ENGLAND: THE OTHER WITHIN

Ettlinger's manuscript collection

Alison Petch,
Researcher 'The Other Within' project

There are two boxes of manuscripts from Ettlinger in the Pitt Rivers Museum's collections. These are extremely random including:

Box 1

4 volumes of diaries, all in German and dated

Vol I - 4 January 1924 - 5 May 1927

Vol 2 - 5 May 1927 - 28 July 1928

Vol 3 - 28 July 1928 - 31 December 1930

Vol 4 - 1 January 1932 - 1 July 1937

All are indexed with main names and places mentioned at end of each volume. The diaries have not been worked on or translated as part of the Other Within project as that is primarily interested in English collections. It appears from the indexes however, that Ettlinger was well-travelled, visiting many parts of Europe as well as North America. Volume IV lists two separate journeys she made to England. The first appears to have been more extensive than the second; during it she visited London, Harrow, St Albans, Cambridge, Ely, Bedford, Banbury, Cotswolds, Stratford-upon-Avon, Evesham, Malvern, Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham and Oxford before returning to London. In Oxford she stayed at the Mitre hotel, visited colleges in the University and visited the Ashmolean Museum (but not the Pitt Rivers Museum). She also marvels at the English breakfast at the hotel which of course included Cooper's Oxford marmalade. It is clear the journey took place in April, but it is not clear which year. During the following trip to England she spent most time in London, visiting museums and making contacts with people she would know well when she moved to the UK after 1938. It is clear by this time that she is interested in folkloric and antiquarian matters.

Box 2

Includes a few miscellaneous items including a rough draft of the artwork for a special dinner menu (possibly for Ettlinger's marriage?) on 23 February 1929 to which, according to the diary entry for the same day in Box 1, 76 people attended. The menu was quite elaborate with fine (vintage) wines to suit each course. There are also several notes, one signed Rudolf and another Maria Rathenau, it is clear from the content that Rudolf was her brother and Maria was presumably another relative. The box also contains a child's drawing of the Nativity and note. There are 4 diaries of a long cruise Ettlinger took (it is possible that it was more than one cruise) to Italy, Greece, the Near East and North Africa. These are illustrated by a selection of her own photographs (very high in quality in most instances), postcards and other ephemera. In this way they resemble her later working card catalogue.

The illustrations on this page are from Box 2, two of the diaries of a cruise taken by Ettlinger around Italy, Greece, the Near East and North Africa in 1935.

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