  I declare I believe the teacher for the upper grades is a negro. 

Barbara called and said that they weren’t going to be able to go up the Rhine this week-end, but we are going on anyway.  Some girls here told us how grand it is and some places to go.

Went to the movie tonight to see “The Blue Gardenia” [A telephone operator ends up drunk and at the mercy of a cad in his apartment. The next morning she wakes up with a hangover and the terrible fear she may be a murderess.  Raymond Burr was in the movie!].  It was pretty good and only cost 25 cents.

Tomorrow we start on our travels again.

See?  This is how I know she was really only there to travel!  I don't know if this was a thrown together trip since the principal was AWOL or not.  LOL

September 4, 1953

Finally got started fixing our rooms but couldn’t do too much.  The school was spic and span until 2 days ago.  Then the Army engineers decided to come in and do the building over – typical.

Got the train at 7 PM for Cologne – will take all night.

September 5, 1953

Arrived in Cologne at 6 AM – very foggy but then it is in the British zone.  Certainly seemed odd to see British soldiers instead of our boys.

Went into the cathedral (this was the Cologne Cathedral).  It is magnificent.  They have put back a lot of the stained glass windows but not all of them.  They are still rebuilding.  14 bombs fell on the cathedral.  They say that everything around it was leveled, but it survived.  It really is amazing how they have rebuilt, but you can still see the evidences of the bombings.

We went in the Treasure Room at the cathedral.  It is loaded with gems and gold.  Then we climbed the tower – 501 (Wikipedia says it’s 509 steps, but what’s 8 steps at this point? J ) steps straight up.  I thought we would never make it.  Halfway up are the bells.  One weighs 25 tons (actually 24 tons, called St. Peter’s Bell) and is the largest swinging bell I think.  They rang while we were there.  Then we went on up to the top.  The view could be amazing if it were a clear day but it was something anyway.

Then we went to get the steamer down the Rhine to Bad Godesburg.  The fog lifted just before we left.  The trip was just beautiful.  It was just like all the pictures – the tall straight trees, etc.  The Rhine is certainly one of the busiest bodies of water I have ever seen.

You know everywhere you go people bring out their sandwiches and beer.  They usually carry them in a brief case.

So far we haven’t seen any castles, but I think we will tomorrow.

We landed at Bad Godesberg about 3 PM.  We are staying at the Godesberger Hof – a military hotel.  It is really lush – wall to wall carpeting, a private balcony, private bath with heated towel racks.  First private bath since I left Charlotte and the 3^rd bath.  Hitler used to stay in this hotel.  It is right on the Rhine – so was our room.  The dining room overlooks the Rhine too.  It’s really something.

The town is very nice and peaceful.  Most of the people looked more prosperous here than the other places we have been.  It is noted for its nice residential sections.  This afternoon we took the streetcar over to Bonn – the temporary seat of the German Govt.  The elections are tomorrow, so the place was really jumping with campaign speeches, etc.  We went in one booth where they were having some sort of movie – Adenauer’s forces were sponsoring this.  Got another streetcar to see the great building.  It was too late to go in so we just looked.

Tonight we decided to go over to Petersburg for dinner.  It is across the river and on top of one of the “seven hills”.  We could look out of our window and see it.  It used to be the headquarters for the Allied High Command.

Well, the desk clerk told us that it was about a 20 minute walk to the ferry and then we could get a bus up there.  It took us about an hour to walk.  When we finally got across, the bus driver wouldn’t take us for some reason – he couldn’t speak English, so we had to get a taxi (no English).  When we finally got there, we found we didn’t have any marks and they wouldn’t cash a traveler’s check.  So we had to come right back down.  We ate at the Hotel Loreley in Konigswinter.  It was pretty good.  Then we got the ferry back and had the devil’s own time getting a taxi.

Most people say that you run into people everywhere who speak English.  Try going with us sometime!

By the way, they even had our beds turned down for us.

September 6, 1953

We got the steamer about 9:30 this morning.  The trip down the Rhine was beautiful.  The hills come right down to the edge.  Lots of them are cultivated – probably grape vines for the Rhine wines.  Saw several castles – most impressive.  There are little towns all along the river – very quaint and picturesque. 

I got to do this when I was in Germany in the 80's.  We had a lovely trip down a portion of the Rhine and saw all kinds of castles along the way.  When we got to our end point, we took a train back to our car. 

