Historical documents from a user's grandfather November 3, 2006 7:45 PM Subscribe
Daniel Geduld's grandfather Sol's archives were the subject of a recent post on Boing Boing. Three-digit MeFite grumblebee is Daniel's brother, Sol's grandson, and a childhood acquaintance of yr. humble servant. I felt others might be interested to learn this, and Mr. G. Bee has assented to this post.
That is amazing.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:15 PM on November 3, 2006
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:15 PM on November 3, 2006
My grandfather was an amazing man. When I was a small child, I casually mentioned that I loved popup books. From that day on, I received a popup book every week. He made them himself -- from scratch. He illustrated a fairy tale -- or a story from his own head -- on cardstock, carefully cut out sections with an exacto knife, and glued them back together so that they would stand up when I opened the book. He also drew me comic books and illustrated stories.
My dad told me that during WWII, he built a model airplane from scratch, using odd parts he found around the house. He used licorice for the wires.
His real name was Sally Geduld, but since this sounds like a woman's name in English, he changed it to Sol E. Geduld. As a kid, I was fascinated by the fact that his middle initial didn't stand for anything.
posted by grumblebee at 8:29 PM on November 3, 2006 [4 favorites]
My dad told me that during WWII, he built a model airplane from scratch, using odd parts he found around the house. He used licorice for the wires.
His real name was Sally Geduld, but since this sounds like a woman's name in English, he changed it to Sol E. Geduld. As a kid, I was fascinated by the fact that his middle initial didn't stand for anything.
posted by grumblebee at 8:29 PM on November 3, 2006 [4 favorites]
Like Harry S Truman...
posted by growabrain at 8:49 PM on November 3, 2006
posted by growabrain at 8:49 PM on November 3, 2006
this makes the internet worth it. thanks to all involved.
posted by carsonb at 9:11 PM on November 3, 2006
posted by carsonb at 9:11 PM on November 3, 2006
That's amazing stuff.
posted by SisterHavana at 10:36 PM on November 3, 2006
posted by SisterHavana at 10:36 PM on November 3, 2006
Very cool. The early drawings remind me a bit of the Flywheel periodical published by inmates at Stalag IVB Mühlberg.
posted by maxwelton at 3:41 AM on November 4, 2006
posted by maxwelton at 3:41 AM on November 4, 2006
grumblebee, do you still have the pop-up books and the comics he made for you? I would love to see one or two.
posted by iconomy at 8:35 AM on November 4, 2006
posted by iconomy at 8:35 AM on November 4, 2006
They are at my parents' house in Indiana. I will try to get them sometime and scan them (though I'm not sure how I'll be able to scan the popups).
posted by grumblebee at 8:40 AM on November 4, 2006
posted by grumblebee at 8:40 AM on November 4, 2006
I add my amazement. Your grandfather was obviously a hell of a guy.
posted by languagehat at 9:02 AM on November 4, 2006
posted by languagehat at 9:02 AM on November 4, 2006
jumping jiminy.
posted by sgt.serenity at 2:53 PM on November 4, 2006
posted by sgt.serenity at 2:53 PM on November 4, 2006
You know, reflecting on this, I think it's a concrete example of one of the many ways I personally have benefitted from the turmoil of the twentieth century, as an American from an academic family.
Grumblebee's family was not the only family I had contact with as a child whose parents and extended families had come to university life in the United States with distinctive and original approaches to life, teaching, learning, and parenting. I recall with savor my interactions with at least ten other families whose emigrant backgounds remained fresh but whose familial celebration of cerebration outweighed by far any other of the more usually adopted markers of tribal affiliation.
As a child, it never occurred to me that these distinctive and creative families might be the products of other cultures than that of the US. In hindsight, it's understandable I'd think so, but it equally seems to me that a great deal of the idiosyncratic approaches to life I observed and admired must be recognized as formed in response to and dialog with other cultures. The richness of these responses to life here, and there, has deeply colored my own view of the world and in particular of the importance of emigrants to this nation's life of the mind.
posted by mwhybark at 10:35 PM on November 4, 2006 [1 favorite]
Grumblebee's family was not the only family I had contact with as a child whose parents and extended families had come to university life in the United States with distinctive and original approaches to life, teaching, learning, and parenting. I recall with savor my interactions with at least ten other families whose emigrant backgounds remained fresh but whose familial celebration of cerebration outweighed by far any other of the more usually adopted markers of tribal affiliation.
As a child, it never occurred to me that these distinctive and creative families might be the products of other cultures than that of the US. In hindsight, it's understandable I'd think so, but it equally seems to me that a great deal of the idiosyncratic approaches to life I observed and admired must be recognized as formed in response to and dialog with other cultures. The richness of these responses to life here, and there, has deeply colored my own view of the world and in particular of the importance of emigrants to this nation's life of the mind.
posted by mwhybark at 10:35 PM on November 4, 2006 [1 favorite]
There is more information and commentary on this at boing boing, including the WWI POW magazines.
posted by Rumple at 10:43 AM on November 5, 2006
posted by Rumple at 10:43 AM on November 5, 2006
Holy recursiveness. So I found things in the backassward order. Oh well.
posted by Rumple at 10:55 AM on November 5, 2006
posted by Rumple at 10:55 AM on November 5, 2006
Well thankfully younsters in the end, everyone agreed that the posted by person was correct.
posted by econous at 3:48 PM on December 3, 2006
posted by econous at 3:48 PM on December 3, 2006
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by ColdChef at 7:51 PM on November 3, 2006