Margaret’s diary records that she received roses as a birthday present, Madame made funny brooches and the resort’s friends took her to a restaurant. She also regrets that she is frozen again and feels terribly lonely. Former Joseph Grosvalds sympathy and model Arabella writes a letter to Margaret and sends an address to Elsa C., where other Joe’s things are stored in Paris. Olgerdam, on the other hand, has again written by Andre Sevier from China. Birthday is also celebrated for Mommy.
Digital project # Grosvaldi1919 tells about a significant family in Latvian culture and Latvian foreign policy – the Grosvalds. The events of the Grosswald family in 1919 are revealed through correspondence, diaries, memories, press releases, photographs and works of art. The project continues in 2020, following the Grosvalds in 1920.
The Groswald family is:
- Mary Greenberg Jr.
- her mother Mērija Grīnbergs senior (1881–1973), researcher and popularizer of Latvian ethnography,
- her brother, Emanuel Greenberg, Doctor of Mathematics (1911–1982);
- grandfather – lawyer, long-term head of the Riga Latvian Society Friedrich Grosvalds (1850–1924)
- his wife Mary Grosswald (1857-1936),
- as well as other offspring of the family – diplomat, Latvian ambassador to France Oļģerds Grosvalds (1884–1962),
- painter Jāzeps Grosvalds (1891–1920),
- Foreign Service employee Līna Grosvalde (1887–1974)
- Margaret Ternberg (b. Grosvalde, 1895–1982).
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17.10.1920-31.10.1920
October 17
Margaret has been to a concert by Italian soprano Louise Tetracini and her contemporary manners seemed comical. Harry has taken over from Sutta *.
For her birthday, Margaret received roses, Madame made funny croissants and the resort’s friends took her to a restaurant.
17.10.1920
Margareta Grosvalde #diary
I have heard Terazzini and laughed at her affected continental manners. Harry has been given to me instead of Mr. Sutta. Mrs. Heubsch sent me roses for my birthday, Madame made funny kringels, and I took Aimée and John to Criterion**.
Luisa Tetrazzini (1871-1940) was an Italian color soprano of great international fame.
Foto: Bain News Service/ Library of Congress
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* It is possible that it is Harry Hartmann, who later became the deputy head of the Foreign Ministry’s courier department and was involved in a loud cocaine lawsuit in the mid-1920s as an accused.
** Criterion Restaurant is a restaurant complex facing Piccadilly Circus in central London. In addition to fine dining, there is also a bar. It is one of the top 10 historic and oldest restaurants in the world. Sherlock Holmes’ first story tells Dr. Watson about his potential roommate after he meets a friend at this Criterion restaurant.
October 17
Former Joseph Grosvalds sympathy and model Arabella * writes a letter to Margaret and sends an address to Elsa C., where other Joe’s things are kept in Paris. She also remembers the good old days in Paris, which they spent together and how kindly Groswald’s parents were.
Joseph Groswald and Arabella in 1913 in Senklü.
Photo: LNMM
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17.10.1920
No: Arabella
To: Margareta Grosvalde
Stockholm, oct 19th.
I don’t know my, my dearest, if this card will reach you, but I must give you the address of Elsa C. if she has not sent Joe’s things to you as I asked her to do in a letter 10 days ago.
6 rue Vercingtoix
Paris XIV
Thanks so much for your letter. I do hope you are enjoying yourself as much as possible. I can think of Paris without thinking of you and the very happy time we all three spent there together…
The meeting was quite a success and your parents exceedingly nice to me. Best regards to Mr. Ogier!
Yours as always. A.G. (?)
(Signature at the bottom of the postcard – Mme Hervor Wickman)
* Arabella – real. v. Hervor Mellgren, after marriage Wickman. The mother of Krister Vikman, a Swedish politician, Social Democrat and ally of Ulof Palm. In 1913, in Paris, Arabella was a member of the apartment of Joseph and Lina, for some time also the sympathy of Joseph, who visited the Groswald family also in Riga. Jāzeps painted a portrait of Arabella, which was exhibited at the Jāzeps Grosvalds Memorial Exhibition during the 5th European Congress of Latvian Cultural Workers in Stockholm in 1975.
Sketch by Jāzeps Grosvalds from 1907.
Photo: zagarins.net
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October 18
Today is Birthday for Mom – Maria Elizabeth Grosvalde (b. Pakalnieks, 1857-1936).
To commemorate her sharp mind, her knowledge of many foreign languages and her talents as a pianist, her courage to give birth to eight children and raise five of them, to take constant care of the family and to take on the very simple role of a woman’s wife.
Recently married Mary and Friedrich Grosvaldi in 1879.
Photo: LNMM
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October 20
“Free Earth” collaborators 20. In October, the government reported that the representative of the government A. Klīve * had returned from a trip to Brussels, where he had gone together with the Latvian envoys in London and Paris to the financial conference organized by the League of Nations.
Klīve gave an overview of the organization and activities of this conference to the President of the Constitutional Assembly, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. A. Klīve first pointed out that the role of the authorized delegate in the Latvian delegation was entrusted to the Latvian representative in London, Mr. Biseniek, who spoke at the plenary session with a report on the economic situation in Latvia and later became a member of the International Credit Commission. Grosvalds and A. Klīve participated in the conference with the voice of an adviser. Mr. Biseniek spoke officially as the head of the Latvian delegation and held discussions after the plenary sessions of the conference with other Latvian delegates.
