Just When I Thought I'd Seen It All...

[Guest Rick Research]

That's right, Boils & Germs!

Santa's Southernmost Helper has sent along the 1931/32 GLOBAL directory of the Allschlaraffia organization, showing "realms" as far afield as Shanghai and Denver, Colorado.

Now how and why is any of this of any use, aside from the bemusement of International Teutons Being Zany with mock Latinate Lodge "Knights" names like "Goldilocks Of The Stinky Feet" and (possibly my favorite so far) "Lawsuit-Johnny of the Beeraucracy" (Prozesshansl der Bierokratius) ??? (OK, "Murphy The U-Boat Dragon" comes close.)

Because many an otherwise Supposed Pillar Of The Community (lawyers, civil servants, professors, retired officers) by the MANY THOUSANDS is included (Indexed, prais-ed be!) therein, in a gap of data on most such folks in those Depression-dogged days.

Now it will be purely random (which is part of the fun) to FIND any specific Zany Teuton, but there ARE former Imperial officers in there, so the chances are somebody at some point somewhere will turn up with real, as well as silly, information that could otherwise never have been knowable.

Perhaps more immediately, though impersonally, relevant--

every single "Realm" all over the planet has its CREST shown, for all of those mysterious Karneval parade souvenirs which frequently turn up:

Now despite the global reach, this was only apparently ONE such umbrella organization! Watch for, in every single case for this organization, a yellow and blue insert shield with a jester's head and a goblet. ONLY if there is such a motif included in the design are any "Carnival Orders" from the Allschlaraffia, founded in Prague in 1859:

Now the pages are horribly brittle, cheap newsprint paper, so the scans above are the ONLY time I will make copies. But if anybody has any of those enamelled "gongs" with the trademark little jester and cup shield in other designs, I will look through the "List" to see which "realm" one came from.

[webr55]

What a strange and great find! The Schlaraffia still exists today and is organized in many local circles, but under one roof organization, the Allschlaraffia. I would not have imagined they printed a directory with their real names in it, so it was probably strictly confidential?

[Guest Rick Research]

Why? Are they a sinister organization with ninjas and stuff?

From the Famous Old Guys pictures in front wearing paper Lohegrin and elf hats, they don't look so tough.

Still, better safe than sorry!--

I'll never tell if you don't.

PS real names! Real jobs! Home AND business addresses! Phone numbers!! Secret meeting times:

Reich Peihonia Asiatica (Tientsin), Fridays, 9PM , Club Concordia!

Reich Caesarea (Jersey City, New Jersey), Thursday, 8:30 PM 83 Hutton Street!