紐約當年了不起 1. Lunch Atop a Skyscraper
兩周前我寫博文《何處節日無燈明》（https://blog.wenxuecity.com/myblog/80301/202312/26690.html），介紹了洛克菲勒中心和第五大道的聖誕樹和節日燈火。一說到洛克菲勒中心，我就不禁聯想起與之相關的一張90年前的老照片"Lunch Atop a Skyscraper"。
Two weeks ago, I wrote a blog post titled ""The Festival Always Has Colored Lights." (https://blog.wenxuecity.com/myblog/80301/202312/26690.html), introducing the Christmas tree and holiday lights at Rockefeller Center and Fifth Avenue of New York City. When it comes to Rockefeller Center, it inevitably brings to mind an iconic photo from 90 years ago, "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper."
這張照片，可能是美國最著名的反映工人階級的老照片。它攝於1932年9月20日，地點是洛克菲中心最高的摩天樓30 Rockefeller Plaza的施工現場。當時11名建築工人坐在摩天大樓一根鋼梁上，悠閑地吃著午飯，抽著煙，聊著天。照片的背景是曼哈頓西北側和中央公園。他們坐在850英尺的高空，沒有安全繩，也沒有安全網。我不算是個有恐高症的人，但細看都感覺幾分心驚膽戰。
It may be one of the most famous photos reflecting the working class in the United States. Taken on September 20, 1932, at the construction site of the tallest skyscraper in Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the photo features 11 construction workers casually having lunch, smoking, and chatting on a steel beam, with the backdrop of the northwest side of Manhattan and Central Park. They are sitting at a height of 850 feet, without safety ropes or nets. I'm not someone very afraid of heights, but looking closely gives a sense of awe.
要解釋清楚這張照片，有必要了解一下洛克菲勒中心（Rockefeller Center）和它的曆史。洛克菲勒中心座落於紐約市曼哈頓區第五大道西側，它是由十幾座大樓組成的集合體，各大樓底層相通，它1930年代由洛克菲勒家族出資建造。
To explain this photo, it's essential to understand Rockefeller Center and its history. Rockefeller Center is located on the west side of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, comprising several buildings interconnected at the lower levels, funded and built by the Rockefeller family in 1930’s.
提及美國史，人們無法避開洛克菲勒家族。洛克菲勒家族在過去 150 年的發展史，就是整個美國曆史的縮影。洛克菲勒家族是美國國家精神的在有產階層中的傑出代表，而且至今影響著世界。老洛克菲勒（John D. Rockefeller）憑借他在石油行業創造的巨額財富，在1910年成了世界上第一個億萬富翁。後來，他又投資於煤礦、鐵路、保險公司、銀行和各種類型的生產企業。雖然他在晚年也開始捐助一些慈善事業，但在很多人眼裏，他總的來說是那種唯利是圖、金錢勝過一切的典型的美國大資本家。
When discussing American history, one cannot ignore the Rockefeller family. Their development over the past 150 years reflects the entirety of American history. The Rockefellers are outstanding representatives of the privileged class in the American national spirit and continue to influence the world nowadays. John D. Rockefeller, the patriarch, became the world's first billionaire in 1910, thanks to his massive wealth in the oil industry. Later, he invested in coal mining, railways, insurance companies, banks, and various types of enterprises. Although he began contributing to charitable causes in his later years, many still see him as a typical American capitalist driven solely by profit.
老洛克菲勒的年邁以後，他唯一的兒子小洛克菲勒（John D. Rockefeller jr.）成了家族的掌門人。 他是一個與父親很不一樣的人，不僅接管了家族的生意，同時還更有心去做慈善事業。他建立了洛克菲勒基金會，把慈善事業擴展到保護曆史文物和生態環境，提高不發達國家的醫療和文化水平等許多方麵。例如，正是由於他的努力，英國在北美大陸殖民時代所創建的名城—弗吉尼亞州的威廉斯堡古城，以及法國的凡爾賽宮等，才得以完整地保存下來。中國是除美國以外受惠於洛克菲勒基金會最多的國家，著名的協和醫學院和協和醫院就是由該機構出資興建的。
After John D. Rockefeller's senior years, his only son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., became the family's leader. He was different from his father, not only taking over the family business but also actively engaging in philanthropy. He established the Rockefeller Foundation, expanding charitable efforts into preserving historical artifacts and the environment, improving healthcare and cultural standards in underdeveloped countries, and more. For instance, due to his efforts, landmarks like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia and the Palace of Versailles in France were preserved intact. China is one of the countries benefiting the most from the Rockefeller Foundation, with the famous Peking Union Medical College and Union Hospital being funded by the Rockefeller Foundation.