Finally we got to Weisbaden [one of the oldest spa towns in Europe] after taking a bus from the ferry.  The clerk in the billeting office told us that he could put us in the room with two other girls in the Rose Hotel.  When we got there the clerk told us that there wasn’t any one in there.  Well, you just ought to see this room.  To begin with it is tremendous with a high ceiling.  It has two beds – one on each side of the room – and 3 baby beds.  It has hardwood floors, big old furniture, a funny old chandelier and funny big basins.  I think there are to bathe in because we can’t find a tub.  I do believe this hotel was the original one here.  Machs nichs – for $1 a night.

One of the sights all along the Rhine – all the little boys had their hair slicked down with a bobby pin.

September 7, 1953

Have you ever slept on a red and gold mattress?  Well I did last night.  The hotel really must have been magnificent at one time – stained glass windows, marble steps, gold iron work on the stairs, etc.  By the way!  All of the elevators have seats in them.

Got the train to Frankfurt to meet one of the auditors.  We waited from 12 to 3 o’clock at the Carlton.  She has a Renault.  It really is something for 3 people and luggage to ride about 250 miles in one.  My feet nearly froze.  It took us until our usual time to get in – 3AM.  We stopped at Rothenberg – the wall city which the Army engineers asked the Air Force not to bomb so they didn’t.  No new architecture can be used there.  They even have to have a permit to repair something.  It really did look very quaint and attractive in the dark.  Ate dinner at a German restaurant here.  Saw a chimney sweep riding his bicycle down the road with all of his equipment.  He was precious.  He stopped and let me take his picture.  Do hope it turns out.

This actually says that it's a chimney sweep at the school, but close enough!

Look out, Europe! Marion Hunter has arrived!

As I was growing up, I always remember my mother talking about her year in Europe.  While I knew she had gone over there to teach school, to hear her tell her tales you’d think she’d gone over for a debutante’s tour across the pond.  Most of what she talked about were the places she had gone and the things she had seen.  Like being in Jerusalem and Bethlehem at Christmas and at the Vatican in Rome.  And of course we were always looking at her slides, which were mostly of her travels or Army base stuff.  I don’t ever remember the slide of her students, but maybe that was because it’s just the tops of their little bitty heads! J

To hear Mother tell it, this was the grandest adventure she ever had.  After reading her diary, I can certainly understand why she thought so.  I often wondered when in the world she actually had time to teach school after reading about all the places she and her friends went.  Reading the diary gave me insight into the things she didn’t share, like the day to day life (and the nightlife!) on an Army base in a foreign country.  She was there less than a decade after the end of World War II and so there were still places that were scarred from battle and they were so close to the Iron Curtain, which is hard for me to imagine.  Those were the days when you had to visit Israel and Egypt in a particular order, I remember her telling me.  I am amazed that she went to places that were still brimming with conflict without, apparently, a second thought.

The first time I went to Europe was in the mid-80’s (I can never remember the exact year).  I went with my best friend Debbie.  Her brother-in-law was in the Air Force and stationed in Germany and Debbie had gone over the year before and then asked me to come with her for her second trip.  I remember being a little disappointed that Mother and Daddy didn’t seem more enthusiastic about my trip when I told them, but then again, they were pretty matter of fact people, so I guess they were excited in their own way.  But they did talk to me about where we were going and what we’d be doing.  I think they were just pleased that I was getting an opportunity to go over there.

I went during the glory days of European travel. J  This was pre-Euro and the dollar was super strong against every currency.  I think we got 3 ½ marks to the dollar and 11 francs to the dollar and 22 schillings to the dollar!  So I was able to buy a lot for a little.  I still remember Debbie’s sister Beverly giving us each about 25 schillings when we were in Salzburg and telling us not to spend it all in one place. J  I was amazed at how much we had to buy to actually spend it all!

We visited places that my mother wrote about, like Paris and Garmisch and Salzburg.  It was fun to see her pictures of places I had taken pictures of.  But I didn’t really appreciate it as much as I did once I read her diary and really got to “hear” her experiences and compare them to mine.  By the time I was reading the diary I had made two more trips to Europe and had been to some places she had not and had also spent time in Florence and Venice, following again in her footsteps.

But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.  I don’t know if she had any plans for what she would do while she was in Europe.  I don’t know how much was spontaneous or whether she had her own “bucket list” of places she hoped to see.  But first she had to get adjusted to living in a foreign land.  My brother Paul and his family have been living in France for about three years and I would imagine they had some of the same challenges that Mother did, adjusting to different customs and cultures and ways of doing things.  Not knowing the language and feeling very out of place.  And so her odyssey begins in late August of 1953….