* Ādolfs Klīve (1888-1974) was a Latvian economist, politician and public figure. Member of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saeima, Chairman of the Council of the Bank of Latvia. One of the signatories of the memorandum of the Central Council of Latvia of March 17, 1944.
Adolf Klīve with his family.
Photo: Ieva’s stories, 2019
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October 21
We remember that in July Olģers’ study partner Artūrs Volfs sent a letter, in October it finally reached the addressee, and Oļģers responds. The questions were related to business plans.
Oļģerds recommends contacting the Latvian Ministry of Trade and Industry. As well as telling of Joseph’s death, Mr. Wolf knew the two brothers well.
21.10.1920
No: Oļģerds Grosvalds
Kam: Mr.Wolf
Paris, Oct. 21st 1920
S.Avenue de Camoens XVI
Dear Mr.Wolf,
I was very pleased to hear from you and I hope you will excuse me for not answering before. But your letter reached me only the other day as it was forwarded from Riga and besides I was absent from Paris for some time.
My life has undergone many changes – now it is nearly two years that I am in Paris as the Diplomatic Representative of Latvia (Lettland). There has been no time for History of Art, almost at the beginning of the war I started to work in a bank in Petrograd. After the Bolshevik Revolution I returned to Riga. When, in November 1918, the Independence of Latvia was proclaimed, I entered the Diplomatic career, and so I am here in Paris. You will understand that I like Paris and love my work. I hope you feel happy too.
Conserning your affairs I have forwarded your offer to Riga, but I advise you to write personally to the Commercial Department in Riga,
“Latvian Ministry of Trade and Industry,
(Latvia) in Latvia. Riga.”
and I hope you can arrange matters.
I shall be glad to hear about your family and specially about your brother Arthur. Where is he and how is he getting on?
We have had a great lose and it is hard to speak about it: our brother Joe has died on February 1st here in Paris, it was the grippe.-
With my best regards
Yours sincerely
OG
October 21
Olgerdam again written by Andre Sevier from China, who works for a company.
21.10.1920
From: Andre Sevier (letter in French)
Comb: Oļģerds Grosvalds
Custom House
Fuzhou, 21 Oct 1920
Thursday
My dear Ogier –
I do not know how to explain your long and depressing silence – after the many letters sent to you. – How is life in Paris ?
I continue to live in peace and learn this amazing and difficult language spoken by the Chinese and old Confucius – moving forward, but very slowly. –
The weather and temperature are great – I just spent a week by the sea, not far from here – it was very good for me after the huge summer heat. – In fact, China is not such a terrible place – and if my overseas friends had written to me a little more often, it would have been even better – because there are times when I feel very lonely, separated from everyone and hopeless to meet my friends again no sooner than 6 for years.
I haven’t received any news from Michelle for all my time – I don’t know what’s going on with him. – The only person who has written to me twice is dear Nadina with big sad eyes, she writes that sometimes you meet. – Write to me soon and tell me about yourself, Margaret and your whole family. – If you see Michelin, tell her to write to me. –
Greetings to all those who have not completely forgotten me.
Yours
A. Sevier
October 24
In Margaret’s diary, she regrets that she is frozen again and feels terribly lonely, because Madame is still on extra leave. Listened to Marguerite D’Alvarez * and made a living from the buns until there was a cook in the Legion.
24.10.1920
Margareta Grosvalde #diary
I have had one of my famous colds and felt miserably lonely – Madame has received her congé. I have heard Marguerite D’Alvarez and lived on rolls while we had no cook.
* Marguerite d’Alvarez – singer, world-famous contral, sister Joseph Groswald’s girlfriend Marie Le Butt, has sung in many world operas, including the London Opera and Covent Garden – her voice recordings can be heard “Youtube“.
Marguerite d’Alvarez on the 1928 Lucky Strike cigarette commercial
Photo: Publicity image
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We offer to view the document, the original of which is in the Latvian Historical Archive *. The document mentions Ģertrūde Bruže, whom Momiņa had thought of as his wife Oļģerdam, as well as Margareta’s handwriting on the document. Margareta has made a note 100 years ago that it is hereby confirmed that Ms. Bruž, as a Latvian diplomatic courier with the ship “Viesturs” **, has left Latvia for Latvia.
Photo: Latvian Historical Archive
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*2575. fund “Latvian diplomatic and consular missions abroad” in the folder “Courier certificates and receipts”
** Viesturs – cargo steamer. Built in 1896 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands under the name “Pomona”. The ship with the German flag and the word “Pomona” is employed in the Baltic Sea. 1919 The IX steamer “Pomona” was located in Liepaja, where it was confiscated by the Latvian government. From 192o the name of the ship “Viesturs”. The steamer took part in the Freedom Fights. In the autumn of 1920, crews and bunkers were taken to Petrograd for those ships to be re-evacuated in accordance with the peace treaty between Latvia and Soviet Russia. In 1922, rocks ran into the Gulf of Finland and were declared irretrievably dead. The ship was bought by the workshops of the Liepaja War Port, repaired and sold in 1924 to Germany. In 1925-27 he flew the British flag and the word “Patrino”. 1927 with the German flag and the name Samland inscribed in Königsberg, after 2nd pass. war – in Lübeck. Operated until 1958 (information from the encyclopedia History of Latvian Maritime: 1850 – 1950. Riga, 1998).
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