Voyage From Sweden 1923 (part 1 of 3).

                                               

SS Potsdam 1900

SS Stockholm 1915

         John Oskar Lindell was born in Tullinge, Sweden on October 6, 1903. He was the first of three  sons and four daughters born to Albertina and Oskar Frederick Lindell. In 1923 at age 19, he  migrated to the United States. The first of several "travel notes" written during this trip follows. They had been carefully copied by his father and saved in his personal "little black notebook". The translation is by  John Oskar's niece Christina Spolen.

    

    The SS Potsdam was launched in 1900, sold in 1915 by Holland America Lines to the new Swedish American Line and renamed the SS Stockholm. In 1923 the"last wave" of the industrial migration from Europe occurred. Six years later the ship was sold to a Norwegian Whaling Company and in 1929 became the SS Solglimt. In 1940 she was captured by German Naval Forces and renamed SS Sonderburg. A British air strike on Cherbourg in 1941 partially sank the Sonderburg and in 1944 she was scuttled by the Germans to block the harbour. 1946 - 1947 The hulk was towed to the United Kingdom and scrapped.*

        

SS Stockholm - June 19th, 1923

         I would never have imagined that I would receive such a hearty farewell. Just imagine what a great number of friends at [Stockholm] Central Station, at Tullinge Station and at Tumba Station, where I had expected a half dozen. The boys were standing there in a long line and at Tullinge the railroad station and on the road to the goods shed it was crowded with people, who completely showered me with flowers. Now the boat shakes and therefore my handwriting gets a little crumped but I write as good as I can.

     To Goteborg I traveled together with a Swedish farmer from America, a boy a little older than me, who works on board Stockholm as a kitchen hand and a well known athlete, Hellas Persson. He is a gymnast, general athlete, good hammer-thrower and wrestler. Tell Gosta [brother] that Hellas P. had a letter of introduction from Ernst Lindblom (Sving) to Hj Lundin in America. I saw the letter. As you know mom and dad I traveled by a special train. Therefore Erland was not at the station but he went there for a later train.

     On our arrival in Goteborg the farmer, the athlete and I had coffee together. Then I went up to the Vahlstroms and met Erland on the stairs. Mrs Vahlstrom is such a kind woman. She immediately invited me to dine with them. I wanted to pay her but I was not allowed to. I was also offered to stay the night there but I had already fixed that. Tickets bought [for] America were not valid for that free stay in Goteborg (in Stockholm they could not tell). The Institute of Commerce however, has been opened for visitors to the exhibition and to emigrants. There I could sleep for 1.50 crowns per night, not on the floor as mom and dad might think but in a real iron bed.

     On Monday I had no time during the day to see the exhibition. I had to run to the office quite a few times for passport and ticket and also twice to the doctor. But in the evening Erland and I went there. Mom and dad, you could never imagine how beautiful the exhibition grounds are in the evening illumination. It's altogether like a fairy tale. I can't stop thinking of the minarets and the memory hall as it was all so extremely beautiful. Erland and I went on the switchback railway and we danced, enjoyed ourselves until midnight. I mustn't forget the three English tight rope walkers. They walked blindfolded, they biked and danced on a tight steel wire at a considerable altitude. As Erland and I walked from the exhibition we had to look back several times to admire the minarets and the memory hall because all was so very beautiful. From there I had only a 3 minute walk to the Institute of Commerce. In my hall there were 26 beds but only 10 were occupied. When I arrived after midnight everyone was snoring. Close to me was an old man with a big moustache. I wondered if he might be the farmer and in the morning I realized that it was him. On Tuesday the whole town was decorated with flags. I mentioned to the farmer that they expected the king to arrive. Then he leaned very close to me and said; "I'll tell you that I don't give a damn about the king". He did not dare speak out loud so that the by-standers would hear - a nice chap he is.

     Midsummer's Eve, Saturday, June 20th ** 

     At noon the steamer put off while the music played the Swedish national anthem; "Du gamla du fria" ["Thou ancient, thou free"]. Leonard E., Erland V and a cousin of Erland's were present at the ship.

     Soon after departure the bell rang announcing dinner, consisting of spinach soup, veal steak with potatoes and rice pudding with fruit sauce. The food on board is good. I belong to the first sitting. At 7 AM oatmeal porridge, fish or meat and coffee. At noon lunch often with three courses, at 3 PM coffee with sweet bread, at 6 PM supper. Butter, cheese, anchovies, a fish or meat dish and tea. First day moderate sea, second day rough sea. Now the seasickness has started to assert itself. I began throwing up and thus only ate every second meal, third and fourth day the same, fifth day completely well again, just a little weak legs. However, I have been up every day. This is the reason I have not started to write earlier. Now it tastes good to eat again.

* See: Henrik Ljungstrom - research online; Also Wikipedia - SS Potsdam.

          Photos from Wikimedia; Also Fred Pansing - SS Potsdam

** June 23rd, 1923 ???