August 24, 1953

We changed trains in Nurnberg at 10 o’clock this morning.  Got on the Munich train - coaches.  These are just like the ones in the movies – six in a compartment.  Also you pull the windows down from the top and you hang out.

The countryside is beautiful.  Every spare inch of ground is under cultivation, and it all looks so neat.

You see flowers everywhere.  Even the train stations (Bahnhof) have flowering plants hanging on the platforms.

You can still see evidences of the bombings everywhere.  They have built back a lot and are still building.  Almost all of the men wear the short pants and long socks.  Most of the people ride bicycles or motor scooters.  You can even see people putting their bicycles on the trains with them.  It’s all very fascinating.

When we got to Munich, people from the RTO met us at the station.  They took us to the Army base for some processing.  Then we came to the Hotel Columbia – run by the Army.  We have nice big rooms (2 in a room) for 75 cents a night.  We came home and took a nap.  Then Ruth, Barbara and I went out to find a restaurant.  What with our couple of German words and almost all sign language we found a sidewalk café.  It was very atmospheric.  We had a good dinner for about 25 cents, but I couldn’t tell you what we ate.  When we walked in, everyone stared at us.  It certainly did seem funny – we are the foreigners now.

It certainly is frustrating not to be able to understand people or to be able to talk to them.  But maybe we will some eventually.

We didn’t run into a single person who spoke English.  But it was fun.

August 25, 1953

More processing all day.  Got up at 6 o’clock for breakfast – had to wait in line again and finally got served about 7 o’clock.  Got the bus about 7:30 out to the McGraw Kaserne (the post) [former military installation in Munich, used by the US military during the occupation of Germany after WWII].

Spent all morning processing.  Then Barbara had trouble with her papers so it took us until about 2 o’clock.  Then took a taxi to the American Embassy to have our passports amended in order to travel in the rest of Europe.

Then Muriel, Barbara and I went to the Bahnhof on the trolley.  It was a scream.  We got on and asked how much.  He told us but we couldn’t understand.  Finally Muriel figured it out.  Anyway we rode and trusted to luck and our luck held out because we got there.  We picked up our tickets and went to the outdoor café in the station.  Here we struggled with our meager German and our sign language and ordered Kaffe and kuchen.  While were looking for a phrase in our dictionary, the man with whom we were sitting asked us in perfect English if he could be of any help.  We just howled but he was very nice.  When we left the girl followed us and told us that we hadn’t paid for our coffee.  We couldn’t understand at first.

Then we got another trolley back to the Hotel and had the same trouble as before.  Tonight we went to the “Hofbrau Haus” for dinner.  We had a little trouble getting there on the trolley, but we made it.  The Hofbrau Haus is a tremendous hall where they serve beer in steins that hold a little over a quart.  We had wonderful steaks for about $1.50.  You sit at tables for at least 8 and they fill up all of the places.  They seated us with a very nice Swedish couple.  Eventually they left and our table filled up with Americans.  There was a Colonel Houston and his wife there who know Aunt Lillian and Uncle Merlin.

There was an orchestra and everyone danced.  Just before time to go home a woman from the audience sang.  Everybody hooked elbows and swayed and sang.  Then we all stood up on the chairs.  Then they usually stand on the tables, but she said that everyone had had too much beer for that tonight.

Some German boys came over to the table and talked to us.  They told us that what we had been saying for good night was good naked.

Just before we left we went into the “little girl’s room”.  A woman rushed in and wiped off the seat with a rag first.  Then when we washed our hands, she handed us the same old towel everybody else had used.

We really had a wonderful time at a typical German beer hall!

The toilets here are most peculiar.  The tank is way up on the wall.  You either push a button or pull a chain to flush them.  And the seats are very narrow.

We have had a grand time in Munich – 2^nd largest city in Germany.  The post where they processed us used to be the Nazi Quartermaster Headquarters.  The room we used was a conference room where Hitler and all of the wheels probably met.

August 26, 1953

Left Munich at 9 o’clock.  We had to change at Neufahrn where we supposedly had 2 minutes to get our bags off and change trains.  We madly pushed our bags through the windows and rushed over to our train.  It was third class – wooden floors and wooden seats.  I don’t believe that there was one other person on it who could speak English.

