Bad Kudowa was a well-known spa, where people would "take the waters"
so it could make sense for someone to go there for a rest cure. Or
the photo seems to show such a large intergenerational group that I
wonder if the reason for going was a family reunion.

Barbara Zimmer

Barbara Zimmer wrote,

Bad Kudowa was a well-known spa, where people would "take the waters"
so it could make sense for someone to go there for a rest cure. Or
the photo seems to show such a large intergenerational group that I
wonder if the reason for going was a family reunion.

Barbara,
Socializing was the main reason to 'take the waters' - meeting friends or
review potential candidates for a marriage.

Best,

Alexander Sharon
Calgary, Ab

I found Barbara's explanation of the possibility of a family reunion
very interesting. Upon closer inspection, the photograph does indeed
show that this is a strong possibility. I had a look through some old
photos of the SKOWRONEKs in my family and began to notice a small group
of men, central to the photograph, who bear a resemblance, as well as
the known presence of my grandmother. My great-uncle's postcards suggest
that his niece, my aunt Tilly, was heading for Kudowa (possibly having
just also visited family in Warsaw) and that he too was planning on
going there.

We have also since found out that the Hotel Austria in Bad Kudowa was
run by the Philipp and Josefine POLLAK >from 1903 as a "strictly Kosher"
hotel. By 1924 it was owned by Eugen SALOMON but still run by Josefine
POLLAK.

My grandparents were not hugely wealthy people, so the idea of my
grandmother heading there just to "take the waters" without my
grandfather, seems a little difficult for me to understand (although not
impossible, I suppose), but the thought that she might have been there
to meet up with family, maybe for some special event, is a bit more
likely, in my view.

I'd like to thank Barbara for planting the seed of the idea and to
Alexander and Michael for expanding on the description of these spa towns.

If anyone would like to take a fresh look at the photograph in case they
recognise anyone there, it can be found at:

http://www.clamp.dsl.pipex.com/gen20.html

Many thanks,

Sue Clamp

Cambridgeshire, UK
--
Searching: ROSENBERG, DRUSZN (Warsaw and Serock), SKOWRONEK,
HERSZENKRUG, CHENCINER, KRIGSMAN, KRIEGSMAN (Warsaw)

Alexander Sharon wrote:

Sue Clamp wrote
My grandparents were not hugely wealthy people, so the idea of my
grandmother heading there just to "take the waters" without my
grandfather, seems a little difficult for me to understand (although not
impossible, I suppose), but the thought that she might have been there
to meet up with family, maybe for some special event, is a bit more
likely, in my view.

--
THe way I understand it my Grandparents were not rich at all but
every year my Grandmother went to a spa in Austria. I have
photos of her and one of her daughters on a few pictures.
They are group pictures of maybe 30 people and they all had a
drink in their hands. My Grandfather was not in the pictures.
My Grandmother and Aunt and everybody looked very elegant,
Maybe he was working.

In Vienna everyone in my family seemed to live in the same building
of the building next store so I doubt if my Grandmother was
going to a reunion. She was probably trying to get away

from everyone and have a vacation. I looked at one of the

pictures and a lot of the people looked alike the men had little
mustaches and the women were a bit stocky I dont know if any
of them were related. I didn't even recognize my Aunt for a
few years.

Evelyn Filippi
New York

I think most Jewish women especially the women in my family were very
strong minded and did more or less what they wanted.
Maybe my Grandfather didn't like the spa. I have no idea why he didn't go
and I really dont try to make sense or really understand why someone did
something because it would only be a guess.

If 1000 people went to the spa because the Doctor said so that doesn't
mean its the reason my Grandmother went. All I know is that I have many
pictures with Grandmother and one of my aunts. I have no pictures of my
Grandfather or my Father at the Spa.
Evelyn Filippi
New York