Fans of Cremerie de Paris · VB mansion

Joseph Patrick (Joe) Kennedy Jr

1915 – 1944

WW2 soldier · helped to liberate France

Kennedy children in 1934 Joe Kennedy Jr at the pool Joe Kennedy Jr as a student Joe Kennedy Jr as a student Joe Kennedy Jr and John Fitzgerald Kennedy, around 1935 The four Kennedy boys with their parents and one of their sisters Secret Service agent Aimée Lopes with President Getulio Vargas of Brazil, his daughter Alzira and Benedito Valadares.  picture mars 1938 Aimee Lopes de Sotto Maior arriving in Paris as a Secret Service Agent for Brazil, picture 1938 Ambassador Kennedy with Joe Kennedy Jr and Ted Kennedy in London, picture 1938 Joe Kennedy Jr and John Fitzgerlad Kennedy in London, picture 1938 Halles de Paris with Cremerie de Paris Cremerie de Paris - Halles Centrales Aimée in Paris According to a legend the Cedre Imperial is able to send good energy According to a legend the Cedre Imperial is able to send good energy Kennedy family at the Hotel du Cap d'Antibes Aimée in Paris Through Helmuth James von Moltke Aimée gets secret information from Germany making her become an Anti Nazi activist Aimée meets the Kennedy brothers at a reception in London, photo 1938. Joseph Patrick Kennedy falls in Love Aimée follows Patrick Joseph Kennedy to the US Aimée now called Aimée de Heeren back to Paris after the end of the War Aimée now called Aimée de Heeren back to Paris after the end of the War Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms, start of a friendship that will last All her life Aimee de Heeren was connected to pioneers and inventors Aimee Lopes de Sotto Maior in fron of  Cremerie de Paris, at the time the first Internet Cafe in Paris where she took web lessons, photo 2003 Ben Solms and Caroline Kennedy, niece of Joe Kennedy Jr Aimee de Heeren already over a hundred still loves parties, with Crown Jewels from Empress Eugenie and Ben Solms Aimee de Heeren with Senator Ted Kennedy Cedre Imperial Meudon Cedre Imperial Meudon, at the start of a story that had an impact on WW2 Originally the acronym VB stands for Villeroy Bourbon, historic residents of the Cremerie de Paris / VB mansion. It was a secret code for the Romanov children when talking about the Cremerie. Anastasia Romanov renamed VB into Very Beautiful, easier to pronounce. It's one of the only 696 Two Letter .com domains, the shortest and most glamourous web adresses. Look at your computer/phone keyboard it's right there - the magic of the Romanov children is still around ...
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Joe Kennedy Jr (1915 - 1944) boyfriend of Aimee de Heeren (1903 - 2006) son of the US Ambassador in London Joe Kennedy Sr (1888 - 1969) and Rose Fitzgerald / Rose Kennedy (1890 - 1995) Rose was the daughter of John Fitzgerald (1863 - 1950) brother of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917 - 1963) Rosemary Kennedy (1918 - 2005) Kathleen Kennedy / Kathleen Cavendish (1920 - 1948) Eunice Kennedy / Eunice Shriver (1921 - 2009) Patricia Kennedy / Patricia Lawford (1924 - 2006) Robert (Bobby) Kennedy (1925 - 1968) Jean Kennedy / Jean Smith (1928 - 2020) Edward (Ted) Kennedy (1932 - 2009)

oldest son of the Kennedy family educated to become President of the United States

Oldest child in the Kennedy family

Joe Kennedy Jr was born in Hull, Massachussetts

Rose Kennedy, Joe Kennedy Jr, Rosemary Kennedy, John F Kennedy
Rose Kennedy, Joe Kennedy Jr, Rosemary Kennedy, John F Kennedy
Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy, Joe Kennedy jr with their mother Rose Kennedy Fitzgerald
Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy, Joe Kennedy jr with their mother Rose Kennedy Fitzgerald

1919Pictures of Rose Kennedy with her three oldest children Joe Jr, John and Rosemary

Joe Kennedy jr in a red circle with John F Kennedy, their mother Rose Kennedy Fitzgerald and three younger sisters
Joe Kennedy jr in a red circle with John F Kennedy, their mother Rose Kennedy Fitzgerald and three younger sisters

1921Kennedy children in Brookline, Ma

Joe Kennedy jr with his jounger brother John F Kennedy, picture 1925 copyright Kennedy Library
Joe Kennedy jr with his jounger brother John F Kennedy, picture 1925 copyright Kennedy Library

1925Joe Kennedy Jr and John F Kennedy in Hyannis Port, Ma

Joe Kennedy Jr at age 17, photo 1932
Joe Kennedy Jr at age 17, photo 1932

1933Joe Kennedy Jr gratuated from Choate Rosemary Hall Boarding School in Wallingford, Connecticut. His brother JFK went to the same boarding school.

