In the early decades of the twentieth century, the Williamsburg Art Co. of New York produced a variety of postcard series with Yiddish captions, some with specifically Jewish themes and others more general. Although the company was based in New York, many of the postcards were printed in Germany. The series in the gallery below includes cards for various occasions marked by love and devotion—from the romance of two people building a life together to the love of two children orphaned after the death of their mother.
“To you, to you, on quiet nights
To you in the midst of the day’s noise
To you in a little song, that I spin
To you my thoughts fly!—”
Mammeleh, my little crown, lean down to me
Mammeleh, my little heart, give me your cheek
How wonderful it is to hold your head in my hand
Your cheek is like sugar, like sweetness, delish!”
“Up, up, raise your eyes
Flowers in hand
Two lovely little birds
Two children side by side
They walk and tremble
One step at a time
A watchful guardian at their side
A mother-angel nearby”
“Love builds on God’s earth
It’s heavenly Eden
We’ll be together there
And never will part!”
“And little bells ring
And little birds sing
But more beautiful than they is your voice
Oh, sing me your ‘yes’ for once
Oh, sing me your ‘yes’ for once!”
