Berlin – Augusta's Journey

Cecilia’s Album: Maria Berlin (Böös) – And her Relationships with the Families Berlin, Hedin, and Westman

IMG-7932

Du reser hem, men jag blir kvar
att sörja, och efter dig leta,
dock likväl är det ljuvt att veta,
att jag din vänskap ännu har.

(You travel home, but I stay here
to mourn, and for you look.
Yet it is sweet for me to know,
that still, I have your friendship.)

Maria Charlotta Augusta Berlin’s family

Maria Berlin was born on December 15, 1830 in Balkåkra, Skåne. Her parents were Christian Gissel Berlin and his wife Anna Catharina Nordström.

Maria’s father, Christian Gissel Berlin was a mathematician by training, having written a dissertation with the title “An explanation of the method of least squares, as the order of magnitude” (as a biostatistician, I found that very interesting). He did not continue working in the field of mathematics; instead, was ordained and became a pastor of Balkåkra parish in 1829. The following year (the year Maria was born) he built a new parsonage for his family in Balkåkra. Then in 1840, he was elected to represent the clergy in the Swedish legislature in Stockholm. Maybe that is how Maria Berlin came to live in Stockholm in the early 1840s.

Balkåkra parsonage in 1925. Source: Saisonen: Magasin för Konst, Nyheter och Moder, 1925, Vol. 10, page 100.

Maria’s mother, Anna Catharina Nordström was a writer of historical fiction. She published her first book in 1835 when Maria was 5 years old. She became a well-published author.

The couple had 8 children:

Maria Charlotta Augusta, b. 1830
Erik Johan Oscar, b. 1832 (Eric became a pastor. His youngest daughter Dagmar Berlin (b. 1880) was the mother of Sten Broman – a famous Swedish musician and TV personality)
Carl Ludvig Theodor, b. 1834 (emigrated to America)
Rosa Helena Christina Ulrika, b. 1836
Anna Sophia Carolina, b. 1838 (married Ludwig Hedin; see below)
Emma Clara Amalia, b. 1840 (painter; died in Cairo in 1913)
Hulda Minerva Aurelia, b. 1843
Martin Axel Christian “Mac”, b. 1845 (received a Ph.D. in mathematics and became a lector)

Maria Berlin

Maria was confirmed in St Jacob’s parish in Stockholm in 1845, the year after our Augusta. In 1852, she married Måns Abraham Böös (b. 1818) who had been ordained in 1851 and was now serving in her home parish, Balkåkra. The couple had 2 sons and 2 daughters, all born at Balkåkra:

Erik Kristian Böös, b. 9 April 1853
Anna Sophia Charlotta Böös, b. 14 July 1854
Carl Gustaf Fredrik, b. 30 July 1862 – died a few hours after birth, on 31 July
Gertrud Maria Clementia Böös, b. 16 December 1864

There is not much more written about Maria’s life. She died on December 2, 1883, at the age of 52. The cause of death was not recorded.

The Connections Between the Families Berlin, Hedin, and Westman

Some connections between the Berlin family and two other prominent families (Hedin and Westman) are worth mentioning.

Maria’s younger sister Anna married Ludwig Hedin. One of their sons was Sven Hedin, who became a famous Swedish explorer. Our Augusta’s friend Lotten Westman described a sleigh ride in 1846 with Ludwig’s siblings, Carl and Emma Hedin.

“It is good that I have had so much fun earlier this winter because now, it is the end of it. The last amusement I had was a sleigh ride to Haga that Mrs. Dimander organized; very charming. It was awfully fun. I rode with Carl Hedin, … , Emma Hedin was also with us and we drove home in the most splendid moonlight that beautifully lit up the white snow. Too bad we rode in a covered sleigh. The road conditions were perfect for the sleighs, and it was not cold. Imagine how many layers of clothing I was wearing: at least 15 shawls, cardigan, and anything one could think of….” (Letter from Lotten Westman to Augusta Söderholm, March 1846)

The siblings Hedin were Lotten’s 3rd-degree cousins. So how were they all connected?

The Westmans were a large family who had made their fortunes in brewing. Most famous was Abraham Lorenzson Westman. His nickname was the King of Brewers (Bryggarkungen). Abraham Westman had a beautiful daughter, Clara Elisabeth (1790-1834). The Swedish poet and songwriter, Carl Michael Bellman, wrote poems for and about Clara.

Clara Elisabeth Westman and Lotten’s father, Isac Ulrik Westman (1798-1835) were 2nd-degree cousins. Clara married Sven Anders Hedin (1788-1834).

Clara Elisabeth Westman (1790-1834) and her husband, Sven Anders Hedin (1788-1834).