Joe Kennedy Jr with his young brother Ted
Joe Kennedy Jr with his young brother Ted

1938Joe Kennedy Jr gratuated from Havard with a Bachelor of Art degrée in government The picture shows him with his young brother Ted.

From a young age John Kennedy Jr was formed by his father Joe Kennedy Sr and his grandfather John Fitzgerald, major of Boston to become the first Catholic President of the United States.

Son of the US Ambassador in London Washington DC / London ... WW2 was on its way ... 1938 March 8 Joe Kennedy Sr was appointed by President Franklin D Roosevelt to become US Ambassador in London. In regards to Germany Ambassador Kennedy did not share the opions of Winston Churchill. He beleived in negociations with Germany supporting the appeasement policy of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Ambassador Kennedy was determined to avoid new US military engagements in Europe and to preserve peace. Churchill belived any compromise with the Nazis was impossible.

The young Kennedy children lived at the Embassy with their parents, while Joe Jr and JFK studying at Harvard came to visit.

Joe Kennedy Jr, Joe Kennedy Sr, Edward Kennedy, photo 1939 Kennedy Library
Joe Kennedy Jr, Joe Kennedy Sr, Edward Kennedy, photo 1939 Kennedy Library

This picture shows Joe Kennedy Jr with his father and his young brother Edward on the staircase of the US Embassy in London 14 Prince's Gate.

Joe Kennedy Jr having diner with his father Ambassador Konnedy, photo 1938 or 1939 Kennedy Library
Joe Kennedy Jr having diner with his father Ambassador Konnedy, photo 1938 or 1939 Kennedy Library

Joe Kennedy Jr having diner at the London Embassy with his father Ambassador Kennedy Ambassador Kennedy and his wife Rose very much enjoyed to participate in social events attending the many pre war balls, dinners, regattas, and derbies of the season. Often their older children were in their company.

Joe Kennedy Jr, Joe Kennedy Sr, Edward Kennedy
Joe Kennedy Jr, Joe Kennedy Sr, Edward Kennedy

At a reception the two oldest Kennedy brothers Joe Jr and John met a beautiful girl that got a lot of attention wherever she went. The girl was Brazilian, she had come from Paris where she lived. Everybody passing her way was fascinated: Aimée Sottomaior Sa / later Aimée de Heeren

Falling in Love with a Secret Service Agent a story that started around Cremerie de Paris and the Cedre Imperial Meudon Rio de Janeiro / Paris World War II was on it's way ... Germany tried to get Brazil as an ally to prepare for the Axis coalition with Italy and Japan on their side. The Brazilian President Getulio Vargas was tempted to join. He admired the German sens of order, but he hesistated and wanted more information about the new regime.

President Vargas of Brazil with Aimée Sottomaior / later Aimée de Heeren
President Vargas of Brazil with Aimée Sottomaior / later Aimée de Heeren

1938early summer Vargas sends Aimée Sottomaior to Paris with the mission to get information. Aimée spoke multiple languages, Spanish, English, French, Italian, some German She had already been send to Berlin a few years before.

Joe Kennedy Jr, Joe Kennedy Sr, Edward Kennedy
Joe Kennedy Jr, Joe Kennedy Sr, Edward Kennedy

Aimée arrived in Paris settling at the hi class Hotel Plaza Athenee. Covered with jewels she jumped from one fashion sitting to another. Soon Paris hi-society is captivated by this beautiful young girl living such a luxury lifestyle, luxury without a husband.