The school officer met us at the station in Straubing.  The town looks very nice – what we saw of it.  The driver took us to headquarters where we met the colonel and the adjutant.  The adjutant took us to our quarters and to lunch.  We are living at the Officers Club and have separate rooms.  We had our choice of living together or not, but we decided to live in separate rooms because of the space.  I have a nice size room and a dressing room large enough for our bags.  There is not too much in the room, but it is nice.  We eat here too.

This is the headquarters for the 6^th Cavalry Armored Regiment.  It is the last outpost before the Czech border.  Our troops patrol the border.  We are less than 20 miles from the Russians.  They tell us we are the very end.

Our hold luggage was here yesterday, so we spent the afternoon unpacking.  Late this afternoon we went by the office and met Capt. Jack Jernigan.  He asked us to go out on a party tonight with a gang.  It turned out to be a battalion staff party for their colonel who is leaving.  It was a progressive dinner and was wonderful.  We saw some movies that one of the boys had made around here.

Everyone was wonderful to us and so very friendly.  In fact everybody so far has been grand to us.  We really did start off with a bang.  It looks like this is going to be a nice assignment.

By the way!  This used to be a German Luftwaffe base.

August 27, 1953

This morning we got to sleep until we woke up for the first time since we left home.  After breakfast we walked around the post some – went to the APO, the PX, and the school.  The school seems to be very nice.  It used to be an officer’s club when the Germans were here.  We talked to the secretary and she was very nice and helpful.  The principal hasn’t come yet so we are on duty but actually we aren’t doing a thing.  We still don’t know what grades we will have.

Tonight we miscalculated and got downstairs too late to be served in the dining room, so we ate in the bar.  Met a boy from Kings Mtn.  We sat around and chatted and played cards.  Then about 10 o’clock we went downtown to two of the night spots – “The Capitol”.

This outfit and the other two cavalry battalions are the ones that have to delay when and if the Russians ever do attack.  They delay for 12 hours while the rest of the troops here fall back to the Rhine.  If and when the bell is rung, they say to grab a bag and leave immediately – don’t go back for anything.  Actually the Intelligence will know 48 hours in advance.  But I am not worried because I have lots of faith in the US Army.  We really are in an exciting spot.

This is still a wonderful place and everybody is grand to us.  The word has certainly gotten around that we are here!  It’s nice all right!

The weather has been wonderful ever since we left home.  Here it is nice and warm during the day and cool at night.

August 28, 1953

We were going to catch a train to Berchtesgaden this afternoon, but one of the boys told us he would give us a ride to Munich.  He forgot us so we went ahead and got the cattle car to Munich even though we couldn’t get a train until in the morning.  Stayed at the Excelsior [near the Karlsplatz].  We went into the bar to get something to eat and ran into some of the girls from the ship.  There were a bunch of boys too.  After they closed the bar we all went to a joint – “The Coliseum”.  Inside it looked like the South Sea Islands.  On each table was a telephone and over each table a lamp with a number.  You dialed this number to get the table you wanted.  More fun!  A German boy asked me to dance.  He was a fairly good dancer, but he couldn’t speak English, and I couldn’t speak German.  So we danced in dead silence.  It certainly was frustrating but most interesting.

August 29, 1953

Got the train for Berchtesgaden this morning.  It is in the Bavarian Alps and they are beautiful.  The trip down was gorgeous.  When we got here we had missed Barbara.  Staying at the Duertches Haus for $1 a night.  Then we got the army bus over to Salzberg, Austria free.  (It is grand to be connected with the US Army – they certainly do a lot for you).  We ran into Barbara and some of the other girls there.  Went up to the fortress that was built in 1666.  You go up on the funicular, which is run with water – put in the top and drained out at the bottom.  It was most interesting and the view was gorgeous from up there.  Then we met the rest at the Goldener Hirsch Hotel for dinner – famous place and had steak.  Had Salzberger nockerls for dessert and it was out of this world – sort of a lemon meringue.  Then we went back up to the fortress to watch the Bavarian folk dances and songs – yodeling.  It was so much fun and most colorful.

When I was in Berchtesgaden and Salzburg, we were on an Army/Air Force Recreation tour; I'm sure the same kind of thing Mother was on.  We visted Eagle's Nest, which was Hitler's summer home - I'm guessing since it was so close to the end of WWII that you might not have been able to visit back then.  We also did "The Sound of Music" tour, which of course didn't exist back when Mother was there!

Both times we crossed the Austrian border, we had to pull out our passports – crossed my first border today.  This countryside is beautiful and most picturesque.

