1933 TRAVEL JOURNAL
Fred
Dran’s Journal of his 1933 trip with his father, Michael Dran, to the
Dran ancestral home in Eastern Europe, Swiatkowa Wielka. They traveled third class aboard the S.S.
Dresden of the North German Lloyd Line.
Sailing date was July 27, 1933. They landed in Germany and continued by train and then horse cart to their
destination, Swiatkowa Wielka. At this
time in history the village was located in southern Poland. (Click for World Happenings) My grandfather and father’s itinerary is as follows: Hazleton
PA to New York City, to a steamer crossing the Atlantic
(August 2)to Galway
Bay and Bay of Cherbourg where some passengers
disembarked (August 4 )on to Bremerhaven
(August 7) by
train to Tarnow and Yaslo, by horse cart to Swiatkowa Wielka (August 8) excursions to Lvov/Lviv (September 19) and the
health spa at Kaynecia ( September 27) return trip to America ( September 29)
Notes and Messages
given to the Drans by the villagers to be
delivered to their relatives in America.
My comments in []
[The
first seven pages of the notebook had been torn away leaving fragments. It appears, from the parts of sentences that
were readable, that comments were made concerning the trip to New York City,
photographing the city, deck games on the ship, and a storm while at sea.]
August 2, 1933 – Halfway across the
Atlantic Ocean
I awoke and heard the ships whistle
blowing at intervals. Went on deck
before breakfast and found the sea very rough with waves splashing on the
deck. It was very foggy, also a strong
southern wind blowing about 35 mph. We
stayed off deck all day and spent the day playing cards and also playing the
Hob[?] game. At night we attended a movie in
the dining hall. It was an American
talking picture with german translation.
After the movie I had a drink of German beer and then went to my cabin
and retired. While lying in my bed I
could hear the ship’s whistle blow at intervals until finally I fell
asleep. Sweet dreams!
August 3, 1933
The sky was cloudy all day. Sea was slightly rough with a cold wind
blowing. People spent some time on deck
this morning about 11 o’clock. We saw
what was supposed to be a whale. A
stream of water shot into the air at intervals about a thousand feet from our
ship. All I saw was a fountain of
water. Never saw the back of the
whale. In the evening at 4 0’clock the
deck steward took us to the control cabin showing the various instruments used
in guiding the ship, such as the compasses, radio signal instrument that
regulated all the clocks on the ship.
At 8 o’clock in the evening we had a masquerade dance. It was very colorful. It was held for the Irish who were to leave
the following day at 1 o’clock. I have
photos of the dance.
It was a beautiful morning. The sky was clear and the sun was hot. After breakfast, about 9 o’clock, we sighted
land. It was Ireland. We were entering Galway Bay. It took until 12:30, when our ship dropped
anchor about 2 miles from shore. A
ferry boat, or tender as they called it, pulled up to the ship and took
passengers and baggage to shore. So, about 25 of our fellow passengers left us,
some which I had made friends with and sure was sorry to see them leave. About 2 o’clock our ship turned around and
headed for the outlet of the bay. On
the way I noticed along the shore of the bay were little villages and farm land
in the distant hills, also mountains,
but most of the coastline along Galway Bay was rocky and all along the Irish
coast as well. In some places a
mountain would be cut off by the sea, a straight wall facing the sea. Before entering Galway, the sea was very
calm. As we were going south along the
Irish coast occasionally we would see a fishing boat. The boat left Galway at 1:45 P.M. The Irish coast is very
rocky. Here and there a rocky island
could be seen, and in the evening a light house here and there warning of
danger zones. I’ve been watching the sea
till 10 o’clock, slight head winds, ship gaining speed going with the current
towards a beautiful moon. What
moonlight seen on the water! Well, we
are heading for Cherbourg France.
That’s all for today.
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August 5, 1933 – Saturday
A beautiful morning, a little wind
blowing. After breakfast I played a few
games of shuffle board on deck, later watched the sea, the passing steamers,
fishing and sail boats. About noon we
sighted the English coast. At one point
there extended out what they called Bishops Rock. After passing it we went into open sea, no land until 10:30
P.M. In the evening we came into the
Bay of Cherbourg. A pilot ship came out
to meet us and our ship stopped at the entrance to the bay. A tender pulled up to our ship and tool the
passengers from our ship to the port.
At about 1:00 A.M. our ship continued her course toward Bremen. While we were in the Bay of Cherbourg all
you could see were the city lights in the distance, about two miles. There were more friends gone which I
probably will never see again. We are
now going through the English Channel.
Tomorrow some time we will come to the spot where the channel is narrow,
some 26 miles. It was a beautiful
day. Good night!
