Bummeltage an der Nordsee. Heitere Erlebnisse in Deutschlands Nordseebädern (Relaxing at the North Sea. Cheerful Adventures in Germany's North Sea Resorts)

Brinkmann, Max

Published by A. Hofmann & Comp, Berlin, 1898

Oblong Quarto. [4] 169 [3]pp., 6 plates. Original blue-gray color-illustrated cloth with black lettering on cover. Publisher's device on title page. Decorative initials and endpieces. Illustrated with six full page plates and in-text drawings by Max Brinkmann, including additional full page drawings. The cover drawing depicts a Jewish man slipping through under the barrier at the toll booth to avoid the visitor's tax. Collection of cheerful stories about traveling the islands of the North Sea, with practical advice in general, and tips for amateur photographers. The stories include a journey from St. Pauli to Helgoland, including an excursion on the island, and trips to the islands Norderney, Borkum, Amrum, and Sylt with its seaside resort of Westerland. Contains two pages of advertisements for the periodical Kladderadatsch at rear. Text in German, Gothic script. Light wear along edges of binding, and rubbed. Light small stain on back cover at bottom foredge. Number printed to verso of back endpaper. Inside covers and endpapers with minor foxing. The island Borkum, originally known as Bant, had been a center for piracy and whaling since the time of Charlemagne. Violent storms divided the island into three islands by 1781, whaling decreased and by the middle of the 1900th tourism started to flourish. In their travelogue "Mexico as I saw it" Thomas Nelson and Mrs. Alec Tweedie compared the brick roads of Monterey with those of Borkum, "The one spot on earth from which Jews are banished." Borkum is located just off the coast of East Frisia. The infamous Borkum Lied (Borkum Song), in particular its last verse, "mit platten Füßen, mit Nase krumm und Haaren kraus (with flat feet, crooked noses and shaggy hair)," must not enjoy the beach, but "der muß hinaus! der muß hinaus! Hinaus! (he has to go! he has to go! Go!)," was performed by the local orchestra at the end of each concert with the crowd joining in. The lyrics and drawings were distributed on postcards. In 1924 the island and its song became the center of a political controvery. Severing, the Socialist Prussian Minister of the Interior, banned the song, with the regional chief magistrate at Emden, the Socialist Bobert, publishing an ordinance enforcing the Minister's decision. The regional court in Emden, however, levied a fine of 100,000 Goldmarks against anybody interfering with the performance of the song. The controvercy continued with the appointment of Reichstags member Henning as spa director by the local government. He ordered continuation of the performance of the song in his first ordinance. As a member of the German parliament Henning was able to claim immunity from arrest due to his position. The affair continued with various acts of restriction and defiance, an alternate song was written "Borkum Trutz Lied (Borkum Resistance Song)" and children were led through the streets singing the original song, young enough so they couldn't be arrested. And when the original song was played without lyrics to prevent fince or incarceration, the Ministry had lifted the ban on the melody in 1925, the crowd willingly stepped in and rendered the lyrics. Other resort islands followed and composed their own songs like the "Wangerooger Judenlied" and the song of Bad Zinowitz in Pomerania ending in the line "We don't want any foreign race. The Itz stays far from Zinnowitz." Jewish Associations like the CV and the weekly Israelitisches Familienblatt (Israely Family Paper)" published anti-Semitic hotels and resorts for its constituency. This practise dated back to before World War I. and experienced its peak during the Weimar Republic. The downward slide reached its bottom during the Nazi reign. Then Jewish readers were informed of places who accepted Jews. Seller Inventory # 53531

Bibliographic Details

Title: Bummeltage an der Nordsee. Heitere ...
Publisher: A. Hofmann & Comp, Berlin
Publication Date: 1898
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Good to very good condition
Edition: First edition.