August 30, 1953

We got the Army bus to Lake Konigsee this morning and took a boat trip around the lake.  It is just beautiful – right in the middle of the mountains.  It is the deepest – 750 ft. – and the coldest lake in Germany.  We stopped at a little chapel on the lake.  There was a beergarden next to it.  Most of the people had on this Bavarian dress.  There was also a band.  Germany is just like I have always pictured it.  I just love it here.

We went to the Bavarian show this afternoon at the hotel.  It wasn’t as good as last night.

We got the train to Munich and when we got here, found out we couldn’t get one until tomorrow morning at 6:10.  So we are staying at the Excelsior.

Got to take a bath tonight.  Most places here have showers.  Really they do have the funniest plumbing I have ever seen and everywhere you go it is different.

August 31, 1953

Got up at 5:15 to get the 6:10 train to Straubing.  Got here about 9 o’clock – just in time to get the bus back to the Kaserne.  It went all over town first, so we got our first look at Straubing.  It looks like a nice little town.

Went straight to the school.  Our principal hasn’t shown up yet – a week overdue, and nobody knows where he is.

There are 21 students in the 1^st grade and 22 in the 2^nd.  It looks like I might have them both.  There are going to be 2 little boys in the 1^st grade who only speak Spanish.  It’s really great.  (For some reason, I hear sarcasm in that remark, but maybe that's just me.)

Just cruisin'

August 18, 1953

We got cool weather last night – not cold but just comfortable.

Had German class this morning.

This afternoon went to the movie with some of the boys – “Love Hand” with Joel McCrae.

Had a benefit Bingo game tonight for Koreans.  Went but didn’t stay very long.  We lose another hour tonight.

Our route:

When we left N.Y. we set our course due East on an azimuth of 90° to take advantage of the Gulf Stream – currently increases our normal speed some – about 725 miles out of N. Y. – 47^th° of longitude West of Greenwich – changes course to ENE – now headed straight for Eng.  Between 10 AM and 2 PM Friday morning should see Bishop’s Rock in the Scilly Group – light house to guide ships into English Channel.  Go along South coast of Eng. past Isle of Wight to Dover.  Reach Dover about 8 or 9 Saturday morning.  Go close in to pick up pilot for North Sea and see the white cliffs.  In North Sea go along northern coast of Belgium and Netherlands to the estuary of the Weser River – 18 miles up this is Bremerhaven – land 23^rd about 10 AM.  (Ok, so I'm certain she copied this from something she got on the ship.  I can't even imagine Mother using the word "azimuth".  And just WTH does "azimuth" mean anyway??

August 19, 1953

When leaving German class this morning we had a boat drill.  Went up to my deck and found the door to our compartment already closed.  Had to wander around until I could find a stairwell to get there.  Then we put on our life preservers and stay in cabin until told to go to life boat stations.

Lost another hour last night.

Had a dance tonight.  Now I know how a drunk must feel dancing.  It’s terrible dancing on a rolling ship.  (Speaking from experience, that's exactly how a drunk feels dancing, Mother!)

They also had a beauty contest – boys & girls dressed up in costumes.  Most entertaining.  Served coffee at the dance.  Let us stay up until 12 o’clock.

August 20, 1953

Hit the waters going into the English Channel about dinner time tonight, and we are really rolling.  In the lounge you could be sitting one place one minute and half way across the room the next.  Going down the steps is really rough – if you are going down and the ship rolls that way you fly the rest of the way down.  One end of our cabin in part of the side of the ship, and you can hear the waves hit.  Sometimes it sounds like they are coming right on in.

This morning Barbara and I decided to do some washing – we have a Burdix – the first one put out.  We put our clothes in and it spun them immediately.  Then it proceeded to go through the whole washing and drying process two times.  I thought we would never get them out.

Lose another hour tonight.

Cig are $1 a carton on board ship.

August 21, 1953

Finally sighted land about 8:30 this morning – Bishop’s Rock [small island in the Isles of Scilly; has only enough room for a lighthouse].  But we could hardly see it.  About 11 o’clock we really saw land – Land’s End [located on the Penwith peninsula southwest of Penzance; the extreme westerly point of the English mainland, as opposed to the online store Land's End].  We are supposed to pick up a Pilot at Dover at 6 o’clock tomorrow morning, so we are having to slow down in order not to get there too soon.

The water is calmer now, but it certainly was rough last night.  Not many people got a lot of sleep because we were all trying to stay in our bunks.  I kept sliding from top to bottom.

Just had our medical inspection.