中國有句老話“富不過三代”。洛克菲勒家族如今已經到第七代，他們不僅財務興旺，而且在政治、文化、教育、醫療等方方麵麵都不斷留下印記，而且整個家族名聲不錯。能做到這一點，第二代小洛克菲勒功不可沒。
There's an old Chinese saying, "Wealth does not last for three generations." The Rockefeller family is now in its seventh generation, flourishing not only financially but also leaving its mark in politics, culture, education, healthcare, and various other aspects, maintaining a good reputation. Achieving this would not have been possible without the contributions of the second generation, John D. Rockefeller Jr.
1928年，當時的世界首富小洛克菲勒，與大都會歌劇院合作，開始了此建造洛克菲勒中心的計劃。當時這是曆史上最大的私人建築計劃。包括了十四棟大樓，占地22英畝。可是，就在工程即將開工之前，1929年美國股市崩盤，出現經濟大蕭條，美國經濟出現毀滅性的災難，無數產業倒閉，1500萬人失業。這種情況下大都會歌劇院撤出了投資。
In 1928, the then-world's richest man, John D. Rockefeller Jr., collaborated with the Metropolitan Opera to initiate the construction of Rockefeller Center. At that time, this was the largest private building project in history, involving fourteen buildings and covering 22 acres. However, just before the project was about to start, the U.S. stock market crashed in 1929, leading to the Great Depression, a catastrophic economic disaster with numerous industries collapsing and 15 million people unemployed. In these dire circumstances, the Metropolitan Opera withdrew its investment.
此前的幾十年，即十九世紀末、二十世紀初，是美國大發展的時代。美國經濟迅速超越英國而領先世界。人類從未有過的奇跡，如電燈、電話、電影、飛機、塑料等，都是在那些年出現在這片神奇的土地上。美國代表著夢想和希望的實現，於是移民從愛爾蘭、意大利、東歐各國、巴爾幹半島等地蜂擁而至。
The preceding decades, the late 19th and early 20th centuries, marked a period of significant development for the United States, surpassing Britain rapidly and leading the world economically. Miracles that had never been seen before, such as electric lights, telephones, movies, airplanes, plastics, etc., all emerged in this magical land during those years. The United States symbolized dreams and hope, attracting immigrants from Ireland, Italy, Eastern European countries, the Balkan Peninsula, and beyond.
1892年美國政府在紐約港外的埃利斯島（Ellis Island）設立入境檢查處，每年經此小島入境美國者平均達幾十萬人，有時一天超過一萬人。這些積極、勤勞，懷揣夢想的移民很快成為美國的主人，他們為美國的建設做出了非凡的貢獻，而他們也在一步步實現自己的美國夢。然而，股災和大蕭條打碎了無數人的夢想，他們失去了工作，失去了儲蓄，股票一文不值，連吃飯、住宿都成了問題。那是的美國麵臨的一個十分艱難的時刻。
In 1892, the US government established an immigration inspection station on Ellis Island in New York Harbor,, with hundreds of thousands of people passing through it each year. These optimistic, diligent immigrants with dreams quickly became the masters of new world, making extraordinary contributions to the America's development and gradually realizing their American dreams. However, the stock market crash and the Great Depression shattered countless dreams. People lost their jobs and savings, and stocks in hand became worthless, and even basic necessities like food and shelter became problems. The United States faced an extremely challenging time.
