Did you know that two of our Passengers found the place where their (grand)parents met for the first time during World War II?

On one of our recent Band of Brothers Tours, we were joined by a father and a son, Dennis and Douglas Christel. It was a bucket list trip for them since they were always interested in World War II and watched documentaries. The tour was a chance where they could see the actual sights and learn more about the war and each other, too. The tour started in Paris, but before the departure they had a plan to visit a site of family relevance never visited before by anyone in their family. This site was the exact location where the parents of Dennis met for the first time. They asked for our help in finding the place. After having gone through archives, articles, black and white photos, old maps and “walked” the streets of Paris in street view on Google Maps, we managed to locate the site where a romance started in 1944 shortly after the liberation of Paris. But why is this place interesting and what is the exact family story behind this investigation? Let us share this moving story with you.

Dennis’ mother, Dorothy Marriott, and his father, Leonard Christel, served in the armed forces. Dorothy enlisted in the British Women's Auxiliary Air Force in 1939 and was an operator, while Leonard was a band member in the U.S. 88th Army Air Corps Band from 1942 and played saxophone. His unit won a competition to play at a ballroom for one week as part of the liberation parade festivities in Paris. This venue was the American Red Cross Club called Rainbow Corner. It is important to note that this was not the only American Red Cross Rainbow Corner, which made our research more difficult. The first and main Rainbow Corner opened in November 1942 in London at the Picadilly Circus and was open to American soldiers on leave 24/7, every day. Serving the rest and recreation of American GIs, it was in a five-storey building and had restaurants, cafes, dancing opportunities, pinball machines, barbers, showers, everything a serviceman on leave could be looking for.

After the liberation of Paris in August 1944 (The Liberation of Paris), the City of Love became a leave center for American servicemen, and a need arose for venues for entertainment and accommodation. Thus, the first American Red Cross Club opened in Paris was the new Rainbow Corner which opened its gates on September 3, 1944, a bit more than a week after the liberation. This was the place where Dorothy and Leonard met for the first time. 

Dorothy was stationed in a chateau outside of Paris in St. Germain. One Saturday night, her friends convinced her to go into Paris to the "Rainbow Room" where all of the troops went. She took the bus into the city and that is when she met her future husband, who winked at her throughout the night. He asked her to dance during a break and that's how their romance started. They were only together in Paris while in service before both were discharged. They continued to write to each other. Two years later, Dorothy joined Leonard when the Queen Elizabeth cruise liner docked in New York City. They got married on February 22, 1947, and settled down in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 1954, their son, Dennis Christel was born. 81 years later, this son and grandson finally managed to revisit the site where they had met for the first time and where the story of their family had started in the midst of World War Two.