August 6, 1933 – Sunday
Sunday was a a beautiful day. Played a few games of shuffleboard on
deck. In the morning around 10 o’clock,
we sighted an Italian navy sail ship.
It was the first sail ship I’ve seen during the day. I’ve taken a few snap photos with my camera
on the deck of the ship. I have also
seen a few passing vessels around 10:00 A.M.
We headed into the North Sea. It
was very quiet. It was so quiet that it
looked as though it were frozen very smooth.
At 9:30 I attended the concert given by the ship’s orchestra. They played German folk songs. It was an enjoyable evening. Before going to bed we packed our
suitcases. And to rest.
Arose early, dressed and went on
deck. It was a nice morning. About 6 o’clock, the pilot ship pulled up to
our ship. The pilot came on board. The ship was heading to the bay. Soon we saw the shore on both sides. About 11:00 we landed at the dock at Bremerhaven. Close by was the ship Columbus and the
Bremen. The latter was sure a beautiful
ship. After landing, our baggage was
inspected in the station. We then went
by train to Bremen. Such train
cars! Not like the American rail cars –
no comfort and tiresome riding, hard seats.
Eight passengers in a compartment.
American boxcars are much better.
We arrived in Bremen at 11:45 A.M. and received railroad tickets at
German Lloyd Agency a little way from the station, also a lunch box. Leaving Bremen at 3:20 P.M. on to Berlin, I
rode standing up for 5 hours.
I was disgusted riding such
uncomfortable trains. Arrived in Berlin
at 9:30, Leheter station. We were then
transferred to Freidstrassen Station by elevator car. We rested in the waiting room, had a few beers also sent some
cards to friends. We walked out into
the street in front of the station for curiosity’s sake. We left Berlin at 11:20 P.M.
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Slept in the couch upright. It was very tiresome. The scenery was beautiful going through
Germany. Land was level, all farm land
on both sides of the train, mostly wheat fields in harvest dress. The peasant women and children were out in
the fields cutting and bringing in the harvest, some packing it up into
stacks. I saw mostly grain fields. Germany is sure noted for grain. Passing town after town we came to the
boundary line of Germany and Poland.
Our baggage was inspected by Polish officers. They were kind of sarcastic.
We changed trains in Tarnow. We
arrived at Tarnow at 1:00 P.M., rested in the station till 4:30 P.M., bought a
ticket to Yaslo. After boarding the
train to Yaslo, I discovered my traveler’s checks were missing, also father’s
checks were missing. We must have been
pick pocketed while pushing through the narrow passages in the coaches, or box
cars is what I call them, going from Tarnow to Yaslo. It was getting mountainous.
One could see homes here and there in the hills. Saw children in the fields, also women, all
bare footed, working. Very unusual
scenes and very interesting roofs of homes, covered with straw. Although they looked to be poor people,
ragged and dirty. They blended into the
rest of the beautiful valleys and mountains.
You could see beautiful young girls, some holding a baby in her
arms. Sure get married early, I
judge. We arrived at Yaslo in the
evening at 7:30 P.M. We went to the
waiting room and met Uncle Metro, who had waited two days for us. I went to the police station to notify them
about our checks. They said they would
gladly attend to our case and notify the bank of Tarnow. From the station Uncle took us to spend the
night with a friend of his a little way from Yaslo, which we did. Father slept on the floor on straw. I and Uncle slept on benches.
August 9, 1933
We awoke at 4:30 A.M. Uncle had his horse and cart there for the
three days waiting for us, so we hopped into the cart and away to his place,
passing many villages and little towns.
We stopped off in a little town for lunch and I sent a telegram to the
American Express Company in Warsaw about the loss of my checks.
The closer we were going towards
Swiatkowa, the more beautiful the scenery, winding roads through the mountains,
going higher and higher, beautiful pastures, spruce forests with tall trees as
I have never seen before. Higher and
higher we were going, and more you could see of the beautiful country. Mountain peaks were cultivated, planted
mostly with golden grain blending into the green forests here and there. Some of the scenes reminded me of a blanket
made of strips of remnants, golden, green and yellow, blending into a blue sky. Something I shall never forget. People along the way in the fields singing,
although poor but happy.
Arrived in Swiatkowa about 1
o’clock. Met the Uncle’s family and
many other people, all knowing father.
What strange living here. It is
a happy life though they do not see much money. In the afternoon Metro and I went for a walk through the village
and back and talked till late, then to bed.
