Tram Tuesday - Wiesbaden

Although there is no close-up of the tram, this card really gives you an idea of what it would be like to be standing on the street in Wiesbaden at the turn of the century.  But for the sulfurous spa waters, I would love to  be transported there. All three of these cards show the same street, the Wilhelmstrasse, named after Kaiser Wilhelm. Sadly, Wiesbaden eliminated its tram system in 1955.

 Here are the backs of the cards in  reverse order. The first one sings the praises of Wiesbaden and particularly the beautiful Wilhelmstrasse (la rue Guillaume) and its shops and foreign banks. The writer also mentions a casino along the promenade that people may visit after a concert in the park.

Inspired by the message on this card, I went to look for more information on the casino, which is still there. It seems that the casino was every bit as much of a draw as the spa and attracted all sorts of people, including Dostoyevsky, who gambled away everything he owned here in 1865. Rumor has it that both Crime and Punishment and The Gambler were written under duress to cover gambling debts.

The Waters of Wiesbaden

Since Roman times, the springs in Wiesbaden, Germany have been recognized for their various qualities - as a place to bathe horses, a source for red hair dye, and a restorative tonic. The water may taste like salt and sulfur, but drinking it is reputed to help rheumatoid problems along with a number of other ailments. Kaiser Wilhelm II was a regular visitor here, but Wiesbaden was also frequented by Russian nobility and visitors from throughout Europe.

The buildings surrounding this particular thermal spring (the Kochbrunnen) were designed by architect Wilhelm Bogler in the 1880s. Although they survived World War II, they were torn down in the 1960s.
Here are some additional cards showing the building interior and exterior.

In the photo above, it appears that the man in the foreground on the left moved as the photo was being taken, resulting in a strange ghost image of his face.

Hmm, there's a typo on the front of the last card. Can you find it?

Here are the backs of the cards in the same order.

Rudy Goes Fishing

That's right, Rudy's back. If you remember previous posts about Rudy, he went off to fight in World War II and became ill at the end of his service. He had kidney failure and it turned out that he only had one kidney, so he ended up dying not long after he returned. Looking at the picture below and his somewhat puffy face, I have to wonder if that was due to kidney disease.
Here he is while he was still in the army, stationed somewhere in the U.K. The A.P.O. address is always a domestic address, so it's unfortunate that it doesn't give a better indication of exactly where he was.

In case you can't read Rudy's writing, here's what his letter says:

Hello Folks,

Just a few lines and I hope they find you all in the best of health and spirits. I went fishing with my new tackle yesterday and had good luck. I caught two trout, one 14 1/2 inches and one 11 inches. I also got a eel that was at least three feet long. After seeing the fish i caught some of the boys went today fishing but had no luck. It seems I that i am the only one that has any luck at this stream. I ate one trout yesterday nite for my supper. It was great eating. I went to town today and seen a show. I usually get up around noon when I work notes. Got a ticket also to see Bob Hope in person this Sunday. Well I'll say so long all. Thanks for everything. Rudy.

Here's the back of the photo.

For more good fishing, wade on up the stream to Sepia Saturday.