G. Boehnke’s Return From Europe Trip - 1927

BOEHNKE

Posted By: L. Woiwood (email)
Date: 1/23/2004 at 12:01:11

Mr. and Mrs. Gust Boehnke returned last Thursday from their trip to Europe. They left here July 11th and sailed from New York with an excursion planned by the American Lutheran Magazine. There were 225 people aboard the “Luetzow.” They landed at South Hampton, and from there they went to London, and from London they sailed to Flushing, Holland. They visited Rotterdam and the Hague, saw the Peace Palace, and many places of interest. Sightseeing trips were planned everywhere they were taken by auto and everything was explained to them.

From Holland they went to Belgium, visiting Brussels and Versailles and then on to Paris. From France they went to Switzerland and then to Germany. They visited a number of large cities with the party and at Berlin they secured a lay-over and went to visit relatives. Gust had no relatives in Germany, but Mrs. Boehnke had four sisters, on in Berlin, on in Pomeren, and tow in Prussia. A brother died in Germany only last year. It was forty-four years since Mrs. Boehnke had seen these sisters, and its is useless to say that it was a pleasant visit.

Gus was 17 years of age when he left Germany and Mrs. Boehnke was 20 when she came to the Untied States. They found scores of old schoolmates, and visited the childhood homes of both. Each had lived in the same house from the time they were born until they came to this country. They found so many old friends that it was difficult for them to leave when the time came.

They had pleasant weather going, over, it was cool and nice, but on the way home it was too warm. They were not sick form being on the ocean, but they did not feel well because of the excessive heat. They saw many Americans in all foreign countries, and the report in Germany was that 50,000 Americans were touring Germany this year.

In Paris it was difficult to find many who speak the English language and they got along better speaking German. In their party were people who could speak the various languages, but without these guides it would have been difficult to get along in many of these countries visited.

Meals and rooms were cheap in most of the countries visited, much cheaper than in this country, and other things were correspondingly cheap. Mr. Boehnke says that anyone would not have to stay very long to save enough on living expenses to pay the transportation charges.

It was a very pleasant visit, and both Mr. and Mrs. Boehnke say that they would enjoy taking the trip again some time.

Per Garner Herald September 28, 1927 page 1