The early decades of the twentieth century saw some taxing times, what with there being a world war and all, but that still didn’t stop people from flocking to the Shepheard’s hotel to bask in its elegance. Located in Cairo, Egypt this hotel was famous for its extravagance. It was so famous that in 1942 the Desert Fox himself had visions of drinking a celebratory champagne in one of the hotel’s elegant suites. But the appeal of the place wasn’t only in its fancy rooms, during the 1940s the Shepheard’s hotel was famous for its bar. The drinks and their charismatic bartender were known across the globe. Although the bar was celebrated for its quality cocktails, through the years the place became affectionately referred to as The Long Bar. Why? Well, because patrons waited a very, very long time for their drinks and that was the most creative name they could come up with. As the war began seeping into the porous borders of Egypt, the Long Bar was prepared to do its part. While the German forces were steamrolling through the desert, American, French and British troops were able to rest their weary heads at the hotel, a place where they felt safe and secure in knowing that if the Germans ever got so far as the Shepheard’s, they’d be held up at the bar long enough for everyone to defend the attack. (that’s not my joke it’s theirs) Anyway – It was amidst the hot, dry, scorching heat of African wartime that bartender Joe Scialom mixed a concoction of brandy, gin, ginger, lime and bitters to refresh the soldiers from their miserable station of service. The drink, which became known as the Suffering Bastard was such a help to the soldiers that troops were requesting gallons of it to be sent to the front lines. Because who doesn’t like a little fight after a good gulp of brandy and gin.
It was thanks to the Suffering Bastard that Joe continued to secure his spot as a bartending celebrity even after the war, which by the way ended before Hitler’s troops were able to storm the famous hotel. Years after the front lines returned home, the world became a little safer and the Long Bar at Shepheard’s Hotel was still the place to be.
But there was a problem. Joe Scialom was Jewish. I know you’re probably thinking Jews had a fairly easy time in the world after the formation of Israel but, they didn’t, at least not in Egypt in the 1950s.
In 1952 Egypt was home to a revolution called the Free Officers Movement that ironically resulted in a military dictatorship of the country. As a result, the Parliamentary system set up by the British was abolished and Egypt was officially a ‘republic.’ And because Israel thought it might be an excellent idea to occupy the Sinai Peninsula and Suez Canal during this time, it was a republic that hated Jews.
As a result, in 1957 Joe Scialom’s belongings were seized and he was thrown in jail with several hundred other Jewish residents of Egypt. During his time in the dungeon of doom, Joe along with the other prisoners was fed mouldy bread and parasitic cheese, on a good day. A bad one might consist of being referred to as a bunch of dogs and then beaten by one of the guards. The devastated prisoners protested, demanded they be told what charges were being held on. They were told the crime was being an Israeli, which under the republic meant a lifetime sentence. Joe argued this point, he showed his ID and birth certificate. He told the guards he had never been and had nothing to do with Israel. He pleaded he was Egyptian, born in Egypt. That his parents weren’t even Israelis, that his mother was born in Russia, his father Italy. Unfortunately, the authorities had no interest in the bartender’s legacy or his background for that matter. Despite his entreaties, the man was told that as a Jew he was a worthy enough candidate to suffer the same fate as all the other prisoners. The former bartender petitioned heavily for asylum, to the US, which was denied. Then to the UK, which was also denied. The allies of six years ago refused to grant him aid. He then petitioned to Italy, also denied. Finally, after months of anguish, the Dutch finally intervened and Joe at the tender age of 42, was allowed to leave his birth country, without his belongings of course, to start his life again.
If you are wondering what then happened to Joe, you should be happy to know that although for some time he lived out the title of his world-famous cocktail, eventually, the man was employed by Conrad Hilton to manage the bar at the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico. Years later, Joe the Bartender, in the true form of his Jewish roots, retired to the coastal shores of Florida.
Anyway, I realize this might be a sensitive subject to put out there into the world at this time, but if we can’t talk about history, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to learn from it.
**What do you think? Were you surprised by the story of the Suffering Bastard? Does this story hit a soft spot for you? Do you think we will ever learn from history? I want to know! Leave your thoughts in the comments/chat below!