10-28-1945 Switzerland, Ice Cream Sodas, and the First Glimpse of Peace
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March 20, 2026 by LTJM1125

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letter_10-28-1945

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"Taken on a street in Geneva when I wasn't looking. I was interested in a poster advertising a coming boxing match" dad_geneva
"Dopey -- In front of the league of Nations Building, Geneva Switzerland" dad_league_of_nations
army_instructions Worn document from the Military Attache in Bern, Switzerland dated 23 July 1945 with instructions for U.S. personnel who visit Switzerland. It includes a list of companies that are "Black List," instructions, including "clothing allowance" for the trip.
mulhouse Torn document from the U.S. Army's Switzerland Leave center located near Mulhouse. Located at the Swiss border, this was a processing camp where soldiers were staged, briefed, fed, and cleared before crossing into Switzerland on leave. The document outlines camp regulations, meal times, baggage procedures, and travel instructions for soldiers preparing to enter Switzerland on authorized leave. It also, at the top, indicates that the bearer was authorized to visit the town until 2330 hours.
rialto Ticket stub to a Rialto movie theater, likely in Basel where he crossed into Switzerland.
francs
geneva_hotel_montbrillant Geneva: Hotel Montbrillant resevervation
geneva_hotel_matchbook and, of course, he saved a matchbook from the hotel
geneva_reading_room A card for the Swiss-American Reception Center in Geneva, located in the Grand Passage. The center offered American soldiers a reading room, assistance with local information, and opportunities to connect with Swiss families, reflecting organized efforts to support and orient servicemen visiting Switzerland on leave.
geneva_maxima Geneva: A receipt from Maxima S.A., a watch and jewelry shop on Rue du Marché in Geneva, dated 18 October 1945.
geneva_maxima_receipt Geneva: A receipt from Maxima S.A., note on back records the purchase of a “cheval” (horse) for 100 Swiss francs ($350-450 in today's dollars,)
geneva_seance Geneva: Admission ticket to a public radio broadcast at Radio Genève on 18 October 1945. During his leave in Switzerland, the author attended an evening program at the station’s Maison de la Radio on Boulevard Carl-Vogt in Geneva.
geneva_lon1 League of Nations pamphlets
geneva_lon2 League of Nations pamphlets
geneva_ilo League of Nations pamphlets
montreux_chronicle Montreux: Montreux Chronicle, a welcoming newspaper for GIS. It includes an advertisement for "Chillon Castle" which Dad describes in his letter. The ad states "Soldiers of the United States Army, during your stay at Montreux, come and visit Chillon which is a remarkable example of a feudal castle ... the castle of Chillon is of world-wide fame. Byron, Victor Hugo and other poets have sung its praise." Interesting given Dad's post-war focus on the study of literature including these great oets. He would now have seen directly that which these great poets wrote about.
welcome_gis Welcome GIs in Switzerland newspaper

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Title

10-28-1945 Switzerland, Ice Cream Sodas, and the First Glimpse of Peace

Date

October 28, 1945

Location

Parsburg, Germany

Transcription

Oct 28 1945
Parsberg, Germ.

Dear Mother Dad:

Well I just returned yesterday
from Switzerland and am readying
myself to leave tomorrow for Passau
whill is going to be our new Bn.
area.

I was very dissappointed because I
was unable to reach you by phone
from Switzerland. As soon as we
arrived, I tried to place a call. They
told me however that would not
be able to get one thru for 9 days. I
sent a cable telling you to call me
at Weggis. One of the fellows who did
the same as I received his call the
first thing in the morning of the 21st.
I waited around for 3 days mine never
did come.

Nevertheless, I had a wonderful
time. I can describe to you how
it felt to see cities untouched
by war. The shops were all filled with
everything from food to refrigerators.
I had my first ice cream soda since
I left the states. We stayed at
the best hotels and had the best of

2
food. The trip cost $35 which paid for
our hotels and meals and we were
allowed to spend 200 Swiss francs
on incidentals. Traveling as a
civilian it would have cost about
$1000.

First, we left from Munich and
went to Mulhouse (pronounced Mull-oose').
There we paid for the trip and had
our money converted. We entered
Switzerland at Basel. There we paused
long enough to go through customs,
then we continued on to Geneva. We
entered the League of Nations building
and saw the assembly hall. It is now
nothing but an expensive pile of
marble. We stayed in Geneva two
days and then went to Montreux.
This is a resort town on Lake Leman.
Here I went through the Castle of
Chillon. This is the castle that was
made famous by Lord Byron in his
poem, "The Prisoner of Chillon." It is
a beautiful place, built right on
the lake. It has baronial halls,
torture chambers and dungeons. Just
like in the movies.

3
From Montreaux we went to Berne
where we entered the House of
Parliament. We also saw the room
in which negotiations between the
ourselves and the Japs ended this
war. From there we went to
Lucerne and from there to the
mountains where we spent the
last 3 days.

That is the broad outline of
the trip. I will tell you more
about it in future letters.
I had a whole pile of packages
waiting for me when I returned.
There was also a letter from
Ann. I have fallen way behind in
my letter writing but intend to
catch up now. Well, that's it for
now. I have to start packing for
the trip tomorrow.

Your Loving Son
"Oby"

P.S. Sent a music box that I bought
in Lucerne. After I sent it, I found
the key that winds it. Will send it
later. Also sent some handkerchiefs.

Description

Describes his trip on leave in Switzerland, including the surreal experience of stepping into a country untouched by war—shops fully stocked, luxury hotels, and even his first ice cream soda since leaving the United States. Traveling through Geneva, Montreux, Bern, Lucerne, and the Alps, he visits historic sites like the Castle of Chillon and the League of Nations building. Despite the disappointment of a failed attempt to telephone home, the trip offers a striking contrast to the devastation of Germany and a brief return to normal life before his reassignment to Passau.

He saved a LOT of memorabilia from this trip, which has been included here as attachments.

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