The 1931 Polytechnic Tour to Grindelwald, Switzerland 5

The thing about putting up an album is that sometimes there is kind of lull before more interesting images pop up. More glaciers and mountains and nothing from Ja (Jim) and Eve.

The 1931 Polytechnic Tour to Grindelwald, Switzerland 4

Guides and glaciers today, and more of the same tomorrow. The pictures of the glaciers may seem boring, but as they recede, old photos and paintings become the only visual record of something that once would have seemed as permanent as anything imaginable. Mountain guides, once locals learned that foreigners saw mountains as something to explore rather than ignore, organized themselves in guilds, with the residents of local villages agreeing that only members of that towns group would be allowed to lead tourists into the mountains. Today, many countries require that licensed, local guides be hired to lead trips into the mountains. The White Hell of Pitz Palu, co-directed by Arnold Fanck, and G. W. Pabst, and starring Leni Riefenstahl, featured mountain guides in a daring rescue of a party of stranded mountain climbers. Navigate back to my post of 3/26/11, Tony Manns at the Wintergarten for information on G. W. Pabst. (And if anyone cares about my taste in movies, go to my blog, www.greatmovieslist.blogspot.com ) I wonder if Eve or Ja (Jim) took the pictures of Fritz the mountain guide.

The 1931 Polytechnic Tour to Grindelwald, Switzerland 3

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Grindelwald is the traditional starting point for climbs of the Eiger, one of the great climbs in the Alps. The Nordwand, the north face of the Eiger wasn't climbed until 1938, and was one of the last great technical ascents in Europe to be done. Another postcard from the duo of Eve and Ja (aka Jim). On the back of the Blue Grotto card, addressed to "A. Hammers, Esq., Holkham House, Dersingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, Angleterre" The message, "Grindelwald. Dear Sir, I've arrived here (yesterday) rather a long journey, but well worth it. The scenery is grand, the mountains are still snow clad. This afternoon a party from the Hotel went on a glacier climb over the glacier on the other side & we went in the blue ice grotto (overleaf). Am having a very good time thanks to your aid. Ja" Note that the picture of Eve has a different type of corner mount. Was it put in the album after the other pictures, and was it shot somewhere other than Switzerland.

The 1931 Polytechnic Tour to Grindelwald, Switzerland 2

A polytechnic is a school that taught applied sciences, and technical arts, things that would have been beyond the traditional English apprenticeship programs. Three of the images in this collection are postcards that had been sent to England from Switzerland. The one of the glacier that's on the same page as the mountain guide's picture, addressed to "Mr & Mrs Rowe, Norwich Road, Acle hr Norwich, Angleterre." The message, "Grindelwald. Monday. We are carefully avoiding all crevices you will be pleased to hear! Yesterday a party of us were roped together & crossed this glacier. Having a wonderful holiday & wasting no time. Have collected lots of plants for your rockery. Eve." Eve is the woman with the glasses in the second photograph. The next to the last image, addressed to "The Folks, Bank Chambers, Dersingham King's Lynn. Norfolk Angelterre" The message, "Grindelwald. Oi! What yer! Am just in after a climb over the glacier on the other side of P.C. all roped together you know with a guide. Take my advice & book up your holidays here. The mountains are wonderful-are still snow clad. Wasn't sick crossing the channel. I know you'll all be sorry-Tell you all about it after 5!!! Ja" And the last image, addressed to "Miss Rowe, 114 Brondesbury Road, Kilburn, London N.W.6, Angelterre" The message, "Jim is writing you re our return. Being here is great fun & very interesting. Jim using his French where possible. We expect to do Jungfrau tomorrow, weather permitting. Doing our best to get some decent snaps to make you envious. Eve." Jim, I'm guessing is Ja, and I would say that he and Eve have some sort of relationship.

The 1931 Polytechnic Tour to Grindelwald, Switzerland 1

It's time to put up another photo album, and just like the last time, I'm going to put it up in order without interruption. Too, I have yet to figure out how many parts it will take to put up the whole album. Since I'm also following my usual practice of putting up both full pages to show position as well as individual scans, I'll be posting some images in both true color and gray scale. The final image in this part is a postcard that had been mailed. It was addressed to "Mr. & Mrs. Cole, Newbridge House, Snettisham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, Anglettrre" The Message, "Grindlwald, Sunday. We arrived yesterday 12:00 o'clock rather tired after long train journey & not much sleep on the train. Grand crossing and we weren't sick. The view on the other side is from our hotel-We are going to do a glacier with a guide-The scenery is grand-The grub is also A1. Must tell you all about it. I hope you will give us some like it. Ja"

The Albert Memorial

In his book about George Orwell, Christopher Hitchens argues that Orwell was unique among intellectuals in being right about the three important political/moral issues of the mid twentieth century. He was opposed to communism, fascism, and colonialism. Commissioned by Queen Victoria after her husband, Prince Albert's death, the Albert Memorial is a monument to England's colonial power as well as Prince Albert.

This is an interesting stereoview because is appears as if it might be a bootlegged copy of an original. The two images are one print, it's mounted off center, and the usual curved top of the image has been sliced of to fit on the card.