The couple had 9 children:

Carl Theodore, b. 1816
Charlotta Elisabeth, b. 1818 (twin)
Clara Sophia, b. 1818 (twin)
Sven Anders “Svante”, b. 1822 (actor)
Emma Hildegard, b. 1824
Abraham Ludwig, b. 1826
Gustaf Henrik Leonard, b. 1828
Knut Edvard, b. 1830
Lorens Alfred “Appe”, b. 1832

When I realized that both Clara and Sven died in 1834, the year of the first well-documented cholera epidemic in Stockholm, I had to look up the causes of their deaths.

It turned out that they both, 3 months apart, died from the common cold. So many deaths were listed as due to the common cold and whopping cough late that spring. Was it really a common cold or was it some influenza?

When they died, their 9 children, aged 2 to 18 became orphans. So, what happened to them? As customary, some family members stepped in. In this case, the Westman family had the means to take care of them all. In late 1834, they all lived together in a house on Regeringsgatan 35 with guardians listed as Carl A. Westman (b. 1801, captain in the Royal Swedish Artillery) and C.G. Westman.

Ten years later, all siblings (except for Knut Edvard who had died in 1835) lived at Holländargatan 11. According to the census records, it was now the oldest sibling, Carl, who was in charge.

Around this time, Augusta and her friend Lotten exchange gossip about one of the brothers Hedin:

“You asked me if I heard something about my relative Hedin and you apologize for liking him only because of the polka [dance]. You do not have to apologize for that, because I also like him just for the same reason. If I am lucky, I’ll meet him on the second day after Christmas when my grandmother always hosts a dance.” (Letter from Lotten Westman to Augusta Söderholm, 18 December 1845)

Who had Augusta asked about? Was it Carl who would later take her on a sleigh ride, or Svante, who had just made his debut at the Royal Theatre, or Ludwig who would eventually marry Maria Berlin’s sister, or was it any of the two youngest brothers?

“The Highly Original Miss Charlotte Berlin”

And finally, a story about Maria Berlin’s cousin, Charlotte Berlin.

Maria had an 11-year younger cousin: Charlotte Josephina Euphrosyne Aurora Constantia Berlin. Charlotte was born in 1841, worked as a piano teacher, and never married. She was intelligent and resourceful and made a fortune by investing the inheritance from her parents. When she died, she bequeathed her home with all its inventory to the town of Ystad. It is now a museum. There is also a book published about Charlotte Berlin, with the title Den högst originella fröken Charlotte Berlin (The highly original Miss Charlotte Berlin).

Blessings in Berlin

I am cleaning my office and a small card falls to the floor. It is a sweet painting of a saint holding a child and some white lilies. It brings back memories from our journey last year.

When Kerstin and I were in Berlin last fall, walking to our hotel, dressed in our 1840s long and wide dresses and colorful shawls, we passed by a woman who was similarly dressed, sitting on the sidewalk, begging. She also had a wide skirt and a large shawl. We passed her a few times. She smiled at us and we smiled back. The next time we walked by, I gave her a euro and she gave me the small card. She said something in a language I couldn’t place but it sounded like a blessing. I put the card in my reticule and didn’t think more about it.

Today, I decided to research the painting. I copied some of the text from the back of the card into Google Translate: “ochrzczono go imieniem Ferdynand” – it was Polish and translated as “he was baptized with the name of Ferdinand”. Maybe the woman who was begging was a Roma from Poland?

Then I read up on the saint. Saint Anthony of Padua was born in Lisbon in 1195. In art, he can be recognized by carrying the infant Jesus and holding a white lily, representing purity. The US city, San Antonio, got the name from Saint Anthony.

Why did the woman choose this card? Maybe because Saint Anthony is the patron saint of travelers. She was obviously a traveler, sitting on the sidewalk in Berlin, begging. And we were travelers, following in the footsteps of our great-great grandmother.

I wish we would have been able to communicate. And I hope Saint Anthony is watching over her wherever her travels may have taken her.

Marie Taglioni, the Swedish ballerina

In July of 1847, Augusta and her mother visited the opera in Berlin.

Berlin, 3 July 1847

After we had left Kroll’s garden, we went to the Opera where we saw the best arranged ballet I have ever seen, and where we had the opportunity to admire Madame Taglioni’s enchanting pas.

So what ballet did they see, and who was Madame Taglioni? After a lot of googling, I still can’t find what performance they saw.

But Madame Taglioni was a super star.

Marie Taglioni was Swedish, born in Stockholm in 1804. Her father was a famous dancer and choreographer, and he was also her teacher. Marie and her father left Sweden for Vienna in 1818 and she had her first performance in 1822.

In the early 1800s, ballerinas started to dance on their toes. Marie Taglioni was the first ballerina to dance a full-length ballet en pointe. However, at this time, there were no pointe shoes. There are anecdotes about Marie darning the front of her ballet slippers so that they would provide more support.