President Getulio Vargas, Aimée Sotto Maior / Aimee de Heeren in ther background
President Getulio Vargas, Aimée Sotto Maior / Aimee de Heeren in ther background

The Brazilian fashion girl gave people the impresson to be the daughter of an ultra wealty South American landowner. Coco Chanel, fascinated by her beauty, became her protector and introduced her to Paris hi society. Nobody imagined Aimée's father Genésio de Sá Sottomaior to be a school teacher in Castro. a small city in the Brazilian State of Parana. It was the State of Brazil that financed her lifestyle thus disimulating her real mission, not a fashionista, but a secret service agent directly reporting to the President. Through Helmuth James von Moltke (1907 - 1945), a German / South African lawyer from Berlin Aimée was given information and documents with all the plans of Hitler, few people outside Germany were imagining at the time. These documents turned Aimée from an order excecuting agent into a resistant. She understood that her destiny was to do something ... The first thing was to influence her employer, President Vargas not to enter the Axis Alliance. As the Brazilian President was captivated by her he listened to her advice . But the young woman understood that influencing Brazil was not enough. Only the United States of America had the economic power to really oppose the Hitler regime. Aimée needed to connect with President Roosevelt. She had already met him in Rio de Janeiro, but approching the US president would be difficult She needed to find an ally helping her to connect with the US government .

Joe Kennedy Jr, John F Kennedy
Joe Kennedy Jr, John F Kennedy

1938November at a reception in London Aimée met the two sons of the American Ambassador. She knew their father Joe Kennedy Sr was connected with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 1938 Christmas The Kennedy family spends Christmas at St Moritz. They stay in Suvretta outside the resort town at the Suvretta House Hotel. 1939 February Joe Kennedy Jr came to Paris to visit Aimée She received him at the Hotel Plaza Athenee where she lived.

Pavillons Baltard and rue des Halles
Pavillons Baltard and rue des Halles
Cremerie de Paris in 1939, small black and white pictures from 1939 Joe Kennedy Jr, Aimee de Heeren, Coco Chanel, small color picture from 1987 the same Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms
Cremerie de Paris in 1939, small black and white pictures from 1939 Joe Kennedy Jr, Aimee de Heeren, Coco Chanel, small color picture from 1987 the same Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms

In Paris Aimée showed Kennedy Cremerie de Paris at the Les Halles food market a place full of magic with a centuries old history she knew from Coco Chanel. They walked through the market open all night.

Cedre Imperial Meudon with Aimée de Heeren and Joe Kennedy Jr
Cedre Imperial Meudon with Aimée de Heeren and Joe Kennedy Jr

The next day Aimée took Kennedy to Meudon, a beautiful small city in the west of Paris. Meudon is the home ot the Cedre Imperial another place Aimée knew from Gabrielle Chanel. The Cedre is surrounded by the legend to be able to give strenght and good energy.

rue de la Republique close to the Cedre Imperial
rue de la Republique close to the Cedre Imperial
Property of Henri Blancard, close to the Cedre Imperial, the villa was destroyed around 1975
Property of Henri Blancard, close to the Cedre Imperial, the villa was destroyed around 1975

Meudon, located outside Paris 9 km from the Hotel Plaza Athenée was the place where she was hiding the documents. To dangerous to keep anything at the Plaza Atenée. The pictures show the entrance of rue de la Republique, once rue Napoleon. The villa was once the country house of the photographer Hippolyte Blancard (1843 - 1924), today replaced by a building with the cafe Crepe et Croque C&C. Aimée took the risk to show some documents to Joe Kennedy Jr even though she knew his father, Ambassador Kennedy was in close to Helmut Wohlthat, a Nazi advisor.

rue de la Republique Meudon with the Cedre Imperial
rue de la Republique Meudon with the Cedre Imperial

The Cedre Imperial today seen from place du Rabelais

view from the observatoire de Meudon on the Cedre Imperial and the Eiffel Tower
view from the observatoire de Meudon on the Cedre Imperial and the Eiffel Tower

The Cedre Imperial Meudon is a magical ceder tree. Some people beleive this tree is a present of Empress Josephine (1763 - 1814). Since centuries the Cedre Imperial is sourrounded by the legend to be able to give strenght and good energy. Receiving secret documents from Helmuth James von Moltke Aimee had a lot of information on Hitlers plans the US government did not know. The documents were hidden in Meudon. To take the right decisions Aimée needed a lot of energy. She was watching the cedar meditating about what she sould do. Her idea was to go to London trying to run into the sons of the American Ambassador. The moment she met them both boys were captivated by her beauty.

A few weeks later something happened at the Cedre Imperial Meudon that should never happen to a Secret Serice agent.

She fell in Love

Cedre Imperial, rue de la Republique Meudon around 1939
Cedre Imperial, rue de la Republique Meudon around 1939

Their relation would have an impact on the course of World War 2 as it probably accelerated the United States Cov - wanting to stay out of the conflict - to prepare for it.

Cedre Imperial Meudon
Cedre Imperial Meudon

Zoom on the Cedre Imperial Meudon

Kennedy continues his road to Perpignan.