August 10, 1933
Awoke and found a beautiful
morning. Had breakfast. Peter and I both went down to the little
river called Visloka and went in for a swim and basked in the sun for a few
hours. Later met a few people who knew
father, conversed with them on the way to the village. I admired everything. The boys are very sociable. They would surround me and ask questions
about the USA. After supper Peter got a
loan of a violin for me and I played until it was time to go to bed. There were many boys in the house spending
the evening.
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August 11, 1933
The day was beautiful. Father, Peter and I went through the village
to see some people. We stepped into
Kawdraw’s place. He was glad to see
father, gave us a treat, talked a long time and then we came back home and had
dinner. We went out to the fields with
Nick to gather the sheaves, loading the wagon and homeward to supper.
August 11 to 24, 1933
Worked out in the fields, also walked
through Uncle’s forest and what a forest. Large trees some two feet in
diameter, mostly spruce and hemlock, all straight as a flag pole.
Sunday, August 13, father and I went
to Swiatkika to church and Saturday, August 19, to the church in Swiatkowa and
the following day to the Orthodox Church.
All but a few people go to the Orthodox Church. The Ukrainian churches are always empty due
to some dispute some 6 or 7 years ago.
Sunday, August 20, cousin Peter left
for school at Parmishil to resume his studies.
He sure is a bright chap. Some
friends I’ve met are: Peter Smericanich, and instructor, father Stupock, a
priest at the Ukrainian church. He
officiates at three churches, Swiatkiewka, Swiatkowa and Swirzowa.
During the later part of August it
rained nearly every day also the first two weeks of September. On the 19th of September cousin
Nick and I spent two days in Lvov, which is a 9 hours ride from Yaslo. We visited the Ukrainian National Museum,
also
Tua Mapad
Webrencko[? Spelling] museum, also a Polish museum in the center of the
city. All were very interesting. On the 20th of September, we went
to church, a Ukrainian church on Pycka Street.
Opposite the church are two Ukrainian newspapers [Cyrillic
spelling]
and [Cyrillic spelling]. While visiting the Ukrainian National Museum
I’ve taken a few snapshots of the beautiful structure, also the new annex. Later we visited the Cathedral of St. George
and took a few more pictures. It also
is a beautiful structure. It is said to
be over 400 years old. In the evening
on the 20th we went to the theatre, also a beautiful structure of
Greek architecture. The show was very
good, portrayed a story of the World War on the Rumanian front.
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We lodged in the Ukrainian [Cyrillic
spelling] one night during our stay in Lvov. The city of Lvov reminds me of an American
city with street cars, buses, automobiles, streets paved, etc. In the center of the city from in front of
the theatre, off for several blocks are planted beautiful flowers of all sorts,
here and there a park bench in the shade of trees.
We left Lvov Friday the 21st
at 11:55 P.M., arrived in Yaslo in the morning at 7:10 A.M. We walked home which is a distance of 7
kilometers, arriving home at 7 o’clock in the evening. It sure was a tiresome day.
On September 27th Uncle,
father, Uncle’s wife and I made a trip to Kaynecia, some twelve miles from
Swiatkowa. It took us from 6 to 7:30 in
the evening to get there on a wagon. It
sure was a tiresome trip. We spent one
night there. The following day we
bathed in the mineral water at one of the bathhouses also drank some of the
water and took some home for other members of the family to taste. The city of Kaynicia [Krynica?] is a beautiful little city with beautiful little villas
here and there, also on the mountainsides.
The language spoken there is mostly Polish. I forgot to mention that the
same language is spoken in Lvov. We
arrived home on September 29. It was an
interesting trip home to my uncle’s place going through valleys, over mountain
villages, crossing streams and over such roads with large holes that would be
very dangerous to travel at night. I
shall never forget the Carpathian Mountains.
They are the most beautiful I have ever seen. On the way home we had spent the night at Father Myehailo Fuk’s
place. He sure was generous to us.
On the following morning, September
28, we started for home (Uncle’s place).
The day was beautiful. On the
way in one little town we stopped off to attend a market for about two hours,
then on we went arriving home about 6 o’clock.
We were all tired and so was the horse, which pulled the wagon we rode
in. I’ll say one thing, my rear end was
very sore from that trip.
I’ve pressed al of our shirts and
belongings to be prepared for our trip home to the USA. Sunday, we went to church, in the afternoon
I took a few snapshots. On Tuesday, October 3 we left for the USA. We left Uncle’s home at 5 o’clock in the morning,
traveling by wagon. Arrived in Yaslo at
9:30 A.M. Took the 12:20 train for
Rzezcow, arrived in Rzezcow at 1:30 P.M.
Left at 3:18 and arrived in Berlin at 7:10 A.M.