Her most famous role was in La Sylphide in 1832. She was soon as famous as her Swedish contemporary singer, Jenny Lind. Colored prints and etchings of her in various roles were in high demand.

How exciting it must have been for Augusta to see Marie Taglioni at the Royal Opera in Berlin in 1847. Marie Taglioni was at the top of career – she retired later that year.

Portrait of Marie Taglioni with lapdog. 1842. Edwin Dalton Smith (U.K., 1800-1866)

Read more about Marie Taglioni’s life and about the history of Romantic Ballet at the blogs and links below. It’s a window to the past:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Taglioni

https://balletclassroom.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/ballerina-biographies-marie-taglioni/

http://marietaglioni.orchesis-portal.org/index.php/imagesnew

https://www.russianpointe.com/blog/2013/04/30/history-pointe-shoes/

Exactly a month until we travel in Germany

In exactly a month, on the 28^th of September, Kerstin and I will be boarding an early morning train at Stockholm Central station to trace Augusta’s journey though Germany. Obviously, there will be no steam engines and no hustle and bustle on the platform; no carriers of large trunks and no women in elegant Victorian attire – except for us! We will be there, dressed in our fall dresses, capes, and bonnets – a la mode of 1847 – mingling with morning commuters.

The train ride south is the start of our 2-week, European journey. We are going to travel like two sisters would have traveled in 1847, and with Augusta’s diary as our guide book.

But before we take off on this exciting journey, we have to finish our wardrobe. We need outfits for all kinds of weather and for opera visits and mountain hiking – all the things Augusta did on her journey.

The Wooden Bastei Bridge in 1826 — The Wooden Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland

We have no idea what clothes she brought or how she packed. So far, I have made one fall dress with a matching wool pelerine (short cape) and bonnet, and a ball gown in fine muslin (aka Walmart $4 cotton). I have 2 weeks to make a silk ball gown and 2 more dresses! But how wonderful it will be to hike in Saxon Switzerland National Park, in a dress with several layers of petticoats. And I am hoping for brilliant fall colors.

The journey has been planned in detail and we are going to visit all the churches, palaces, and museums that Augusta described. Besides hiking, we will take a steam boat on River Elbe and a steam-engine train in Dresden. And we hope to get tickets to the opera as well.

We are looking forward to meeting a lot of interesting and interested people on our journey. That is something we experienced when we did the Göta Canal cruise – you make new friends along the way.

Our time table looks like this:

If you happen to be in the surroundings – let us know! Maybe we can have a cup of caffe or a glace together.

But rest assure – we will be uploading pictures and blogging during our journey!

The First Train Ride

After having spent a week in Lübeck, Augusta and her mother leave for Berlin. The weather is rather miserable but they enjoy passing the “enchanting” little town of Ratzeburg. After Ratzeburg, the landscape is flat and infertile, but the scenery is not important to Augusta – she is excited about getting to Schwarzenbek where the railroad starts.

There were no railroads in Sweden in 1847 (the first local railroads opened in 1856 – after Augusta’s life time – and the railroad from Stockholm to Göteborg didn’t open until 1862).

I can almost envision Augusta and her mother when they finally are about to board the train – the novel and controversial mode of transportation. Augusta is waiting to step up into the train compartment, following her mother. Her mother’s wide dress fills the entire entrance to the compartment. When it is Augusta’s turn to step up, she gathers her skirt with her left hand. In her right hand, she is carrying a fashionable little reticule, a rolled-up travel blanket, and a parasol. The rest of the luggage has been left with the porters.

Now she will get to see the interior of a train car; this is what she has been looking forward to – and to experience the dizzying speed of a train ride. She is almost overwhelmed by what she sees and wonders how she will describe this luxury to her friends back home. She will not have a chance to write it down in her small diary until they have arrived at Hotel de Rome in Berlin and she has a desk to write on.

“Quite curious whether the journey in the so highly praised steam cars would please me, I waited with the utmost impatience for the train, which soon arrived. The first entrance in the wagon pleased me immensely. One was by Monsieur le Conducteur locked in a small delightful cabinet, with a ceiling lamp and four stuffed sofas, two and two against each other. The train started and I felt like I was flying through the air. In the distance, however, one could see the objects one passed, but as the whole of the Prussian countryside was ugly, I did not pay any attention to the scenery but instead conversed with my neighbors who, with the usual German talkativeness, informed us of everything we wanted to know for our stay in Berlin.”

Maybe the compartment looked like the one in Abraham Soloman’s 1854 controversial painting of flirtation in a first-class cabin while the girl’s father is asleep.

Abraham Soloman. First Class - The Meeting (original version) 1854 — Abraham Soloman. First Class – The Meeting (original version) 1854

Soloman then re-painted the scene according to Victorian morals – now with the young man talking to the father.

