Postcards to Pollo
Our family always called Great-grandpa Franz Georg Leopold Lessiack by the nickname “Leo”, but I have a great many postcards addressed to “Pollo Lessiack” which I assume is also a nickname for Leopold. Most of them are handwritten in German, and thus difficult to decipher. I’m working on it, though, because I know there’s a wealth of information about Leo’s friendships, travels, and concerns buried in them.
Here’s one of the rare postcards in English, even though it was both sent and received in Hamburg in November of 1908. Leo would have been 18 years old when he received it.
The shop (and family, I presume) of Carl Kellerborn.
This was a fun card to explore with my magnifying loupe, because you can almost taste the delicacies for sale at the well-stocked “Carl Kellerhorn Delicatessen and Wein…” (the sign in the window is cut off). Among the comestibles on offer are “A. Zulnz Java Kaffee”, and “Feroni Schwarzbrot” which translates to black bread. Along the top of the display are glass jars containing different kinds of sweets, and a variety of wine bottles are assembled in the left side of the window. Canned goods and fruits and vegetables are stacked in the center, and hanging on the right appears to be a stalk of ripening bananas, which must have been quite the exotic treat in that cold northern city. Food adventurer that I am, this shop looks like a place I would totally want to hang out.
And what does the postcard say? It’s addressed to Mr. Pollo Lessiack, Ausschlägerweg, Hamburg, Germany, and it reads:
“Hamburg, 26 November 1908
My dear friend: I am awaiting you tomorrow in the morning with the train 8:39 h. at the central railway station. The best regards to your parents.
I am your friend,
L. Kellerborn.”
I don’t know if the mysterious “L” is one of the people pictured in front of the shop or not, but it sounds like Leo is about to have an adventure. Whatever the case, I bet he was well fed.
Happy Monday, People.
13 comments on “Postcards to Pollo”
Leave a comment
If you are a Person of Pancho, have questions, clues, or want to use any images or writing from this blog, kindly contact me at peopleofpancho@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.
The People of Pancho 
Wonderful photo on that card. Any idea why it was written in English?
LikeLike
None whatsoever. All I can imagine is the mysterious “L” wanted to practice? Leo visited the US shortly after this, so maybe he was learning too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantastic photo of the family, and quite a treasure trove of treats!
LikeLike
Thank you! It was a fun, if whirlwind, weekend.
LikeLike
This is so awesome! Postcards are such fun family history treasures. I’ve been able to share my grandparents’ vintage postcard collection in my postcard blog. I also have been the recipient of many vintage postcards that belonged to the family of my 2nd great-grandaunt.
LikeLike
I love your postcard blog–it’s such a great idea. I have a huge number of Leo’s postcards, but they’re all in German. A friend of mine is about to help me start translating them. I also got some super special ones in the mail from my cousin the other day, so there are many postcards to come on the blog!
LikeLike
Leslie,
I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today’s Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2014/12/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-december-12.html
Have a great weekend!
LikeLike
Thank you, Jana! I always find such great nuggets in your lists–I’m honored to be listed among them.
LikeLike
Pingback: Fröhliche Weihnachten to the Lessiacks, and to You | The People of Pancho
Pingback: A Missive to Margaret | The People of Pancho
The shop owner is Carl KELTERBORN
[short horizontal dash at top of ” t” !!]
neither “Kellerborn”, “Kellerhorn” nor
“Kelterbern” . . . the “mystery friend”
is Franz KELTERBORN.
LikeLike
Thank you, Werner!
LikeLike
Sorry, I didn´t pay attention to the “L”! It may stand for “Ludwig” (Kelterborn),
a brother of Franz, mentioned in the letter from Leo´s “Mutter” to “Grete”,
her daughter in law.
LikeLike