Green letters

April 13, 1960

Dearest Roses -

As tonight is the night before another vacation I'm sort of out of the mood for study, though there remains much to do, and so can catch up on my special letter writing - one to you, one to Dave Evans, my roommate last quarter as you know, adn of course my daily one to Anne. By the time I get the letters written it will probably be 10 pm and I will have avoided the studies, as I must get up at 3:30 to leave for Paris at 4 AM! We have 5 days free, are going by car (5 in a Volkswagon, which should be not too crowded), and can of course attend Easter services at Notre Dame I hope. I'm looking forward to it very much, wish we had more time, and only regret that I don't know any French at all. I'm planning a full day at the Louvres, though it is worthy of many more I'm sure.

Our bicycle trip for the 3 weeks vacation worked out wonderfully well, even better than I had expected in most respects. We used the train more than planned in order to cut down daily bike mileage and cover less interesting territory more quickly, and this was a wise change of plans I think. For what we saw from the bikes, we had time to really see, and I shall carry the memory with me much longer than the fleeting impressions gathered from a car or train window. Also we returned suntanned and healthy from a car or leg muscles built climbing hills! And I feel healthier and in better physical shape than I have been during the school year in a long time. A second benefit was our remaining within the German-speaking community (in Holland almost everyone speaks German or English or both, besides their own Holländish); we got much practice in speaking (especially at the end, staying for two days with my family in Beutelsbach) and also we could understand much more of what we saw could ask questions and could talk with people about history, local customs, etc as we traveled. I think our 6 days on the Rhine - from Köln (Cologne) to Worms - were the most particularly interesting, though my favorite city was Amsterdam. The canals there sort of set the atmosphere apart, from that of a typical big city (e.g. Hamburg or Hannover or Munich), maintain a continuity with the sea and its commerce, provide a certain romance. Also there are two excellent art museums in Amsterdam (one from the time of Rembrandt and Vermeer, the other modern with Van Gogh, Picasso, Chagall and many others equally fascinating); I have seen enough art now since I've been here that I've begun to build a background of knowledge and critical standards by which to approach what I see, and each successive experience is more rewarding. I find this much more than merely seeing famous works of a great culture - rather it is a means to real insights into the life, belief, and ideals of the people from whom the art arises; this "human" insight is especially interesting to me in the painting a sculpture of the last 70 or 80 years, for there are such ranges of expression - from a delicate romantic fantasy world in some of the impressionists (Monet, Renoir), to a cold, inhuman, mechanical abstractionism (e. g. Picasso), to a search for the simple, down-to-earth security of simpler life in the peasant portrayals of

Max Lieberman or some of the work of Marc Chagall. Each seems to speak a facet of our 20th century world, and it is to me quite fascinating to explore.

Our classes this quarter have really gotten off to a fast and heavy start, but the work is for the greater part very interesting so I don't mind the greater time involved as compared to last quarter. Unfortunately it puts pressure on other worthwhile activities - concerts, guest speakers, visits to Beutelsbach, etc. - and these conflicts must still be resolved. one reason for the heavy work is that we have only 23 class days in the entire quarter, because of trips and holidays. We go to Berlin from April 26 - May 2 (can see May Day rallies in East sector) and to the coal and steel community in Luxembourg from May 16 - 18 (with 4 days free to travel afterwards, probably to Belgium and Holland for me). Also, after finals (moved up now to June 2 -3 ) I'm going to Vienna for 5 or 6 days, just before flying home. So travel too is going to be busy, especially adding in shorter weekends here in the more immediate area.

From all reports it sounds like spring in California has been beautiful this year - especially with your lovely camellias! I would nonetheless have never believed that spring could be as wonderful anywhere as it has right on the Burg. It is a daily miracle, and every morning as I walk to Grosses Haus for breakfast the wonder appears anew, and each time I look out the wondow or am outdoors during the day (which is whenever possible!) my heart is refreshed. We are completely surrounded here by the majic of nature - the grassy fields, the plowed earth with rowns of new plants, the birch, and pine woods on the slope behind, the acres of vineyard with vines just showing buds of green, and most of all the orchards with the glorious color of fruit blossoms. All of this coming after a real winter, snow and all, is really breathtaking, and everyone of us here is sharing in the sacred beauty and joy of the season. Each day I think "spring is here" and yet each day new beauty unfolds to surpass to day before - spring is never "here", but is endlessly arriving, in the delicate vigor of new growth, and this will continue until the full crown of summer's lush, thick grass is on the land. Words just don't suffice to portray it, though poetry would come closer than prose.

Well it's time to write to Annie now if I'm going to get to sleep, so I'd better close. I'm glad to hear that things are improving and that someone else has the cares of Baker Street, and I hope that you are all healthy. Special hellos to to Granddaddy and Grandmother (Grandma, I mean!, 'cause for me she is!) and to Aunt Winifred and Dr. Stone too. And, gee, I'll be able to see you all again in just two month now - that makes coming double worthwhile, having two families to return to!

All my love, George

Jan, 1, 1960

Hello My Darling,

This is my first real letter from the Burg and also my first to you in the new year. I hope it's one of the best of many which we shall share with each other. I got your note yesterday which you mailed on the 27th (5 days time - not bad at all) and it was swell to see your words even though they were written before I left. I can hardly wait for your first letter for real. I've read and reread your special letter which I brought with me (which almost got left behind at the airport!) and I can't tell you how much it means to me. I hope you can feel as you read this, darling, how much I love you!! Golly there's so much to tell you already - where do I start? Fortunately, I have nothing planned all day (it is now 1 pm - I got up just in time for lunch, having gotten to bed at 3:45 a.m.), so I can spend it all with you (that is, If I can afford the stamps to mail what I write.). I think I'll begin chronologically and tell you what has happened.