這個時候，小洛克菲勒麵臨兩個選擇，要麽是放棄整個計劃，要麽由一個人投資去完成。小洛克菲勒毅然選擇了後者，決定獨自承擔起這個巨大的計劃。他做出這種選擇，重要原因是出自對民眾和對國家的良心。在失業率高達25%的情況下，有工程才有工作，有工錢才有麵包，有麵包才有基本生活，進而這個國家才有活力和希望。道理其實人們都懂，但在經濟動蕩、未來不確定的情況下，小洛克菲勒的決定是冒風險的。最直接的風險是，如果國家經濟沒有起色，那麽花巨資建好的大樓就租不出去。
At this point, John D. Rockefeller Jr. faced two choices: either abandon the entire plan or invest in it alone. He chose the latter, deciding to take on this enormous plan alone. His decision was crucial and driven by a sense of responsibility to the public and the country. In a situation where unemployment was as high as 25%, having a project meant having jobs, jobs meant wages, wages meant bread, and having the basics for life would bring vitality and hope to the country. While this reasoning was understood by anyone, in times of economic turmoil and uncertainty about the future, John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s decision was a risky one. The most immediate risk was that if the national economy did not recover, the completed skyscrapers would be difficult to lease.
洛克菲勒中心的工地創造了5萬個就業機會。包括他們的家屬在內，可以長期養活至少20萬人。工地上普通工人每天掙3-4美元，大約相當於今天的60-80美元。這個工資水準是同期一般手工工人的兩倍，讓一家人有飯吃、有衣穿是問題不大的。
The construction site of Rockefeller Center created about 50,000 job opportunities. Including their families, it could sustain at least 200,000 people in the long term. Ordinary workers on the site earned $3-4 a day, roughly equivalent to $60-80 today. This wage level was twice that of the average manual laborer at the time, ensuring that families had enough to eat and wear.
洛克菲勒中心的工程於1930年5月17日正式動工。由於數萬名工人和建築工程師的辛勤勞作，它於九年後的1939年11月1日順利完成，比原先的預期大大提前。另外，“洛克菲勒中心”這個名稱並不是一開始就有的，而是幕僚Ivy Lee建議的。小洛克菲勒並不想以自己的姓氏命名，但考量到這名字能吸引商機和遊客，還是接受了。
The construction of Rockefeller Center officially began on May 17, 1930. Due to the hard work of tens of thousands of workers and construction engineers, it was completed smoothly on November 1, 1939, much earlier than originally anticipated. Furthermore, the name "Rockefeller Center" was not initially chosen; it was suggested by the advisor Ivy Lee. John D. Rockefeller Jr. was initially hesitant to name it after his own surname, but considering that the name would attract business opportunities and tourists, he eventually accepted.
就在洛克菲勒中心建設期間，另外兩個紐約標誌性建築—連接紐約和新澤西的喬治?華盛頓大橋（George Washington Bridge）和帝國大廈（Empire State Building）也相繼完工。紐約市的活力振奮著美國人民的信心，這在大蕭條的背景下是非常寶貴的。我們今天回首90年前，那個時代美國工人階級的勤勞和堅韌，不能不讓人肅然起敬。
During the construction of Rockefeller Center, two other iconic New York buildings—the George Washington Bridge connecting New York and New Jersey and the Empire State Building—were also completed. The vibrancy of New York City uplifted the confidence of the American people, which was invaluable against the backdrop of the Great Depression. Looking back 90 years ago today, the diligence and resilience of the American working class during that era command respect.
不僅工人階級勤勞堅韌，而且為我們留下寶貴記錄的攝影師們同樣表現出勇敢和敬業。那個時代是便攜式照相機的早期，小型折疊式相機依然相當笨重。而且相機還沒有用膠片，而是玻璃底片。一次隻能拍攝一張，然後就要到暗室或暗囊中去換底片，相當的辛苦且有較高的技術要求。
Not only was the working class diligent and resilient, but the photographers who left us precious records also showed bravery and dedication. This era was the early stage of portable cameras, and small folding cameras were still quite bulky. Additionally, cameras did not use film but glass plates. Only one photo could be taken at a time, requiring a visit to a darkroom or dark bag to change the plate, making it a laborious and technically demanding process.
