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IT IS JANUARY, 1939...

 

Hitler has annexed Austria, taken possession of the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia and is demanding that Poland give up its principal port to Nazi Germany.  Demonstrations against Jews are raging in Germany, Italy and Austria, and have erupted into violence.  In Spain, General Francisco Franco and his Nationalists, backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, are warring against the loyalist Republicans.  Japan has invaded China and taken possession of most of northern China.  In Palestine, the Arab revolt continues with fighting in rural areas and acts of violence in the streets of Jerusalem.

 

In Glendale, California, Anne Stillman writes: “A trip around the world has always been our great dream.  One casually mentions gong to Honolulu, the Orient, or even Europe, but to say ‘we are going round the world’ sounds so very glamorous – the super ultra of all travel experience.” 

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Despite the turmoil and unrest around the globe, my great-grandparents, Anne and Paul Stillman, embarked on the trip of their dreams on January 30, 1939.  The Stillmans were certainly aware of the world situation when they made their plans for the journey. Both Anne and Paul regularly read the newspapers and listened to news reports on the radio.  They were determined to make the tour regardless of the reports of violence and conflict around the world!  Perhaps the Stillmans felt this was their last chance to make this journey before the world erupted into war, as it did less than five months after they returned.

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The world which Anne and Paul saw has changed dramatically. Although many of the places they visited still draw tourists today, you can no longer visit them in the way Anne and Paul did.  Fortunately, Anne kept a detailed journal of their 3+-month tour and made a scrapbook of photos and memorabilia when she returned.  Paul wrote letters to the newspaper his brother published in Jefferson, Iowa and an extensive article upon his return.  These reports create a wonderful vignette of a unique journey around the world which I would like to share with you.

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I will be publishing excerpts from Anne’s journal and Paul’s writings, with annotations, information and discussions about their travels, the places they visited and the sights they saw. I will also share photos and items from Anne’s scrapbook. Although the Stillmans did not see any actual fighting, they did see evidence of conflict, particularly in Jerusalem where they were accompanied by armed soldiers.  Anne discusses the world situation numerous times in her journal.  Paul gives insights to it in each letter. 

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My aim with this blog is to present the story of the Stillmans’ trip around the world.  They saw many wonderful sights and also experienced a world on the brink of war and inevitable change.  Join me as we revisit the era of 1939 on a trip around the world with Anne and Paul Stillman.

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Next time... meet my great-grandparents, Paul and Anne Stillman!

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