US-German postcard to identify

  • amdian

    27 messages

    Greece

    Hello,
    Can anybody please assist with identifying the story behind this postcard ?
    It is an invitation in German for a meeting on April 2, 1914 in Chicago / USA.
    The card has undivided back with a printed 1 cent US stamp and bears 1948 Chicago postmarks.
    A mystery to me !...
  • xtf70

    1490 messages

    United Kingdom

    Hello,
    Can anybody please assist with identifying the story behind this postcard ?
    It is an invitation in German for a meeting on April 2, 1914 in Chicago / USA.
    The card has undivided back with a printed 1 cent US stamp and bears 1948 Chicago postmarks.
    A mystery to me !...
    • Created on Jul 2, 2011 at 10:52 AM
    • #342828
    Chicago had a large German immigrant population at this time, as this extract from Wikipedia explains:
    "The largest flow German immigration to America occurred between 1820 and World War I, during which time nearly six million Germans emigrated to the United States. From 1840 to 1880, they were the largest group of immigrants. Following the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, a wave of political refugees fled to America, who became known as Forty-Eighters. They included professionals, journalists, and politicians.
    "The cities of Milwaukee, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Baltimore were favored destinations of German immigrants. By 1900, the populations of the cities of Cleveland, Milwaukee, Hoboken, and Cincinnati were all more than 40% German American..."

    Link (http)
  • amdian

    27 messages

    Greece

    Chicago had a large German immigrant population at this time, as this extract from Wikipedia explains:
    "The largest flow German immigration to America occurred between 1820 and World War I, during which time nearly six million Germans emigrated to the United States. From 1840 to 1880, they were the largest group of immigrants. Following the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states, a wave of political refugees fled to America, who became known as Forty-Eighters. They included professionals, journalists, and politicians.
    "The cities of Milwaukee, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Baltimore were favored destinations of German immigrants. By 1900, the populations of the cities of Cleveland, Milwaukee, Hoboken, and Cincinnati were all more than 40% German American..."

    Link (http)
    • Created on Jul 2, 2011 at 3:33 PM
    • #342847
    Thanks.

    I suppose we must assume that this is an invitation for a meeting of the German-American community of Chicago, which (invitation) was distributed through prepaid-postage postcards.

    I wonder, must we also assume that this particular card, printed in 1914, was actually mailed in 1948 ? Sounds a bit strange...
  • mainlypostcards

    3540 messages

    United Kingdom

    Thanks.

    I suppose we must assume that this is an invitation for a meeting of the German-American community of Chicago, which (invitation) was distributed through prepaid-postage postcards.

    I wonder, must we also assume that this particular card, printed in 1914, was actually mailed in 1948 ? Sounds a bit strange...
    • Created on Jul 2, 2011 at 4:34 PM
    • #342849
    A rough translation:

    "Dear member, We have the pleasure to invite you to attend an important meeting on Thu, 2nd April at 2 pm at the "freiheit Turnhalle" in 34th and xx Str. The meeting takes place under the auspice of the united companies.
    Distinguished speakers and good entertainment - programme for members of the German Theatres. Yours sincerely, president, secretary."

    As to why this would have been posted in 1948 - no idea.
  • quasar

    3764 messages

    Belgium

    A rough translation:

    "Dear member, We have the pleasure to invite you to attend an important meeting on Thu, 2nd April at 2 pm at the "freiheit Turnhalle" in 34th and xx Str. The meeting takes place under the auspice of the united companies.
    Distinguished speakers and good entertainment - programme for members of the German Theatres. Yours sincerely, president, secretary."

    As to why this would have been posted in 1948 - no idea.
    • Created on Jul 3, 2011 at 12:41 AM
    • #342856
    Hello,

    Chicago is in Illinois; Kenton City seems to be in Ohio, at quite some distance.

    The only reason that I can think of to explain that the card has been posted in 1948, is that the receiver (Carl Conrad) wanted this card for one reason or another in 1948. As a collector's item? For personal reasons?

    I don't know if this is relevant, but the 1914 meeting could well have been the last meeting before World War I. The US did of course enter the war in 1917, but it is possible that the war affected the German community in Chicago in 1914 (Germans who returned to Europe to join the German army?). But this is speculation as we don't have further evidence.

    Best regards,

    Quasar
  • amdian

    27 messages

    Greece

    Hello,

    Chicago is in Illinois; Kenton City seems to be in Ohio, at quite some distance.

    The only reason that I can think of to explain that the card has been posted in 1948, is that the receiver (Carl Conrad) wanted this card for one reason or another in 1948. As a collector's item? For personal reasons?

    I don't know if this is relevant, but the 1914 meeting could well have been the last meeting before World War I. The US did of course enter the war in 1917, but it is possible that the war affected the German community in Chicago in 1914 (Germans who returned to Europe to join the German army?). But this is speculation as we don't have further evidence.

    Best regards,

    Quasar
    • Created on Jul 3, 2011 at 2:50 AM
    • #342864
    Thank you all for your replies.

    My impression is also that this meeting may have had to do with the pre-war situation in Europe (WW1 started July 1914). I did an internet search hoping that this particular meeting may be recorded somewhere but with no luck.

    It is really a hard guess why it was mailed in 1948. Indeed the most logical explanation is that it was sent to a collector (still however, why not inside an envelop ?)

    The research goes on...

    Again, many thanks to all of you Sherlocks out there !

    Vassilis
  • Account deleted
    Account deleted

    0 messages

    Australia

    Hello,
    Can anybody please assist with identifying the story behind this postcard ?
    It is an invitation in German for a meeting on April 2, 1914 in Chicago / USA.
    The card has undivided back with a printed 1 cent US stamp and bears 1948 Chicago postmarks.
    A mystery to me !...
    • Created on Jul 2, 2011 at 10:52 AM
    • #342828
    This information is no longer available because the user’s account has been deleted (GDPR)
  • Account deleted
    Account deleted

    0 messages

    United Kingdom

    Thank you all for your replies.

    My impression is also that this meeting may have had to do with the pre-war situation in Europe (WW1 started July 1914). I did an internet search hoping that this particular meeting may be recorded somewhere but with no luck.

    It is really a hard guess why it was mailed in 1948. Indeed the most logical explanation is that it was sent to a collector (still however, why not inside an envelop ?)

    The research goes on...

    Again, many thanks to all of you Sherlocks out there !

    Vassilis
    • Created on Jul 3, 2011 at 4:31 AM
    • #342876
    This information is no longer available because the user’s account has been deleted (GDPR)

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