村田虎次郎 から トラウツへのはがき **

村田虎次郎 から 獨逸・ドクトル・トラウツ へのはがき

In 1933, Murata Torajiro sent a New Year's card, marking the year of the rooster with the symbol "酉" next to his address. Interestingly, Murata addressed it to "獨逸・ドクトル・トラウツ," German(y) Doctor Trautz. Murata (1869-1942) was not only the mayor of Otsu City in Shiga but also held two terms as a congress member, as mentioned on Wikipedia. 

Murata pens a Chinese style poem for Trautz on the message side of this postcard. It's rough translation is below:

"The emperor's great virtue spans the west and east. The majestic wind through bamboo, unseen in a thousand years. Today, I behold the calm of sky and earth. Spring approaches, the land serene."

M. Akamatsu 赤松 in Nagasaki to ドクトル・エフ・トラウツ 1932 **

M. Akamatsu to ドクトル・エフ・トラウツ 1932

This New Year's card with postmark of December 23, 1932 is addressed to F. M. Trautz in Kyoto, sent by someone named M. Akamatsu from Nagasaki, carries warm greetings for Christmas and New Year in German: "Herzliche Glückwünsche zu den fröhlichen Weihnachten sowie zum Neujahr, Ihr ganz Ergebener."

Despite the lack of information on Akamatsu, the postcard sparks curiosity about their connection to Trautz and the choice of language. Nagasaki's historical ties to international trade and the use of German might suggest a professional or academic relationship between the sender and recipient during that time.

増田廉吉 Masuda Renkichi 長崎図書館 ドクトル・エム・トラウツ *

増田廉吉 Masuda Renkichi　長崎図書館　

Apart from his role as a research librarian and his appointment as the second library director of Nagasaki Prefectural Library in 1935, there is limited online information available on Masuda Renkichi. He is mentioned in an article titled "コーヒーはなぜ「珈琲」と書く？/ そこにある日本人の詩的なコーヒー観," dated 09/14/2022 (source: https://gendai.media/articles/-/99327). This article delves into the history of coffee in Japan and explains why the word "coffee" is written as "珈琲" in Japanese.

Unusual 1933 Message from Nawa Yoichi to F. M. Trautz **

In 1933, Nawa Yoichi, the President of Morita Seisakusho Company and Director of Blaon Arai Suido Company (森田製作所（株）社長, ブラオン鑿井水道（株）取締役), sent a unique New Year's card to F. M. Trautz. What set this card apart was not its design but the enigmatic message inscribed upon it.

名和陽一 Nawa Yoichi 

Nawa's message was rather unconventional, as it contained paradoxical phrases that seemed to juxtapose the conventional sentiments of a New Year's greeting. "Kado matsu ya meido no tabi no ichiru zuka medetaku mo ari medetaku mo nashi" presented the idea of both happiness and unhappiness in the coming year. Similarly, "Long Life = Short Life" and "Wealth = Poor" challenged the traditional wishes for longevity and prosperity. The message concluded with the philosophical assertion, "人ハ只自然ニ生キ規則正シク活動スルガ本来ノ面目也," emphasizing the harmony of living in accordance with nature.

It leaves us to ponder what thoughts must have crossed Trautz's mind when receiving this cryptic New Year's message. The juxtaposition of traditional well-wishing with an intriguing philosophical twist makes this card a fascinating historical artifact, offering a glimpse into the unique perspective of Nawa Yoichi.