Hotel du Cap Antibes
Hotel du Cap Antibes
Hotel du Cap Antibes
Hotel du Cap Antibes

In the summer Joe Kennedy Jr and Aimee Sottomaior meet again in the South of France.

Kennedy family at the Hotel du Cap Antibes, photo summer 1939
Kennedy family at the Hotel du Cap Antibes, photo summer 1939

The Kennedy family stayed at the Hotel du Cap. The picture is taken 1939 July at the cabanas, sitting on a small cliff above the Mediterranian.

Outbreak of World War 2

1939Sep 1 German troups attack Poland.

1939Sep 3 British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declares war on Germany.

Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy in London, photo september 1939
Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy in London, photo september 1939

Above picture shows Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy on John F Kennedy on their way to the British Parliament to assist to the official war declaration by the United Kingdom

John F Kennedy reading the news in London
John F Kennedy reading the news in London

John F kennedy reading a newspaper about WW2

Aimée Sotto Major / Aimée de Heeren WW2 secret service agent with Getulio Vargas and his daughter Aliza Vargas
Aimée Sotto Major / Aimée de Heeren WW2 secret service agent with Getulio Vargas and his daughter Aliza Vargas

With all information transmitted to President Vargas Paris was becoming to dangerous for Aimée, German Secret service agents were in Rio de Janeiro and someone had become aware of Aimées efforts to distance Vargas from Germany.

1939Aimée got the message to dissapear immediately. She leaves everything at the Hotel Plaza Athenée told the concierge she was visiting a friend in the country. In reality shewas hiding in Meudon waiting for a way to leave France.

1939November 15 Aimée took the ferry from Le Havre to New York. Her ticket was in the name of "Madame Lopes"

Leaving Europe Lobbying efforts to influence Roosevelt

Anti Hitler activist in New York

Arriving in New York Aimee and her sister Vera took a fancy flat in Manhattan, Park Avenue. The state of Brazil continued to finance her.

Joe Kennedy Jr was now needed as an ally to convince the Roosevelt Administration to take action against the German regime. The difficulty was also that Joe Kennedy Sr had a more pro German point of view. The relationship between Kennedy Sr and President Roosevelt had become complicated.

Back in 1936 Aimée had already met President Roosevelt in Brazil but it was difficult to rapproach him.

Aimée used all her know-how to meet influential Americans and to push them to take action against the Nazis. Joe Kennedy Jr knew the sons of President Roosevelt, James Roosevelt (1907 - 1991) Franklin D Roosevelt Jr (1914 - 1988) and John Roosevelt (1916 - 1981)

Even after the German invasion of Poland and the outbreak of World War 2 (Aimee was still in Paris) Roosevelt wanted to keep the United States out of war. War in Europe divided the American opinion into two camps: non-interventionists and interventionists. Ambassador Joe Kennedy Sr was also among those that wanted to keep America out of the war. Kennedy Sr was getting more and more isolated in Britain. Churchill disconsidered Kennedy Sr and started to communicated with Roosevelt directly. 1940 May Germany invaded France resulting in the fall of the Chamberlain government in Britain. 1940 May 10 Winston Churchill became British Prime Minister Churchill wanted to have Kennedy removed as the American Ambassador. 1940 October 22 Joe Kennedy Sr was send back to the United States. He was replaced by John Winant (1889 - 1947)

1940Nov 5 Roosevelt reelected President of the United States for the 3rd time promising his voters not to involve in foreign wars if he were re-elected. 1940 / 1941 multiple efforts of Aimée to influence Roosevelt to take action against Germany. Joe Kennedy Jr and Aimée already had plans for the White House and Rose Kennedy, the mother thought that Aimée would be a great asset for her son. It's only that nobody knew that Aimée was much older than imagined. Well her age was her ultimate secret. The editor of this article did not know it for 20 years, until she told him 2006, a few days before leaving this world.

Joe Kennedy Jr in the US army
Joe Kennedy Jr in the US army

1941Joe Kennedy Jr became part of the US Navy. Kennedy withdrew before his final year at Harvard Law School to enlist in the U.S. Naval Reserve.

1941Dec 11 President Franklin D Roosevelt signed the American declaration of war against Germany. 1942 May 5 Joe Kennedy received his wings as a naval aviator. 1942 Aug 22 President Vargas signs the Brazilian declaration of war against Germany. 1943 Joe Kennedy Jr returned to Britain to work on anti German submarine missions. Aimée did not want him to.

Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy in London
Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy in London

1944June 6 Allied troups landed in Normandy to liberate France 1944 July 1 Kennedy had completed 25 combat missions and was elegible to be send home.

Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy in London
Joe Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Kennedy, John F Kennedy in London

1944Aug 12 Mission Aphrodite Joe Kennedy Jr and his copilot Wilford Willy got the mission to attack Mimoyecques, a German missle bunker located near Boulogne sur Mer on the French coast of the channel. The plane loaded with explosives was planned to fly right into the bunker from where German missles were send to London. The two pilots were supposed to jump off the plane but the bomber exploded in the air above the Blythe Etsuary on the British coast not reaching his target on the other side of the channel. Joe Kennedy Jr dies at age 29 for the Liberation of France. His body was never found

1944Aug 24 Liberation of Meudon by the Division Leclerc 1944 Aug 25 Liberation of Paris 1945 Mai 8 End of World War 2 in Europe 1946 Creation of a Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr Foundation in memory of Joe Kennedy Jr

1961Jan 20 John F Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States

The friendship between Aimée and the Kennedy family lasted for a lifetime

Most of the time Aimée and the Kennedy family met in Palm Beach 1095 North Ocean Boulevard Palm Beach was a childhood place for Joe Kennedy Jr and until the 1995 death of Rose Kennedy a winter home for the Kennedy family. Aimée lived not very far at 473 North County Road Palm Beach.

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Half a century later Meeting the secret service agent Aimée Well it is not every day a young student has the chance to run into one of the World's major secret service agents.

Aimée de Heeren and Ben Solms
Aimée de Heeren and Ben Solms

And like everybody else he had no idea about her real age ... They met thanks to Johannes Thurn und Taxis a friend from Bavaria they shared in common.

Aimée liked to have young friends. Also it was very practical for her that the her new friend, editor of this article, had a car.

Both the editor of this article and Aimée knew the legends about the Cremerie de Paris which kind of enhanced their friendship. Cremerie de Paris reminded Aimée of her friend Coco Chanel and of her Love Story with Joe Kennedy Jr.

Aimée de Heeren and Ben Solms
Aimée de Heeren and Ben Solms

Above picture shows Aimée sitting on the terrace of La Roseraie, her house in Biarritz, one of the rare moments when she was telling stories from her past. The most beautiful one was the Kennedy story.

Joseph Patrick Kennedy, boyfriend of Aimée Lopes de Sottomajor and older brother of JFK
Joseph Patrick Kennedy, boyfriend of Aimée Lopes de Sottomajor and older brother of JFK

It was about a young man she had met half a century before. An American pilot that had died age 29 at the end of WW2 in the battle to liberate France. A long time ago, at the beginning of the war, he had helped her to transmit secret documents to the Rossevelt administration and to take influence on American decision makers so that the United States would prepare to take action against the Nazi terror in Europe. Aimée had met many people, but Joe was the one that had stayed in her heart more than anybody else. WW2 had ended their story, but nothing could make him leave her mind. It was touching to see that a young man that had died half a century before was still in the heart of an older woman, a woman that was still so beautiful people turned around on the street when she was walked by.

Cremerie de Paris

1993Cremerie de Paris N°1 was for rent. The editor of this article already had two little shops next to the legendary Cremerie but he was only 25 and too young to be accepted buy the owner. Aimée loved the place because it reminded her about Joe Kennedy Jr and also about her friend Gabrielle Chanel. In the late sixties the designer Gabrielle Chanel and Aimée used to walk to the Cremeries at night to share souvenirs of the past. Joe Kennedy Jr was in the heart of Aimée Dmitri Romanov in the heart of Gabrielle Chanel. Aimée suggested not to rent but to buy Cremerie de Paris. With the help of a little jewel left to her by Gabrielle Chanel is became possible to get a bank loan. Cremerie de Paris became the very first Internet Cafe in Paris. At that time French Hotels were not jet connected and Internet made us run into fascinating web Pioneers, almost all of them were Americans where Internet was already getting used.

This is how we had the idea to get our Two Letter domain VB.com but Internet is another story.

Meeting the man from the Moon

A man from the first flight to the Moon
A man from the first flight to the Moon
A man from the first flight to the Moon with Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms
A man from the first flight to the Moon with Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms

A little connected to the Kennedy story was an Apollo 11 astronaut that Joe's younger brother JFK Kennedy had decided to send to the moon.

