A Christmas Poem for Jews

It's not a great poem, but I think it may express some of the Christmas fatigue that Jews endure with Christmas trees, Christmas music, Christmas gifts, Christmas decorations, and Christmas cards throughout the season. Even Santa looks a little fatigued.

It's particularly impressive that this card sent to Albert Kinziger in Utica, New York, was actually postmarked on December 25th.

The message reads:

Here's to you, you lucky Jew. 

Churp up - smoke up

and drink up dew. For they'll all help

to pull your sorrows thro'.

Don't sigh and cry like a boy in blue

But go to bed and 

 dream it's all true.

Will see you soon "a lost Friend"

Of course I had to look for Albert Kinziger to find out who he was. I found an Albert Kinziger who died from being hit in the head with a hammer in 1943 or 44, but (thankfully) he was born in 1896, so I think he couldn't be our Albert. Our Albert had to be born earlier than that to receive a card like this in 1908. Instead, I think our Albert was born in 1871 and died (far too young) in 1929. If so, he is buried in New Forest Cemetery.

Bridge Over the River Elbe

What an extraordinary bridge. It was built in 1899 and survived World War II. The ornate portals were  removed in 1960.

Here are the backs of the cards in the same order. The first one was postmarked at sea in 1930. the second one was sent in 1905.

Here's a photo from Wikipedia, showing a British tank guarding the bridge in 1945.

Galveston, Texas

This is a tiny postcard folder circa 1920s from Galveston, Texas. Galveston actually had a larger population then (53,000) than it does now (47,743). The city was devastated by a hurricane in 1900, but was making a comeback about the time this postcard was published. Despite Prohibition, there was plenty of drink and complementary vices for visitors to Galveston.