There are about 20 officers aboard and about 10 or 20 crew members who can associate with us.  Most of them are married, but we have fun anyway.

Have seen several boats out today.  Sho is nice to see something besides water again.

There are right many North Carolinians aboard – about 6 girls, 2 officers and 2 or 3 crew members.  It’s nice to hear someone who can really talk and can be understood instead of trying to understand all these Yankees and Westerners.  (Years later, when we lived in New Jersey, she always complained about how she couldn't understand anyone there!  LOL)

Tonight they closed off the compartment doors and have an MP guarding them on each side.  This is purely a precaution because we are going through waters that still have some mines floating around.

Tonight we had a dance.  Due to the shortage of men, it was a girl break.  Still it was fun.  It is really something to watch people dance on a rolling ship – one minute everybody will be on one side of the floor and the next minute they have all slid to the other side.  Also it is something to do the bunny hop and the Mexican hat dance on a rolling ship.  (Too bad they didn't have video cameras in those days.  It would have been a hoot to watch her do the bunny hop and the Mexican hat dance.)

August 22, 1953

We got up before 5:30 this morning to see the “White Cliffs of Dover”.  It was well worth it too.  They really are beautiful and white.  We could also see the town and the harbor.  You could also see some of the ships that were sunk during World War II.

This is where the pilot came on board.  He came bobbing out on a little boat and climbed up a little ladder thrown over the side.

It is at the point here where the channel swimmers cross.  You can see England on one side and France on the other side.

Then this morning we changed our money for Military Script.  We also got debarkation information.  There was a communion service this morning because people will be debarking all day tomorrow.

There is one girl in the dispensary.  She fell climbing into the top bunk and has a slight fracture.

Then yesterday one girl dropped her papers over board – passport, travelers checks, etc.

There is also a man in the dispensary.  He had to have an appendectomy the other morning.  It was the day before we started rolling so badly.  (Good thing they weren't cutting on him the day they were rolling!)

This afternoon Joan and I went up to the bridge and took some pictures.  They have a man on the wheel now because we are close into shore and there are lots of ships around.  We also went into the radio room.  We heard some French music over the radio.

Tonight was the captain’s dinner and it certainly was good – fillet and all the trimmings.

Tomorrow is the big day.  Kind of hate the leave the old ship.  It has begun to feel like home.

August 23, 1953

Well, we finally landed.  We picked up our pilot about 7:30 right inside of the harbor.  Three tugs pulled us in.  The America is docked right behind us.

A band played as we docked.  It is all very exciting.  Right now we are waiting to be called for processing.

I am going to Straubing.  It is about 60 or 70 miles from Munich – N.E.  It is in Bavaria and is near Austria, Czechoslovakia, Italy and Switzerland.  Hildie Jergen, one of my cabin mates, is going too.  We are the only 2.

They took us on buses to a school in Bremerhaven [located on the River Weser] this afternoon for a meeting.  (The rest of the time we had to stay on board.)  That was the first teacher’s meeting I have ever been to that was ¾ about how to act around liquor.  (If only she had known then that this would be important information to have to live in the land of parties.)

We boarded a tug at 6:45.  German porters took our baggage.  The trains are very small.  There are all compartments – 2 in each one.  The compartments are very small and funny.  (I have a top bunk again.)  Barbara and Ruth and I talked to the schoffence (I have no idea if this is a real word or just her bad handwriting) for a long time trying to learn some German.  (Kinda late in the game to be trying to learn some German, dontcha think, Mother?)

Everything looks so different and the people look so different.

The streets are cobblestones.

We go to Nurnberg [also spelled Nuremberg; they seem to be interchangeable] and change there.  Then we go to Munich for another meeting.  The train will take until about 1 o’clock.  The part that we saw of Bremerhaven looked very old and quaint.

(Barbara is going to Nurnberg.)

We saw some streetcars.  There seemed to be 3 hooked together and they are very narrow.

Everything on this train is written in German.  (Um, duh.  You're in Germany!  LOL)  On the mirror in the bathroom is “Pepsodent mit Irium.”

Whenever Mother talked about the ship crossing, she never spoke of it in glowing terms.  I think at that point, she was just as happy to never have to go on a ship again in her entire life.  And I don't think she actually did either.  Maybe if she had gone on a real cruise, she would have felt differently.

I, on the other hand, love cruising.  Of course, I've only gone on two!

