A New Yorker’s Mallorca Journey: From 1969 Escape to Modern Reflection
In the summer of 1969, as anti-war protests shook American cities, 23-year-old Bruce Whitehill arrived in Mallorca seeking respite from his homeland’s turmoil. Now 79, the New Yorker returned last November to revisit the island that shaped his early adulthood – sparking reflections on political parallels, cultural changes, and ironed underwear.
Escape from American Upheaval
Whitehill’s arrival coincided with peak Vietnam War tensions. “I left the United States in 1969, a time of protest and upheaval because of US involvement in Vietnam,” he told the Majorca Daily Bulletin. “The majority population was against government policies – very unsettling, rather like the current situation.”
The activist-writer penned lyrics explaining his exodus:
“Children play war as a fantasy,
Politicians play with words in their head,
But the ones who must fight in reality,
They’re the ones who leave death or leave dead.”
His draft fears eased December 2, 1969, when The New York Times published Vietnam draft lottery results. “My birthday number exceeded 300,” Whitehill noted, referencing the historic randomization system (National Archives). This allowed his European journey to extend into a seven-year global odyssey.
Bohemian Beginnings in Palma
Whitehill’s Mallorcan year unfolded in a Darsena C’an Barbara apartment overlooking Club de Mar. “We had a cleaner who ironed our socks and underwear – the only time in my life,” he chuckled. The aspiring writer contributed articles to this newspaper, chronicling encounters with British bodybuilders and Madrid-based musicians whose impromptu living-room concert captivated him.
His Volkswagen station wagon became an accidental tourism business. After helping five British women reach a folk show, Whitehill began regularly ferrying tourists to Mallorcan cultural performances. “The owner paid me commission – suddenly I had a livelihood,” he recalled.
Radical Shifts: Political and Physical
Whitehill’s homecoming revealed dramatic changes. “Palma is no longer the quiet, idyllic city I remember,” he observed, referencing increased traffic despite improved infrastructure. Between 1969-2023, Mallorca’s annual visitors grew from 1.9 million to 17.1 million (Balearic Statistics Institute).
The writer voiced strong political concerns about contemporary America: “What’s happening now is nothing less than fascism – an unhinged power push by a money-hungry megalomaniac.” While acknowledging these as personal views, he confirmed many Americans now seek relocation options like Mallorca due to domestic tensions.
Legacy of a Global Citizen
Whitehill’s eventual career path reflects his eclectic journey: game inventor, author, and founder of The Big Game Hunter (www.thebiggamehunter.com), a respected board game history resource. After marrying a German woman at 60, he settled north of Hannover.
Though unlikely to revisit Mallorca (“Too many new destinations beckon”), Whitehill endorsed the island for American emigres: “People remain welcoming, and safety here matters – especially for Americans.” His final Palma stop? Attempting to photograph his 1969 apartment building: “The concierge politely declined entry, but I snapped a quick picture anyway.”
Source: Majorca Daily Bulletin interview with Bruce Whitehill
Images Credit: www.majorcadailybulletin.com