A man from the first flight to the Moon with Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms
A man from the first flight to the Moon with Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms

Buzz Alrin loved to came to Paris We had the chance to meet him many times, always visiting the Cedre Imperial Meudon and the Gardens of Versailles. The Apollo 11 astronaut was fascinated by Aimée de Heeren and Joe Kennedy Jr Lobbying work. Without them WW2 would probably have taken much longer.

Meeting the Kennedys

The editor of this article had the chance to meet Joe's Kennedy's youngest brother Ted. The Senator came to Paris many times always staying at the Ritz Hotel and always meeting with Aimée when she was in town. Once he drove Aimée and Senator Kennedy to Meudon to visit the Cedre Imperial and the Terrasse de l' Observatoire. Aimée was telling him stories about his older brother, but sadly we did not record them.

Aimee de Heeren and Senator Ted Kennedy in 2002, photo Ben Solms
Aimee de Heeren and Senator Ted Kennedy in 2002, photo Ben Solms

2002november 18 the editor of this article had the chance to again meet Senator Edward Kennedy / Ted Kennedy, the youngest brother of Joe Kennedy Jr. It was at a reception "Les Années Maison Blanche" at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs in Paris where Aimée was invited. The reception was given by L'Oréal showing the dresses Jacky Kennedy was wearing during her White House years. Once arrived at the Museum, Françoise Dumas, a Lady organising the event asked us to come to a seperate room. Liliane Bettencourt from L'Oréal the hostess of the evening and Madame Chirac, at the time first Lady of France were waiting to meet the Kennedy family. Caroline and her husband Edwin Schlossberg were already there. Aimée talked to Caroline about her grandmother Rose. Bung, suddenly the door opened Ted entered the room accompanied by his daughter Kara. The Senator was so exited to see Aimée he completely forgot to greet the hostess ... Instead Amée and himself started to sing a song they used to sing in Palm Beach half a century before. Everybody was a little surprised. Ted explained to his daughter Kara, to his niece Caroline and to the editor of this article, that all the Kennedy boys had been completely crazy about Aimée ... Joe Kennedy Jr John F Kennedy Robert Kennedy and of course himself

Joseph Patrick Kennedy, boyfriend of Aimée Lopes de Sottomajor and older brother of JFK
Joseph Patrick Kennedy, boyfriend of Aimée Lopes de Sottomajor and older brother of JFK

Years later a little snapshot of Aiméee and Ted Kennedy taken that evening by the editor of the article was found in a photo poach, but maybe one day a picture of young Aimée and Joe Kennedy Jr will reapear. Such pictures must still exist, Aimée had shown some, so they might still be somewhere but as she was a Secret Service agent her life during WW2 was very confidential. Sometime old pictures take years to be found again ...

Caroline Kennedy, niece of Joe Kennedy Jr and Ben Solms, friend of Aimee de Heeren
Caroline Kennedy, niece of Joe Kennedy Jr and Ben Solms, friend of Aimee de Heeren

picture of the editor of this article taken the same evening with Caroline Kennedy and Jackie's sister Lee Raziwill

Bye Bye Aimée

2006August 3 for 19 years Aimee had invited the editor of this article to celebrate her birthday in Biarritz.

The editor of thie article had the priviledge to come pick her up every year at the Charles de Gaulle airport ... June was party time in Paris. While driving from the airport to rue de Varenne projects of uncountable invitations he would soon be allowed to accompany her before her invitation to wonderful summer vacation in Biarritz starting at the end of July.

Joe Kennedy Jr in Biarritz at the Hotel Miramar, not far from the lighthouse
Joe Kennedy Jr in Biarritz at the Hotel Miramar, not far from the lighthouse

When walking with Aimée nearby nearby the Biarritz lighthouse she sometimes mentionned that Joe had been there long time ago.

But 2006 no call to come pick her up, weeks go by End of July her US secretary Dania Flores called "Madame de Heeren cannot come to Paris, she wants to know if you can come to New York to be with her for her birthday."

Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 1988
Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 1988
Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 2005
Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 2005

Pictures taken at parties in Palm Beach and Paris

Visiting Aimee in the Lenox Hill hospital Aimée: "Thank you for coming from Paris to see me. I'm so glad you made the effort. The time had come to release Aimées best kept secret:

her age

"You know when we travelled you had promised me never to look at the age mentionned in passport. I don't know if you respected that promise. But anyways my passport age was not the real one. I needed to be younger so the Brazilian passport bureau just took some years off and later all my life nobody noticed. The Kennedy never realised I was much older than them which would have been inacceptable in society at that time."