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[At
this point a page was torn in half and seems to have contained a further
listing of the trip schedule and their arrival onboard ship.]
There were two others in the same
cabin Adolf Bender of Detroit and Anton Goetz of Milwakee [Milwaukee]. They were nice
men and we got along well. Our ship
left port October 5th at 12 noon headed up the river and into the
North Sea, which was quite rough. The
ship swayed from side to side and made me a little sick. Made me vomit, but I felt good
afterwards. We arrived at South Hampton
England the following day October 6m at 9 o’clock. There were many nice steamers in the harbor. We pulled out of South Hampton at 11:00 and
arrived Cherbourg, France about 5 in the evening. The ship entered the gates of the harbor, stopped in the center,
a ferry boat took on and discharged passengers, also baggage and mail. The ship pulled out from Cherbourg at 6:30
and entered the Atlantic Ocean.
On October 7 we were well out into
the ocean, the sky was cloudy, with a brisk head wind blowing. Every day we had breakfast at 7:45, lunch at
12:15 and dinner at 6:45. The meals
were wonderful, but the service was poor.
We also got broth in the morning at 10 A.M. and coffee at 3 P.M. there were band concerts at 10 in the
morning.
[Another page was torn from the journal]
October 9 was a nasty day. The sea was rough and the boat rocked from
side to side, up and down. It lasted 24
hours. I was in bed all day. Father kept up nicely. He ate his meals regularly. At noon he said there were only a few (6)
people in the dining room for dinner.
All the rest were laid up in bed.
[A few pages were torn away, what was left
indicated that they arrived in the USA]
took a taxi to the Courtland Street
subway, then on to Jersey City. Got off
at Grove St. to visit Milka Makoski. [This was the daughter of Fred’s
stepmother. Julia]
Father slept there over night and I
stayed at Zadrozney’s place in New York City.
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[At the end of the journal, several more pages were
torn away. The remaining pages
contained notes or messages to
various people. They are as follows: I suspect that the spelling of surnames
was a best guess on my father’s part. I HAVE CAPITALIZED THE SURNAMES TO MAKE
THEM STAND OUT:]
Andrew KAPATULA, a nephew to Andrew
and Metro, gives his best regards to all
Mr. Peter SMERICANICH and family give
their best regards to ROMANCHAK and family.
They feel grateful towards the ROMANCHAKS for what they have done for
them.
Mary SOKIL and family. Best regards to Simon HOTCHES and his wife
and family. She said John HOTCHE
brother to Simon was married to her sister.
He is deceased.
John FESH, brother to Wasil and
family give their best regards to Wasil and family. Wasil FESH, Back Mountain, Penna.
Simon BINDAS and sister Biza, niece
and nephew to Mrs. BAVALOCK will give a letter to give to Aunt BAVALOCK. They want a photograph of Aunt. Both are sending some mushrooms. Simon works at Andrew KODRAS’ place. Biza works for Father Demetro STUPACK pastor
of the Ukrainian church. All is well.
Aunt or ….Miss Co….give best regards
to …. of SHARWARKO and family, also his sister Julia NESTOR and family, also
her two daughters near Salem, Mass.
Anastazia ……..niece to …….has 3
children……the eldest one has one child…..name is Puche… Anastazia is a daughter of Mrs. HOTCHES’
brother who died years ago, his wife died 7 years ago. Anastazia lives in the house now. She said she has 16 acres of land. She gives her best regards to all and has
offered some mushrooms.
BAVALOCKS best regards to all. Oldest boy Lesko, Theodore, Nicholas,
Nestor, girl. They have one cow and a
swine. Things are very tight. Would like some financial help from Uncle’s
wife if possible. Would appreciate it
very much. Two brothers are in Russia,
Emlyn and Simon. Emlyn is said to be
dead. Simon not getting along well in
Russia and is not well, weak heart or heart trouble.
To Metro KAPUTULA, best regards to
all from sister Julia. Not as well at
times. Children are well, thank the
Lord, also husband. Be sure not to be
cross with me for turning my religion to orthodox, but I feel different at
heart. Please brother help me financially. I owe $30.00 dollars and 300 golds. Will appreciate financial help. Please share the mushrooms between your
brother Andrew and yourself.
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World Happenings: 1932-1933: Hitler
was in power, FDR was President, Unemployment reaches 13 million in the U.S.A.,
Scientists split the atom, Japanese invade Manchuria, Germany and Japan
withdraw from the League of Nations, Chicago World’s Fair , Genocidal famine in
Ukraine as a result of Stalin’s Soviet Government. Back to start
of journal