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| This was the other photo of Eileen as she did a shore landing |
Well, it's November, and I start to think about my grandma. November 23rd was her birthday, and I always make sure to light a candle for her in church on that day. Now many would think "how sweet" but honestly, it would annoy her just as much as please her, and whoever is near me at whatever Catholic church I pick can never understand why I giggle when I light it.
She was an amazing woman who lived life on her own terms. As I have posted before, her youngest child, my Aunt Mia Klein, created a bottle of wine in her honor called "Chesler" with a picture of her on the bottle.
Now, I got to thinking about her the other night while enjoying the light from the lamp I made from the bottle of wine (what a great showpiece on my dinner table!), and it dawned on me that the photographer on the bottle was a man who is rather famous, but who was also the true love of her life - so she told me.
Being the Black Sheep has it's disadvantage. The one that actually hurts, however, is the fact I do not have access to pictures and family documents. I can't even get a return call from Mia or my Aunt Cindy to see who got the letters after Grandma died. However, c'est la vie, right?? So from my hideous memory, I started to put things down, and figured, well, why not put them here? So to start, here is the information from my Aunt's blog: Selene Wines Blog Re: Chesler Red
On one rare trip to visit with my grandma at her bachelor apartment in San Francisco, I was lucky enough that my Aunt Cindy left me alone with her despite my parents' instructions. My mother, Kay, hated Eileen & I guess my dad, Danny, was afraid of what she would teach me. (There was good cause on that one because she did discuss padding my bra to enhance cleavage as well the the art of fellatio during that visit as well). But I was able to make a trip to see her and have some time with her which remains close to my heart, and I have worked very hard to write everything she told me.
Grandma was starting to get a little sentimental at this point. Grandpa LeRoy had died, and I think she knew she was getting to the end of her life. She started talking to me about life and love and about not making the right choices because we are afraid of them.
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| Eileen and LeRoy c.1985 |
Eileen said that she regretted this, not for her sake but for Danny's. She knew that while she loved Joe & always would have a spot for him, he was not her Love, and she never considered the effect that this would have on Danny. She so regretted keeping his father from him, but she knew that she couldn't change things at that point. Again, I saw a moment of sadness, and then she shook if off and continued. Now, being that I was young, I jumped to the conclusion that LeRoy was the Love that she spoke about. She smiled shyly and then said no, Roy was a great love but not her actual Love, and then she proceeded with her story.
I do not remember how she met him, and this is one of the reasons I would love to be able to see the letters. I know that when I spoke with her, her entire countenance lit up when she spoke of him, and for anyone who knew her, Eileen was not a sentimental woman. Yes, she loved life, but worrying about trivial women's things weren't her style. However, when she told me about Allan Jackson, well, that was a totally different thing.
Again, I do not remember how she met him, but he is the photographer for the pictures of her waterskiing: one that is on the wine bottle and the other I've included here. He always called her "Ches." Eileen had letters from Allan while he was photographing as a war correspondent in World War II, and from his travels during his time with the State Department. She told me that he would visit her and Danny in New York and then in Southern California when he could. She spoke so sweetly of him: about how he loved and adored Danny, how special the letters were to her. I was amazed when she opened her trunk (yes, it was a trunk) and pulled out a stack of letters postmarked from all over the globe and all from Allan. Again, this woman saved these letters! Seemed impossible to me, but there they were!
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| Photo of American and Russian handshake at the Elbe River by Allan Jackson, April 26, 1945 |
I asked the question, "Why not?" Why had they not married, why not find a way?? All of those questions came flooding out. Eileen, this ne're-overly emotional woman became sad and simply said, "it just could never be." So, at 19, I was DYING! It was like an old black and white movie where there is NOT a happy ending only this was my grandmother!! Massively not cool!