Aimée "When we met, 20 years ago, you were only 20 ... Knowing my real age would have been a barrier to our friendship, so I prefered to keep the secret."

On a medical bracelet was written her name and her age 103 She died in New York 2006 Sep 13

Aimée was 12 years older than Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr, 14 years older than JFK and 63 years older than we editor of this article.

Video about the history of Cremerie de Paris at minute 9 talking about Aimée de Heeren ...

Remembering Aimée Discovering more about her past and about her Kennedy story

After Aimée had left this World the editor of this article started to really miss her so he started to research her past.

Sometimes he visited the Cedre Imperial in Meudon remembering all the stories Aimée had told him, as if it had been possible to bypass the barriers of time. Wasn't it kind of crazy to have been connected to so many stories that have happened such a long long time ago ...

Reopening Cremerie de Paris

2005 something sad happened to Cremerie de Paris N°1 The internet cafe closed, it was rented out and all it's magic fell asleep.

2011, five years after Aimée's departure Cremerie de Paris No1 reopened as a Brand Expo Museum. Without all the glamour and history linked to Aimée we would never have been able to turn the place into a Meeting Place of the World's most famous Brands.

Fruit Store and historic Cremerie de Paris around 1939
Fruit Store and historic Cremerie de Paris around 1939
Cremerie de Paris No3 and No1 in 2023
Cremerie de Paris No3 and No1 in 2023

Cremerie de Paris buildings in the heart of Paris show some history on their walls. Each Boutique has it's history going back to the year 1129.

Cremerie de Paris No3 history mentionning Joe Kennedy Jr
Cremerie de Paris No3 history mentionning Joe Kennedy Jr

Joe Kennedy is mentioned above Cremerie de Paris No3 / Restaurant Gladines. Sometimes people passing through the center of Paris read it ... The place is easy to find facing the "Entrance Gate to the heart of Paris" the main metro exit of Chatelet les Halles with a 30 min train connection to airport CDG Chatelet les Halles.com/sortie1 If ever you should come to Paris come by and rest a moment. Think about the oldest Kennedy child. It's a place that has crossed his path 84 years ago. Gladines is not a hi-end restaurant. It is simple, but everybody working there has a unique touch of glamour. And right opposit you see the Pop Up Store events currently going on at Cremerie de Paris N°1

Cremerie de Paris No3 history mentionning Joe Kennedy Jr
Cremerie de Paris No3 history mentionning Joe Kennedy Jr

The text on Cremerie de Paris N°3 1853 La rue des Halles fut imaginée par Eugénie comme artère centrale du marché. Avec ses Pavillons Baltard Les Halles Centrales furent le plus beau marché du monde. Se trouvaient ici le Primeur Paco Alvaniz puis la Cremerie de Jean Picault. 1920 Coco Chanel y venait avec son boyfriend Dmitri Romanov, cousin d'Anastasia. Les enfants Romanov avaient grandi avec les légendes autour de la Cremerie de Paris. 1938 Aimée de Heeren, arrivée comme agent secret, connaissait cet endroit par Chanel. 1939 Lors d'un passage à Paris Joe Kennedy Jr est tombé amoureux d'elle. 1969 Le marché des Halles est parti et tout le coin quartier s'est endormi. 1986 / 1993 Cremerie de Paris a rouvert. 2013 s'est installé Gladines redonnant de la vie ç cet endroit magique. Des Love Stories continuent à naitre ici ... VB.com

Cedre Imperial Meudon

But there is another place linked to Joe Kennedy Jr. The already mentioned tree in Meudon connected to the Love Story between Aimée de Heeren & Joe Kennedy Jr Some friends told the editor of this article to write about it "You have had acces to unbeleivable stories nobody alive today knows about, you must keep records about it" What would Aimée think ?

2015July 25 100th birthday of Joe Kennedy Jr

2017May 29 100th birthday of John F Kennedy

Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 1988
Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 1988

2021March 5 Sad news in the city of Meudon City administrators want to "Tear down the Cedre Imperial to make place for a real estate project".

Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 1988
Aimee de Heeren and Ben Solms in 1988

The grounds of the beautiful Cedre Imperial are owned by the city of Meudon. Some people in the city administation want to get rid of the tree to construct a car park and a municipal building. The centuries old Cedar is blocking the project.

The editor of the article immediately knew Aimée would do everything to avoid such a disaster. Maybe the time had come to write about Joe Kennedy Jr and their connection with Meudon and the Cedre Imperial ...

