This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

Mark Twain in German-Language Newspapers and Periodicals

Bermuda | 1908

Clemens visited Bermuda several times throughout his life and twice in 1908. The trip that fits the time frame of the article is his stay at the Princess Hotel from 27th Jan. – 3rd March. He was accompanied by Ralph W. Ashcroft, a former agent – John Lauber (1990) and Hamlin Hill (see "Ashcroft, Ralph" in The Routledge Encyclopedia of Mark Twain, 2013) refer to him as "treasurer" – of the American Plasmon Co., who was hired by Clemens as a personal travel secretary on the trips to Bermuda (Hoffmann, 2006) and Oxford in 1907-1908 (Hill, 2013). Clemens saw this trip primarily as a means to recover his health which had suffered during the winter and to escape his everyday life and activities which he found lacking in variety (Hoffmann, 2006). Clemens’ absence from New York caused the Plasmon bankruptcy case to come to a halt as he held the company books and without them the trustee, C. L. Brookheim, could not proceed with the company inventory. This delay – and Clemens’ part in it – was remarked upon by English-language newspapers as well (see "Looking seaward for Mark Twain" in The sun, 30 Jan. 1908).

This page is referenced by:

Mark Twain wieder einmal verkracht | Mark Twain bankrupt again Der Deutsche correspondent (Baltimore, Md.), 31 Jan. 1908, p.7, c.4. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045081/1908-01-31/ed-1/seq-8/>

German Transcription	English Translation
Mark Twain wieder einmal verkracht	Mark Twain bankrupt again
New York, 30. Januar - Mark Twain gilt bekanntlich als der größte amerikanische Humorist; als Geschäftsmann heißt er Samuel L. Clemens, und seine Unternehmungen nehmen gewöhnlich ein trauriges Ende.	New York, January 30 - Mark Twain is known to be the greatest American humorist; as a businessman his name is Samuel L. Clemens, and his ventures usually come to a rather sad end.
Gegenwärtig ist er Präsident der „Plasmon Co.,” die ein Nahrungsmittel für Dyspeptiker fabrizi[e]rt. Bei den gegenwärtigen schlech-ten Zeiten leiden die Leute weniger an Verdauungs-beschwerden, als an unbefriedigtem Appetit; mithin ist es nicht zu verwundern, daß die „Plasmon Co.” Conkurs machte.	At present he is president of the "Plasmon Co." which manufactures a dietary product for dyspeptics. In the present dire times, people are not so much suffering from indigestion as from unsatisfied appetites; consequently it is not surprising that the "Plasmon Co." went bankrupt.
Chas. L.Brookheim, der Massenverwalter, möchte dringend Mark Twain sehen,da dieser im Besitz der Geschäftsbücher der „Plasmon Co.” ist. Es heißt Mark Twain ist in Bermuda oder auf der Fahrt dorthin.	Chas. L. Brookheim, the liquidator, urgently wants to see Mark Twain, since he is in possession of the "Plasmon Co." accounting books. It is said that Mark Twain is in Bermuda or on his way there.