Thursday, October 20, 2011

Lorelei





Lorelei.

Die schönste Jungfrau sitzet
Dort oben wunderbar.
Ihr gold'nes Geschmeide blitzet
Sie kämmt ihr goldenes Haar,
Sie kämmt es mit goldenem Kamme
Und Singt ein Lied dabei,
Das hat eine wundersame
Gewaltige Melodei.

[Lorelei is rock about 400 feet high on the eastern bank of the Rhine River near St. Goarshausen, Germany.  It it is known for its many shipwrecks due to strong currents around the bend near the rock.  A waterfall nearby with a strong echo produced a murmuring sound that created myths about this rock.  The best remembered is probably Heinrich Heine's 1824 poem, Die Lorelei, that was later set to music.  Heine's poem talks about a golden-haired siren who lures sailors towards the rock.  The middle part of the poem is repeated on the front of the post card here, but the poem continues about a boatman in a skiff about to meet his demise.]

Unreadable European postmark with stamp removed.

Miss Jessie Burrows
1153 Univ Ave
Wichita
Kan
U.S.A.

Aug 10 –

Just passed the famous Loreley on the Rhine and stopped at St. Goar for the remainder of the day.  This is a most beautiful river and castles are built on both sides of it.–  S.A.C.


5 comments:

Chuck Kelly said...

Based on the 'St' part of the postmark, I wonder if the card was mailed at St. Goar, right after the sender viewed the Lorelei?

The year would be interesting. Any way to tell if it was it before WWI?

Nate Maas said...

Chuck, I think your guess is really good. Jessie Burrows was married in 1909 and became Jessie Benton, so I'd guess this cards is probably from 1906 to 1908.

Ellena said...

Bad thing happened because man in boat had no eye for jagged cliff.

Vir said...

OK I am going to take 2 cheap shots at the postcard artwork:
1) A lyre that size is likely to produce only basso profondo notes.
2)If the full moon is that near the horizon it is not going to be that dark out.
But, very nice to read about the Lorelei.

Unknown said...

It is still a dangerous place, last July a ship with ethanol run aground, blocking the river and resulting in a 'traffic jam' of 65 ships.