Apéritif magazine (1934-36) - issues, contents and media coverage
This start-up magazine based in Santa Barbara, headed by Emily von Romberg (later Tremaine) featured provocative content and produced national media coverage in just a two-year run. Why it stopped publication is not yet known, but may be wrapped in the southern California battle between Nazi pressure from Germany and Los Angeles (via the German Consulate) and anti-Nazi forces, aligned to Emily and her husband Max von Romberg.
Art Design Publicity at ADC | 4 August 2021 | Updated 17 November 2021
Cropped view of page in Emily Hall Tremaine’s 1930s scrapbook showing multiple media coverage on her and her work at Aperitif magazine. In August 1935, Emily (von Romberg, previously) was threatened with a defamation claim; in response she staged—or agreed to— a photo-op, in which she scratched out the complaintant’s name and photo of remaining magazine copies. This was then reported by multiple media outlets. Her work might be considered a predecessor to Andy’s Warhol’s interest in multiple media coverage as exemplified with Marilyn diptych (1962), a work which Emily influenced.
For an important summary, see "Meet the other lady behind the diptych: The depiction of the Marilyn Diptych as autobiographical for Emily Hall Tremaine". (Scroll down to article.)
Apéritif magazine - issues, contents and media coverage
It is important to note that any specific practical effects of the German government directives in the 1930s against German passport holders, or their family or assets in Germany, with regard to Max and Emily are not yet known. In theory, Max could have been forced to return to Germany, or face military conscription. In theory, assets in Germany could have been at risk, however in his 1937 will he declared no German assets. Max had German nationally until his death (plane crash) in 1938, while he was in application for US citizenship with the effect of loss of citizenship in Germany. Regarding nationality, it also should be noted that his mother, originally American, had European nationality, probably for tax purposes (when certain taxation was comparatively significantly higher for wealthy individuals in the US). So comparative taxation was a very big issue. However in the 1930s, Max certainly appears to be a U S. resident, but that tax effect is not yet known.
Emily appears to have held both German and American passports (via limited travel records), which may have been against official regulations. How that affected her in the 1930s is unclear. It is understood that as a baroness, she lost her German nationality in 1939 with her second marriage. How that worked is unclear (was she able to give it up earlier?) as well as any tax advantages of German nationality, with also US nationality and residency.
In deposition in 1940, Emily talks about her and Max not going to Germany after c. 1932 due to great concern about the government changes. Apéritif is not mentioned in the court record.
This resource webpage is in development
| Material status: |
= online = link to more info = completely offline |
| 1934 | Various newspapers, magazines and other sources(c. 1934-). Various newspapers, magazines and other sources - search engines. (4 August 2021.)
1934 - magazine issue, Aperitif(November 1934). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,1). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186). 1934 - magazine issue, Aperitif(December 1934). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,2). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186; P02186b). |
| 1935 | 1935 - news brief - Emily, AperitifPhoto: International News Photograph Service. (1 January 1935). Baroness gets a new title [with re-used, cropped photo of Emily wearing aviation head gear]. From Clipping bureau: San Francisco Examiner, unknown page number. (Viewed 4 August 2021. EHT Box 9 folder 4 scrapbook 1-02B). "... Now an editor... On the newsstands of San Francisco appeared yesterday a new magazine, ’Aperitif’, published in Santa Barbara. It is a saucy little publication of society gossip, the arts, the theater and what-have-you... " (Excerpt from above.)
1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(February 1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,3) [including article "Artist and other rats" by William Saroyan]. (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186). 1935 - news article - Emily, Aperitif(c. February 1935). Debs smile; artist cries! Baroness publishes naught, nice story; ultra-modern story in swank magazine draws protest [with photo of Emily with Aperitif magazine]. Handwritten: Los Angeles Examiner, unknown page number. (Viewed 4 August 2021. EHT Box 9 folder 4 scrapbook 1-02A). "... Santa Barbara postal officials... were taking an interest in ’L’Aperitif’... a story by William Saroyan, young San Franciscan, who like other literati of the modern school... ’Artists and Other Rats’. It is a tale of night life. Words are used which grandfather wouldn’t have heard even in the back room of Tony’s barber shop. The article caused an outcry by a Santa Barbara artist, who complained to the postoffice authorities. ’I understand’, said the Baroness, ’that no action is to be taken toward suppressing the magazine. ’L’Aperitif’ is intended for circulation among moderns and definitely is not for children. I’m sorry if anyone has been offended by Mr. Saroyan’s story, and I shall apologize to the artist who complained.’" (Excerpt from above.)
1935 - social mention - Emily, Max, Mrs. Hall in Hollywood, Aperitif mentionSmith, Anne Thompson. (19 April 1935). L. A. society honors Mrs. De Roulet upon return [with mention of Emily, Max, and Mrs. Hall (Emily’s mother)] [no photo]. Evening Post-Record (Los Angeles), p. 15, col. 1. (Viewed 4 August 2021. P01341). "Baron and Baroness Von Romberg of Santa Barbara, with the Baroness’ mother, Mrs. William H. Hall, are spending a few days in Hollywood. The baroness was formerly Emily Hall and just recently founded and edited a clever magazine in Santa Barbara." (Excerpt from above.)
1935 - social mention - Los Angeles, Aperitif(21 April 1935). Chatterbox [mention of Aperitif] [no photo]. Los Angeles Times, pp. B1 & B5. (Viewed 5 August 2021. P00678; P01107). "... Emily and Max Von Romberg are in town stopping at the Hollywood - Roosevelt, Max has been taking it easy since his ’Prince of Wales landing’ from the pony and has sold his whole string of polo nags and his new Duesenberg preparatory to a year of quiet sailing around the world— by doctor’s orders! Emily is, of course, very busy planning big things for that magazine she’s going to publish, a ’West Coast Vanity Fair’ we understand. Also, she’s right up to her neck in arrangements for the huge charity dance affair which she is sponsoring in Montecito next August. We won’t spill her plans to you yet— it’s not time— but the party is going to be something that’ll have the town talking for a long, long time." (Excerpt from above.)
1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,4). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b). 1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,5). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b). 1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,6). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b). 1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,7). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b). 1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,8). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b; P02518). 1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif (missing)(1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,9). [No copy known to be in a public library.] (Viewed 5 August 2021.)
1935 - magazine issue, Aperitif(October 1935). Aperitif magazine, (issue 1,10). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b; P02201). |
| 1936 | 1936 - magazine issue, Aperitif(January 1936). Aperitif magazine, (issue 2,1). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b; P02517). 1936 - magazine issue, Aperitif (missing)(1936). Aperitif magazine, (issue 2,2). [No copy known to be in a public library.] (Viewed 5 August 2021.)
1936 - magazine issue, Aperitif (missing)(1936). Aperitif magazine, (issue 2,3). [No copy known to be in a public library.] (Viewed 5 August 2021.)
1936 - magazine issue, Aperitif (missing)(1936). Aperitif magazine, (issue 2,4). [No copy known to be in a public library.] (Viewed 5 August 2021.)
1936 - magazine issue, Aperitif(May / June 1936). Aperitif magazine, (issue 2,5). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b; P02516). 1936 - magazine issue, Aperitif(July / August 1936). Aperitif magazine, (issue 2,6). (Viewed 5 August 2021. P02186b; P02519). |
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