My first cruise was a radio station-sponsored cruise.  94Q, the big top 40 station in Atlanta in the 70's and 80's, sponsored cruises every year - The 94Q Love Boat cruise, they called it.  The morning show team went on the cruise and there were tons of activities just for the people from Atlanta.  It was always on a Carnival cruise ship, which had tons of party activities already, but 94Q added more, just for us.  The ports of call were almost beside the point.

The cruise experience started even before the cruise, with a party at a local bar just to get people excited for the trip.  It was at this party that I found out that an old boyfriend was going to be on the cruise.  Jimmy McGuffey.  What a piece of work.  He was one of those party animals that also fancied himself quite the ladies man.  As if.  Our relationship had ended after I found out he was also dating a coworker of mine.  So needless to say, I was not looking forward to running into him on the ship.  But I was also just as determined to have a great time.

I remember later, after I'd been back about a month, talking to someone else who had gone on a cruise who described it as being like a seven day drunk.  Hell, it WAS a seven day drunk!  You really forget that you have to pay for all those margaritas and mai tais that you snatch up during the "at sea" days or any other time you're just on the ship.  And then all the 94Q parties had free booze, so it was a never ending party experience.

I had a great time, met a lot of fun people, and never once had to interact with Jimmy McGuffey.  The nice part of being on a ship with nearly 2,000 people.

My second cruise was with my ex-husband.  I had to really play down the fact that I wanted to go on a cruise, because that was exactly the thing that would typically cause him to want to do something else.  He didn't like for me to "get my own way", so if I acted like a cruise was something I really wanted to do, we would not have done it.  Unfortunately, we had less than ideal weather - kind of like the rolling sea that Mother experienced on her ocean crossing - and I would never go on another cruise again.



In the beginning...

When I first got the diary, I read it a little bit at a time.  I always read a little before bed and that became my bedtime reading for several months.  I would find myself chuckling over something she’d written or wondering what it was like for her, on her own like that.  There were definitely some things that shocked me.  Was she silly?  Yes, sometimes, but other times she was just a hoot, learning how to live in a foreign land.  And not so different from me, when I moved far away.

Then I decided to transcribe the diary.  After all, it was 50+ years old and it couldn’t last forever, could it?  I thought it would be nice for my brothers and me to have this documented account of a year in her life.  So as I started to transcribe, that’s when I really read it.  That was when I really felt like I started to know the woman my mother had been in her late 20’s.  It made me wish I’d taken the time when she was still alive to get to know her better.  After I transcribed the diary, I went back and tried to identify events and places she had mentioned, which helped me get a greater pulse on the time and place.

One of the things I always thought would be a great complement to the diary were Mother’s slides.  Back in those days, I guess slides were the way to go.  The way Polaroids were for a while and now digital pictures.  I can remember, as I was growing up, we would get the slides out and the projector and watch them against a bare wall.  Finally my brother George was able to scan them into a digital format.  So my hope is that as I spend time sharing the diary, I’ll be able to add pictures that will help tell the story.

So come along with me on a trip to Europe in the early 50’s through the eyes and words of Marion Malone Hunter.

August 1953 – August 1954

Year spent in Europe

August 10, 1953

Left Charlotte 8/9 at 7:30 PM.  Arrived New York at 8:55 AM.  Waited in station for couple of hours on bus to Fort Hamilton [Ft. Hamilton is located at the east side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Brooklyn and is the only active military base in metropolitan New York City].  At 6 o’clock we finished our processing – medical, AGO card, passport, etc.  Staying in billets at Ft. Hamilton – Adams [Did not find anything on Adams, but the temporary housing, where she likely stayed, is now referred to as Fort Hamilton Inn Annex, a refurbished barracks].  Did nothing but wait in line all day.

For lunch ordered bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich and got waffles – started off with a bang.

Tonight stood in line again for supplies at Dependent’s Mess, then went to Post Theater – “Fort Algiers” [In northwest Africa, a tribal leader tries to stir up a rebellion against the ruling powers.  Stars included Yvonne DeCarlo (Lily Munster) and Raymond Burr (Perry Mason).] (Barbara got in the room and couldn’t get out.)

August 11, 1953

Met Mother and Daddy at Taft [hotel in NYC?] – had lunch there in the grill.  Went to see the movie “The Moon is Blue” [A young girl meets an architect on the observation deck of the Empire State Building and quickly turns his life upside down.  Starred David Niven, William Holden and Maggie McNamara.].  Very good.  Ate at Schraft’s [nice restaurant in NYC].  Then went to see the play “Wish You Were Here”.  Sho have got sore feet.

