| Author |
Message |
Puzzled
Member
08-27-2001
| Saturday, February 01, 2014 - 4:27 pm 
Sorry, Ophiliasgrandma, but it was utter chaos at that time, and that's how Hitler gained power. Many people were willing to follow anyone who would bring about order.
My mother emigrated from Germany in the 1920s. Inflation was so bad that people would have a million dollars, but if they didn't spend the money quickly, the next day it would be almost worthless. In many cities, parents would have to call around to find out if there were any shootings going on on the way to school. There were socialists, communists, spartacists, and I don't know how many others trying to gain control. My mother worked as a nurse and they were terrified in the hospitals because of people breaking in.
When Hitler got in, the trains ran on time, there was peace in the streets, and the economy was stabilised. Unfortunately, the price paid for this was one of the worst tyrranies ever foisted on mankind. After WWII, the allies kept order in Germany until the Germans could govern themselves, just so another Hitler type wouldn't get into power again.
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Saturday, February 01, 2014 - 5:18 pm
Puzzled, it's alway great to learn something new. Thank you.
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Saturday, February 01, 2014 - 6:18 pm
What Puzzled said. My high school graduating thesis was on the conditions in Germany that led to Hitler's rise to power. Many of the conditions laid on Germany in the Treaty of Versailles and other peace treaties (following their WWI escapades) caused the financial destruction of their society and made it impossible for them to ever financially regroup, much less morally (they weren't just defeated, they were beat the hell down and remained in the gutter until Hitler showed up and gave them a renewed sense of self, nationality and worth). Note that the U.S. did not make this mistake with Japan following WWII.
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Sunday, February 02, 2014 - 6:58 am
I think it's going to be interesting to see what the trip to Germany does to their relationship. You can bet that Julian Fellows has something interesting up his sleeve regarding that story line.
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1jetsfan
Member
07-21-2010
| Tuesday, February 04, 2014 - 6:10 am
Edith, Edith, Edith...............such a poor little rich girl. How will this end?
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Tuesday, February 04, 2014 - 7:41 am
What was made of out-of-wedlock pregnancy during the Downton times:
http://www.today.com/entertainment/sex-marriage-lands-downton-women-dire-straits-2D12031621
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Riviere
Member
09-09-2000
| Tuesday, February 04, 2014 - 11:38 am
After seeing Lord Gillingham proposing to widow Mary he sure didn't waste a second asking Mabel Lane Fox instead! Are young men that fickle? Why was Mary fighting back tears after reading of the marriage announcement? Mary & Anthony have a lot in common though...
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Merrysea
Moderator
08-13-2004
| Tuesday, February 04, 2014 - 11:41 am
Lord Gillingham was expected to ask Mabel before he went to Downton, and he told Mary if she turned him down, he would have to ask Mabel. So it wasn't a surprise to her.
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Puzzled
Member
08-27-2001
| Tuesday, February 04, 2014 - 12:12 pm
Attitudes about premarital sex and out-of-wedlock pregnancy were just about the same in the 1950s and much of the 1960s. If the family could afford it, the pregnant woman was sent to a maternity home, or went on a tour of Europe.
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Reenie
Member
06-24-2006
| Tuesday, February 04, 2014 - 1:03 pm
Oh I do hope Michael turns up for Edith!! I want to see her smiling and happy again.
Yes, Lord Gillingham made it very clear that if Mary turned him down, he would have to ask Mabel. What a way to have to pick a wife!!
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Riviere
Member
09-09-2000
| Wednesday, February 05, 2014 - 2:01 pm
It seemed to me that Mary led Tony on after he said he was "practically engaged" and she retorted that he was still free until it became official! Then he told her that he'd never be in love with anyone else more than Mary, and she seemed dismayed about letting him go.. Those Crawley women have about 0 intuition!
Edith in particular better wake up and know dating married men is no path to happiness..
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Babyjaxmom
Member
10-20-2002
| Saturday, February 08, 2014 - 1:27 pm
I don't think Mary lead Tony on at all. I think she was enjoying his company and he was trying to win her over. She just wasn't ready. If she'd had more time to get over Matthew, I think they would have made a great couple. He basically gave her an ultimatum and she couldn't really tell him when she'd be ready, so she let him go propose to the other girl. Had nothing to do with intuition. I think she was sorry afterwards, but it was too late.
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Beachcomber
Member
08-26-2003
| Sunday, February 09, 2014 - 8:54 pm
You go Ms. Hughes!!! However, I fear Mr. Bates has put 2+2 together and realized the culprit and I don't want him to get in trouble with the law.
This was a great episode with so many good storylines going on.
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Seabreeze
Member
09-05-2004
| Sunday, February 09, 2014 - 10:50 pm
Boy, mrs Hughes was articulate! And mr Bates certainly gave him the look. He suspects. Also, I'm glad that Edith didn't abort the baby.
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1jetsfan
Member
07-21-2010
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 5:47 am
My two cents this morning -- I think Mr. Bates will settle the score without getting caught. However, I also believe Anna will find out and it will ruin their marriage. She is not the type to condone it.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 7:29 am
Great ep! :-) Can hard.y wait for next week. :-)
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 8:42 am
Okay, some questions as I am confused!
Who is Spratt? He seems to attend mainly on the dowager, but I double be wrong. Is he an under butler?
Is Carson the Head butler or the House Manager which would make room for Spratt to be the butler?
How is Rose a relative and who exactly is she related to?
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Reenie
Member
06-24-2006
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 9:14 am
TNT..Rose is the daughter of "Shrimpie" and his wife (whose name I don't remember). The wife is Violet's niece.
"Shrimpie" and his wife left to go to a job in India, and Miss O'Brien ran off from Downton and became their ladies maid.
They always called him "Shrimpie" so I don't know his real name.
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Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 2:43 pm
Susan MacClare, Marchioness of Flintshirea is Robert Crawley's first cousin, the maternal niece and goddaughter of Violet Crawley, mother of three children: James, Annabelle, and Rose, and mother-in-law to Annabelle's husband. She is married to Hugh MacClare, who is nicknamed Shrimpie within the family and works as a minister at the Foreign Office
http://downtonabbey.wikia.com/wiki/Susan_MacClare
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 3:58 pm
Chieko, this is what I love about The Clubhouse, someone always can find the answers we're looking for.
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 4:11 pm
I was getting worried about Maggie Smith. She is such a great actress that I was almost persuaded she was very ill.
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Beachcomber
Member
08-26-2003
| Monday, February 10, 2014 - 6:02 pm
Tnt, the Dowager lives in her own house in the village and has a completely separate staff from the Abbey. Spratt is her butler.
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Irsnappy
Member
01-13-2009
| Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 11:18 am
Yes I was Also convinced of her illness. I just don't understand why the whole family doesn't like Isabelle. Probably because she is progressive and speaks her mind. It's amazing how she ignores the comments made by The Dowager, they are a riot together.
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 11:31 am
They should do a whole show with just Isabelle and The Dowager, maybe a little Shirley MacLaine thrown in. I'd watch it.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 12:11 pm
ITA Goddess! They are so much fun together!
I also think Penelope Wilton deserves major accolades for her performance this season. Her heartbreak over Matthew's death has been palpable.
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