We arrived in N.Y. after flying over clouds since about Denver - to find it snowing! After about a 1/2 hour layover we took off on sabena DC7 for Brussels. Had dinner and breakfast on this leg, and tried to get some sleep, but even with a sleeping pill I only slept about 3 hours. After about a 1/2 hour stop in a beautiful Brussels airport, we took off again for Stuttgart, with lunch on the way. During the whole trip Sabena we saw relatively little land, being either over coean or clouds. We got a good look at southern England - Wales, Bristol, etc. toward London, but London itself went by before I could get to a window. Then we saw a little of France and of course the Brussels area as we dropped through the clouds. The country was cut into small sections, and looked sort of like a stained glass window in varying shades of green. It was must greener than in the U.S. (even the San Joaquin valley) where everything looks brown. [Just took time out to visit with a young boy from Beutelsbach who was visiting with the fellows in the room next to ours.]

We drove from the airport to the Burg on chartered busses, passing through the residential areas of Stuttgart. Most of the houses were quite large, 3 stories, basically square (not ranch style for sure), with fairly steep, red (usually tile) roofs. They are

mostly stucco, with some stone or brick finishes. On the whole they are attractive and always in good condition. As we left Stuttgart we drove through rolling farmland - small plots plowed in different directions and dotted by many little villages (of 40-80 houses, a few shops, and the inevitable church spire dominating the skyline). These villages are partly farmers and shopkeepers, carpenteres, etc. and partly business people from Stuttgart, I think. The Burg is on a high hill, perhaps 1000 feet above the Remstal valley, higher than I realized. From our own window we look directly down on Strumpfelbach, Endersbach, and Beutelsbach, as well as other towns whose names I don't know, and we can see other towns and suburbs of Stuttgart in the distance (a very clear view of at least 10-20 miles. The towns are often less than a mile apart (much denser than southern England in incomperable to the western U.S.), so at night the view of the lights from our room is fantastic. Better than the view from the top of our mountain even.

Wednesday after arriving (at about 3:45 pm) we unboarded and helped the girls with their baggage, had "tea" [coffee (! - I bet I'll drink it by the time I return; I downed a whole cup that time!), and coffee cake and cheese cake], unpacked, ate dinner, finished unpacking and got to shower (AHH!) and bed at 8:45, after one last look at your picture (yours is on the bookshelf above my desk and the one from your folks on the shelf beside my bed.)

[Just to give give you an idea of how active things are here even before the start of classes, it is now 7 pm. I had to leave at about 2:30 to go down to the Ratskellar to talk with some fellows (18-19 years old) from Beutelsbach. We stayed there until almost 5 pm when we all went upstairs to the library-classroom to hear the Beutelsbach trumpet chorus play some chorale music. Then we talked and drank a little Glühwein (hot "glow" wine) until 6:15 when we had to make a hasty exit to eat dinner. And so finally here I am back again, now to spend the evening writing to you.].

Yesterday, after exchanging travelers checks for German mark, we went down to Beutelsbach for a first real look. We walked around a little, stopped in the stationery store to buy notebooks and a mirror to shave with, stopped briefly to look into the church. As we left the church we met two

young boys of about 8 or 10 (one named Hans) who volunteered to guide us to the bakery (we needed a loaf of bread since it was too late to get back in time for lunch.). As we left them we met the mayor of Beutelsbach and chatted with him for about 15-20 minutes about the weather, mutual friends from previous groups, the coming tour of Beutelsbach, etc. His wife and young (4 or 5) son happened by and joined in the conversation. As we took leave of them we met two more boys (Alford and Bermhard) who accompanies us to the edge of town and mentioned getting electric trains and "Monopoly" for Christmas. All the people are well-fed and rosy-cheeked and the Beutelsbachers at least are very friendly. It took us 1/2 hour to climb the footpath back up to the burg, and we were thoroughly breathless and tired when we reached here. After a quick shower to remove the chill, we had a 3 hour meeting of general information and red tape for the many governments which have jurisdiction over us.

At 9 last night we had our New Years party on the Burg - hot wine, sweet rolls, balloons, German songs, dancing, talk, etc. Gee but I wish you could have been here to share it with me, though you were here in spirit. At least all the rest of our New Years will be together. Just before midnight Herr Dr. Boerner told us the German customs in celebrating Christmas and New Years and we lighted the christmas tree candles and sand "Auld Lang Syne." Then we went outside for a fireworks show (going on simultaneously in all the towns below, as well as here on the Burg). Then a large bunch of us walked or rode down to Beutelsbach to catch the end of their celebration. We went to the Rosen (a local Gaststelle - beer parlor) where there was much singing and noise, and free Glühwein, and many of the Stanford kids already well in the spirit. Ellen Friedman and I ended up at one table full of fellows about our age (not students but apprentices in various professions - e.g. architecture) who were for the most part pretty high. We talked for about 2 hours mostly with one of the more sober fellows at the table. It was lots of fun and really made the celebration complete to share it with the German kids. And they have really good Glühwein (hot red wine) and Sauterne here in the Remstal valley. I had a glass or so of each and really enjoyed them. Never