在那個時代，為報紙雜誌工作的攝影師是professional文化人，在工作中還要考慮形象。在工地拍攝，他們經常還是西服革履，打著領帶。這樣的裝束為他們在摩天大樓上的拍攝增加了困難、甚至危險。Lunch Atop a Skyscraper究竟是誰拍的呢？洛克菲勒中心將這張照片拍攝者標為“未知”。因為1932年9月20日在大廈69層拍攝的攝影師有Charles Ebbets、Thomas Kelley和William Leftwich三人，這張照片到底出自誰手，已經無法確定。那就同時向他們三人表示敬意吧！
During that era, photographers working for newspapers and magazines were considered professional figures, and they considered their image at work. When shooting at construction sites, they often wore suits and ties, adding to the difficulty and even danger of their photography on skyscrapers. Who exactly took the photo of "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper"? The Rockefeller Center credits this photo to an "unknown" photographer. On September 20, 1932, three photographers—Charles Ebbets, Thomas Kelley, and William Leftwich—captured the image on the 69th floor of the building. We don’t know exactly from whose hand the picture was. I salute all of them.
好，讓我們再次回到這張著名的照片。我們用現代技術改成的彩色版。原照片首先登在1932年10月2日的《紐約先驅論壇報》（New York Herald-Tribune），它一經問世，就激發了無數人的好奇心。但一個基本的問題到後來再想回答時，發現已經太晚了。這個問題是：這11個人是誰？經過不同途徑的辨認（檔案和親屬），大致確認了其中的4人，但對最右端那位的辨認卻有矛盾。現在一般認為，這11人中可能愛爾蘭移民居多。我認為他們具體是誰已經不重要了。他們是那個時代美國工人階級的象征。
Now, let's return to this famous photo once again, this time in a colorized version created using modern technology. The original photo was first published on October 2, 1932, in the New York Herald-Tribune, sparking the curiosity of countless people upon its release. However, when it came time to answer a basic question later on, it was discovered that it was too late. This question was: who are these 11 people on the beam? Through various means of identification (archives and relatives), the identities of roughly four people have been confirmed, but there is conflicting information about the identification of the person at the far right. Today, it is generally considered that the majority of these 11 people were mostly Irish immigrants. I think their specific identities are no longer important. They symbolize the American working class of that era.
最後說個有趣的題外話。這張著名的照片的玻璃底片的所有權，現在其實歸中國公司“視覺中國”（Visual China Group）。長話短說，這個玻璃底片原先是被位於洛杉磯的Corbis Images擁有。2016年，擴張海外的中國媒體公司哪家“視覺中國”吞並了Corbis Images，因此後者海量的圖片資料的版權就歸“視覺中國”了。Corbis Images的一些珍貴的原片一直是委托賓夕法尼亞州一個叫Iron Mountain的公司保存的，這個公司是資料保存的專業公司，有嚴格恒溫恒濕的的資料庫。
Lastly, here's an interesting aside. The ownership of the glass plate of this famous photo now belongs to the Chinese company "Visual China Group." In short, this glass plate was originally owned by Corbis Images, located in Los Angeles. In 2016, the Chinese media company "Visual China" expanded overseas and took over Corbis Images, thus obtaining the copyright to the extensive image data of the latter. Some of the precious original plates from Corbis Images had been entrusted to a company called Iron Mountain in Pennsylvania, specializing in data preservation with strict temperature and humidity-controlled storage facilities.
早先因為一次失誤，這個玻璃底片碎成了5塊，但它依然是無價之寶。現在的一般印刷，已經數字化，不依賴這個底片。或許將來新的技術可以從底片中獲得比現在更多的信息，但這有賴於底片在最適宜的條件下保存完好。這種玻璃底片，既是藝術，也是文物。即便“視覺中國”目前擁有它，鑒於Iron Mountain具有高水平的資料保存技術，該底片恐怕也不會被貿然運到中國的。
Due to a previous mishap, this glass plate was broken into five pieces, but it remains a priceless treasure. Modern prints are already digitized and don't rely on this plate. Perhaps future technologies can extract more information from the plate than now, but this depends on the plate being well-preserved under the most suitable conditions. This glass plate is both art and artifact. Even though "Visual China" currently owns it, given Iron Mountain's high-level data preservation technology, this plate is unlikely to be hastily transported to China.
【Edited from ChatGPT translation.】