Many older people in the city were sad, but they did not know what to do. Many people thought that cutting down the Cedre Imperial would be a shame also in regards to history.

SOS - painting of a little girl to defend the Cedre Imperial Meudon
SOS - painting of a little girl to defend the Cedre Imperial Meudon

Children started to make paintings the tree, hundreds of children from Paris and also from Israel. The paintings were posted on instagram with the hashtag #cedreimperialmeudon An instagram account was created @cedreimperialmeudon9 Cremerie de Parisorganised an expo for the tree Google Maps listed the tree as a landmark. The editor of this article created the website Cedre Imperial Meudon.com and started to write down all he knew from Aimée about the history of the tree. As France was in a Corona Lockdown, there was a lot of time to research documents an the stories he had heared. Also check out what ChatGTP has to say about the Cedre Imperial Meudon

Stephany von Fierstenberg with her painting and her earrings representing the Cedre Imperial Meudon
Stephany von Fierstenberg with her painting and her earrings representing the Cedre Imperial Meudon

The Swiss German artist StephanyvonFuerstenbergstarted a jewelry collection in honor of the cedar. The Cedre Imperial appeared on the cover of the Phone Book of the World and of the French Whitepages

Saving the Cedre Imperial Meudon

When telling a friend that something needed to be done to save the beautiful tree, she replied "Je te souhaite bien du courage" which means "Good luck, but I don't think you have any chance"

A little miracle happened

Denis Larghero the mayor of Meudon that had decided to cut the tree listened to all those that love it. In the last minute the destruction of the tree was canceled It is not every day a mayor listens to people that try to protect a tree and many people are grateful for it.

2021May 8 speach in French by Denis Larghero, mayor of Meudon at the occasion of the end of WW2

Cedre Imperial Meudon with Aimée de Heeren and Joe Kennedy Jr
Cedre Imperial Meudon with Aimée de Heeren and Joe Kennedy Jr

Maybe the aura of Joe Kennedy Jr has also contributed a little to save the Cedre Imperial. If ever you come to Paris visit the tree that is a beautiful souvenir of Joe Kennedy Jr and Aimée de Heeren. Once you are there meditate for a moment and you will see that the Cedre Imperial sends out a lot of good energy ... His address is 11 rue de la Republique 92190 Meudon near Paris From Paris take a cab, The cedre 6.6 km west of the Eiffel Tower. You can also take a train RER C from Paris to Meudon Val Fleury Delicious restaurants like La table de Meudon or Olivia are walking distance from the tree. Meudon is a beautiful place full of beautiful 19th century houses still preserved from realestate promotion.

There are hundreds of John F Kennedy streets, bridges In the 16 arrondissmement of Paris Avenue John F Kennedy leads to the town of Meudon. No street, no avenue, no bridge nothing for Joe Kennedy Jr.

Real estate developpers still want to cut the tree but maybe in the future instead of replacing the Cedre Imperial by a building it could be an idea to create a garden around the tree and name it Joe Kenney Jr & Aimée de Heeren Square. A souvenir of a magical Love Story that started in Meudon and that later contributed to the liberation of France.

Unfortunately since years the tree is not getting enough water. Too much of the grounds around it are covered with ciment and road surface. So for the moment in the summer some people living in the town bring water with watering cans by hand. Cedar trees get very very old, all they need is enough space, enough water and maybe a little bit of love and attention ...

Joseph Patrick Kennedy, boyfriend of Aimée Lopes de Sotto Maior and older brother of JFK
Joseph Patrick Kennedy, boyfriend of Aimée Lopes de Sotto Maior and older brother of JFK

In case you have more pictures about Joe Kennedy Jr , about Aimée Sottomaior / Aimée de Heeren or about the Cèdre Imperial Meudon of also Cremerie de Paris from the 1940s we can add to this article please contact us mail: b "at" vb.com

Connected Articles: most images come from John F Kennedy Library Aimee de Heeren.com

Video from Brazil about Aimée de Heeren where she is a legend hidden by the state archives by Stephanie Morganti The Kennedys at Palm Beach by New York Social Diary Kennedy trip to Ireland Kick Kennedy by Telegraph Expo Jacky Kennedy by Musee des Arts Decoratifs Paris Meudon during WW2 Remebering Joe Kennedy Jr by Air and Space Museum Joseph P Jr Foundation / JPKF

View this post on Instagram A post shared by JFK Library and Museum (@jfklibrary)

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