Correspondence, 1919 August-November

The collection contains papers related to Albert Zimmerman’s travels around the world to see the sights and investigate trade possibilities in the hardware manufacturing industry. This includes a travel diary and letters sent to his family in Baltimore, Maryland. The journal and the correspondence provide detailed descriptions of his destinations in which gives insight on the various cultures and nationalities with which he interacted. He made careful notes on the history of the countries and the places he visited. The diary in the collection was transcribed from the original in 1960.

Zimmerman began his journey in Asia and circumnavigated the globe by heading west. He had intended to begin his trip in Europe, but travel restrictions after World War I forced him to change his itinerary. He started his trip by sailing to Japan and working his way through the Asia and Middle East to Europe. He spent extended stays in Japan and Australia. He also went to India, Singapore, and Indonesia. In the latter part of Zimmerman’s trip, he visited Italy and France, but his diary does not cover much of that time.