Abraham Solomon (1824-1862) First Class - The Meeting (Revised Version) — Abraham Solomon (1824-1862) First Class – The Meeting (Revised Version)

Or maybe the compartment looked like the one in August Leopold Egg’s 1862 famous painting: The Travelling Companions.

Now Kerstin and I are planning our travels by train through Germany. Hopefully the compartments will be just as cozy and the trains alot faster.

Travel Advice and Hotel Etiquette for Ladies in the 1800s

Eduard Gaertner ( 1801-1877) Unter den Linden mit Oper — Eduard Gaertner (1801-1877) Unter den Linden mit Oper

Berlin, 3 July 1847

“In a couple of exquisitely decorated rooms in Hôtel de Rome on Boulevard Unter den Linden, yours truly is sitting with pen in hand to recall from memory the wonderments I have seen since my arrival in the great Prussian capital.”

This is Augusta’s first description of a hotel on the European continent during her and her mother’s journey down to Prague. There are not many remarks regarding hotels in Augusta’s diary but Hôtel de Rome must have been the most impressive hotel. There, they engaged a servant to show them the attractions of Berlin.

Two days later, they arrived at Hôtel de Saxe in Dresden – the most luxurious hotel in town.

“Our stay here at Hôtel de Saxe is very nice and I would say elegant, if I had not just arrived from Berlin, with its fabulous, luxurious furnishings. There are certainly not, as at Hôtel de Rome, six or seven doormen in livery to greet you on the stairs and to take the things you carry. I have to admit that these elegant and conversable domestics made me embarrassed upon my arrival in the great Prussian capital. Here in Dresden, you miss the elegant, carpeted vestibules and staircases, this wealth of stuffed armchairs, canapés, and sofas; however, Hôtel de Saxe, although not as brilliant as Hôtel de Rome, is both gentile and comfortable.”

What could one expect from luxury hotels in the mid-1800s and what was expected of the guests?

In 1860, the American author Florence Heartly published The Ladies Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness. The book includes chapters on Travelling and on How to behave at a hotel.

“After breakfast, pass an hour or two in the parlor, unless you are going out, whilst the chambermaid puts your room in order.”

It just so happens that while writing this blog today, I am staying at a hotel in Dubai and Heartly’s suggestion sounded like a good idea. Heeding the advice, I took Florence Heartly’s book and Augusta’s diary with me and headed for the “parlor” (aka, the mall connected to the hotel). Heartly’s second advice also sounded good: “It is best always to carry writing materials with you.” I skipped her next etiquette rule for hotels: “Never sit down to the piano uninvited, unless you are alone in the parlor.” Instead, I ordered a cappuccino and started reading Heartly’s book – highlighting advice that Kerstin and I might need for our Göta Canal cruise and our train journey through Germany (with the exception of those regarding an escort):

Regarding your escort

If you travel under the escort of a gentleman, give him as little trouble as possible … [!]
It is best, when starting upon your journey, to hand your escort a sufficient sum of money to cover all your expenses … [hmm]
Find out the position and number of the stateroom occupied by your escort, in case you wish to find him during the night. [that is, if you were able to secure a stateroom to sleep in on the steamboat]

Regarding sea sickness

…never leave home without a straw-covered bottle of brandy, and another of camphor, in your carpet bag.
Try to occupy yourself with looking at the country through which you are passing, or with a book.

Regarding your luggage

Have a strong pocket made in your upper petticoat, and in that carry your money, only reserving in your dress-pocket a small sum for incidental expenses.
In your travelling satchel, carry an oil skin bag containing your sponge, tooth- and nail-brushes, and some soap.
Have also a calico bag with hair brush and comb, some pins, hair pins, a small mirror, and some towels. In this satchel, carry also some crackers or sandwiches…
In your carpet bag, carry a large shawl, and if you will travel by night, … your night clothes and what clean linen you may require …
If you carry a novel …, it is best to carry the book in your satchel.
If you are to pass the night in the cars, carry a warm woolen or silk hood – that you may take off your bonnet at night. No one can sleep comfortable in a bonnet.
Carry also … a large shawl to wrap round your feet.

At the hotel

When you arrive at the hotel, inquire at once for the proprietor. Tell him your name and address, and ask him to conduct you to a good room…
It is best to mention the time when you wish to breakfast, dine or sup.
If you stay more than one day … request one of the waiters always to meet you as you enter, and wait upon you to your seat.
When you have finished your meal, cross the room quietly; if you go into the parlor, do not attract attention by a hasty entrance ….
A lady’s dress, when alone at a hotel, should be of the most modest kind.
Never, even at supper, appear alone at the table with bare arms or neck.
If you wish for a carriage, ring, and let the waiter order one for you.

Those were Heartly’s advice for travelling ladies. Augusta and her mother probably knew all about travelling etiquette. Now, Kerstin and I will also know what is expected of us when we embark on Augusta’s Journey.