She said that Allan offered to leave his wife, but she refused to allow it. Then, when he was available, she was not. Even 20 years later as I type up this account, I can remember the amount of love that she showed for this man whom I apparently met when I was younger but did not recall. Wow! To never have been with the one whom you completely adored. What a tragedy!
I remember getting a call from my grandmother. She was very sad & told me that her best friend committed suicide. Eileen was so sorry to hear that Allan killed himself but she said that it makes sense; if Allan couldn't live life & enjoy it, then he wouldn't have wanted to live it. I got the impression that Allan's widow called her because I didn't see an obituary for a couple days, but I truly don't know who told her about Allan's death. I was so stupidly busy with college and I didn't ask the questions I now wish I had. I also wish I would have written everything down as she told it, but I was too young to appreciate what she was giving me.
Eileen or "Ches" to her friends, lived life to the fullest and under her own terms. There is no mistaking that one. At her core was a morally direct woman who had no problem breaking certain social conventions but not others. She left behind many who loved her and remember her fondly. She was full of energy and vitality up until she died. My grandmother never remembered my birthday until 1997. She always confused my brother's birthday and mine (I am 6-17 and he is 7-16 - understandable!). However, she never forgot to send a card even if it was a month late. However, that particular year, she sent it on time, and she called me a couple days prior to wish me a happy birthday. That sweet woman suffered an aneurysm and went into the hospital on the evening of June 16th. She managed to wait until June 20th to finally let go, and I will always believe it was so I wouldn't have such a sad memory on my birthday.
As I sat thinking about this simple, short conversation I had with my grandmother so many years ago, I realized how sad it is for my daughters that we don't have access to these letters or pictures. So, I did some Internet research. I found simple obituaries about Allan, but there wasn't much. Then, I was lucky enough to find a website and have an email conversation with Joe Lipsius whose information I obtained from the 69th Infantry Division website and who was at the Elbe River when Allan took his famous picture (not at the site per se, but in the area). Joe provided me some pictures of Allan and some more information so I could have something to pass down about Eileen Alma Chesler Klein and Allan Jackson.
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| Courtesy of Joe Lipsius |
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| Karl-Heinz Lange's book, Page 22 , courtesy of Joe Lipsius |
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| Courtesy of Joe Lipsius |
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| Joe is right here on the bottom right. |
Attached is a photo that appeared in one of our bulletins submitted by Delbert E. Philpott (deceased) who wrote a book HANDS ACROSS THE ELBE.
Philpott was a member of an infantry company that was in a town (Eilenburg) within 15-20 miles where Jackson made his photos. Jackson gathered random soldiers for the photo in the town (Torgau) where the bridge was located. As best as can be determined, Jackson did not take time to get names.
Philpott wrote an article for this book as well as a 1990 published history that had autbiographys. Neither claimed being in the picture.
Historians think Philott was in a picture as was many soldiers and in the confusion thought he was in this one but was not.
I was there and do not think he was. Joe
(I had asked what Joe's last name was for my information)
My name is Joe Lipsius. When I write "I was there" I mean my Unit, the 272nd Infantry Regiment(3250 men), was assigned to guard the road from Eilenburg to Torgau, April 26, the day the photo was taken but I was not in the bridge area. I did go to Torgau the 26th with our commander for a short while just to look at the town but knew nothing about the bridge area
Philpott was a low ranking soldier and would not have had the privilige to move around at will. His Unit was in the area of Eilenburg, some 20-25 miles away.
The commander of the 273d Infantry Regiment moved with a small group to Torgau on the 26th.
On April 25, 1995, the 50th anniversary of the Linkup, a man who could have been in this group signed a guest book a the town center noting he had been there in 1945.
Again, I am amazed by how much information I have been able to glean about a particular day in history while just trying to document a love story from my grandmother. Joe has continued to send me correspondence regarding this history. As he was there during this time, it is crucial for me to get the information correct especially since some have tried to insert themselves into this time period and event. For more information regarding the handshake at the Elbe, here is a copy of a booklet Joe received:
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