August 12, 1953

Had some more processing this morning.  Went to see “The King and I” this afternoon.  Ate dinner at The Pen and Pencil [a classic NYC steakhouse, now gone].  Very good but expensive.  Went to see Wonderful Town tonight – excellent [about two sisters who travel from Columbus, OH to NYC to seek fame and fortune – won 5 Tony awards].

August 13, 1953

Sailed on the Gen. Hodges at 2:30.  Boarded buses at Ft. Hamilton at 8 o’clock.  Boarded ship at 9:30.  Regular navy transport.  Mother and Daddy came down to ship to see us off.  Had an army band play.  Very impressive.  Had just gotten out to seas when had a fire drill – put on life jackets and go to boat stations.

Eat at second sitting – meals are pretty good.  Went up on deck after supper – nice and cool.  So pitiful to see the troops hanging on the fence around our area of the deck.

There are movies 3 times a day, a library, game room, and lounge where everyone congregates at night.  Have coffee house every night at 10 o’clock in the lounge.

There is also a sun deck for us and deck chairs.  The ship is very nice but still a transport.

We are on E deck – four in a room – no port hole.

Also have a laundry room, ships store, special services, newspaper, etc.

Have never seen so many stair wells.  I spend my time going up and down the steps and eating.  It’s like being in a maze.  Sometimes we even end up in the troop’s quarters.  I feel like the rats we used to run through the mazes in Psych. Lab. 

            The ship rolls constantly – our bunks are situated so that your head and feet go up and down.  If they were the other way, it would be like a cradle.

Aunt Helen, etc. – sent some flowers to the ship – beautiful.  Amelia Ann sent a telegram.

Very nice cabin mates.

Have certainly met some nice people so far.

The trip is supposed to take 10 days.

August 14, 1953

Same thing – nothing but ocean.  Had coffee and sandwiches served in the lounge tonight.

Played bridge all morning.

Formed a small orchestra for the lounge tonight.

Our ship – USNS Gen. Hodges – 522’ long and 71’6” across the beams; 16,750 tons; 9,000 horsepower – cruising speed 17.25 knots (about 20 mph).  Produces 40,000 gallons of water per day.  3 generators – 400 kilowatts.  About 1,500 passengers – 1200 troops, 300 cabin passengers, 150 crew members.

The stewards clean up your cabin every day.  Have a sanitary inspection every day.

August 15, 1953

The scuttlebutt is that we are running ahead of a hurricane so we are going faster than usual.  Last night they said the sea got pretty rough in the night and pulled the sea weed loose.   They started German classes this morning and will have them every day except Sunday.

It is certainly hot.  They say that this is the hottest that it has been in a year.

This afternoon we went to see the movie “I’ll Never Forget You” [time travel fantasy starring Tyrone Power and Ann Blyth] but it was so hot we left.  Then tonight we played bingo until coffee hour.  Then everybody went to the lounge and sang.  They let us stay up until 12 o’clock tonight instead of 11.  Big doings for Saturday night.

It’s still rolling around.

Two of my cabinmates are from New York and one is from California so we have a hard time understanding each other sometimes but we manage [only my mother would have such difficulty understanding people who actually live in the same country she does!].

Bremerhaven is 3,666 miles from New York.

August 16, 1953

We lost one hour last night – 4 or 5 more to go.  Went to church this morning.  Boy was it hot.

This afternoon went out on the sun deck but couldn’t take it too long – very hot.  We are still in the Gulf Stream.  We haven’t gone north because of icebergs.  They say even if we get to Bremerhaven before the 23^rd we can’t get off the ship – the Navy has a schedule.

Tonight we played cards and danced in the lounge.  Very enjoyable.  They let us stay up until 12 again tonight.

August 17, 1953

This morning we had a man overboard drill for the crew.  They threw over a life preserver and shot a flare.  Then the ship went around in a big circle and stopped.  The lowered a life boat and they went out and got the life preserver.  They had a little trouble getting the life boat back up because the waves kept washing the boat up and it would come off of the hooks.

This afternoon we went on a tour of the bridge – saw how they steer the ship; the radar, map room; fire warning system, etc.  Then we went in the flag locker and up on the flying bridge – very good view of the entire ship and the ocean.

There is a man in the brig.  The first night he put on civilian clothes and came into the play pen area with us.  (He is one of the troops.)

We get a newspaper every day.  It has our position each day, things to do on board, and the latest world news.