Although the golden age for romantic travellers was undoubtedly the 19th century, we are now at the beginning of the 20 th century with the three Michel brothers and their dog, posing in order to collect funds to finance their travel project.

If they were alive today, the Michel brothers would have launched themselves into “crowdfunding” and perhaps have created a “travel blog“, but at the beginning of the 20th century, to enable them to keep on travelling and to write a book, it appears that they roamed different towns to collect funds. This postcard comes from Charleroi. I cannot be sure whether they were really travellers or perhaps just imposters.

The back of the card gives us details of all the countries they travelled through. One hundred years later, some of these countries have disappeared ( Austria-Hungary). Others, like Serbia, have suffered the mishaps of a 20 th century, disappearing and re-appearing and others have since simply changed their spelling like “Danemarck” or “Norwège” which nowadays are spelt “Danemark” and “Norvège”.

The Michel brothers’ dog fared the worst from these travels. It was apparently killed in the Spanish mountains and probably suffered a violent end, even though we don’t know all the details.

Here is a copy of the card’s text:

Le Tour d’Europe, par les Frères Michel

Pour rédiger et publier un livre de voyage

Partis de Liége, le 23 Mai 1911, nous avons l’honneur de porter à votre connaissance que nous avons traversé  la Belgique, 2 fois la France, 2 fois l’Espagne, le Portugal, la Suisse, l’Italie, 2 fois l’Autriche·Hongrie, la Serbie, ou nous étions pendant la guerre, ensuite l’Allemagne, le Danemarck, la Suède, la Norwège et qu’il nous reste à faire les Pays Balkaniques, la Turquie, la Russie, l’Angleterre, la Hollande et le Luxembourg.
En vous offrant notre photographie comme souvenir de notre passage,  nous faisons appel à votre générosité.
N. B. – On donne ce que l’on veut, c’est pour nous aider dans notre difficile voyage.

Comme preuve du voyage effectuer dans toutes les nations précitées nous tenons à votre disposition des documents renfermant les contrôles  des autorités ainsi que ceux du Palais Royal d’Espagne, d’Italie, le Vatican, l’Hospice du Grand·St Bernard, établissements industriels, commerciaux, associations de sport, etc

Notre pauvre chien a été tué dans les montagnes d’Espagne.

Curiously the French version contains a few spelling errors “voyage effectuer” instead of “voyage effectué” and “La Serbie ou nous étions pendant la guerre” instead of ” la Serbie où nous étions pendant la guerre”

Below goes a free translation of this text

The Tour of Europe, by the Michel brothers

In order to write and publish a travel book

Having left Liège on 23rd May 1911, we are honoured to inform you that we travelled through Belgium, twice through France and Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Italy, and twice through Austria, Hungary and Serbia, where we were during the war, followed by Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Leaving us the Balkans, Turkey, Russia, England, Holland and Luxembourg.

By showing you our photographs as a souvenir of our travels, we ask you to give generously.

NB – Everyone gives what he likes,  it is to help us on our difficult journey.

As proof of our journey effectuated in all the above-mentioned countries, documents containing border control stamps, as well as those from the Royal Palace of Spain, Italy, the Vatican, the Great Saint Bernard Hospice, industrial and commercial establishments and sports associations, are at your disposition.

Our poor dog was killed in the Spanish mountains.

Here is a slightly different version of the same postcard found on eBay:

Having left Liège on 23rd May 1911, the Michel brothers are honoured to inform you that they passed twice through Belgium and France, as well as Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria-Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bohemia, Germany, Denmark and
Sweden leaving only the Balkans, Norway, Russia, England, Holland and finally Belgium.

They offer you their card as a souvenir and by way of a travel aid.

NB – Everyone gives what he likes, it is to help them on their difficult journey

Michel brothers