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February/March 2001
Lucerne -- Switzerland’s Sleeping Beauty
By Steenie Harvey
Returning to a place you fell in love with years ago is often disappointing. Time has moved on, things
have changed and you wish you had left those cherished memories undisturbed. Having suffered some nasty shocks on recent travels, I was thrilled to find that Lucerne remains trapped in an enchanted web.
My last visit was in 1980, but everything was as magical as I remembered it -- the heart-wrenching
“Dying Lion” monument, the covered wooden bridges, the higgledy-piggledy Altstadt with its fountained squares and frescoed houses. Naturally, there had been some concessions to the 21st century, but I have no complaints about Internet cafes or a shopping mall under the railway station.
Called Luzern by its German-speaking inhabitants, Lucerne tops many a traveler’s wish list. Dealt a full hand of picture cards, it is the quintessential storybook town, a place of “Once Upon A Time” fantasies. Seeing its spires and Rapunzel-style turrets, you can almost imagine that you have fallen through a crack in time and landed in the High Middle Ages. The town planners could not have chosen a more romantic location: a swan-clustered lake backdropped by the snow-capped peaks of Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus.
FROM THE BERLIN AIRLIFT TO THE BERLIN WALL...AND BEYOND
Fifty Years of the University of Maryland in Germany
By Sharon Hudgins
“I still remember that first course I taught in Wiesbaden back in 1975.”
“Weren't you a student in my computer class last year at Ramstein?”
“Remember me? I took your special seminar on World War II history atKaiserslautern last term.”
“Are you still teaching somewhere in Germany--or have they already sentyou 'down range' to the Balkans?”
“Remember the time when...”
Such were the snippets of conversation to be overheard when hundreds of people gathered in Heidelberg, Germany, on May 26-28, 2000, for the 50th Anniversary Commencement of the European Division of University of Maryland University College (UMUC). The three days of festivities in Heidelberg concluded seven months of celebrations observing UMUC's five decades of providing university education programs for U.S. military and civilian personnel stationed in Europe.
Joining the graduates and their families on that historic occasion were Maryland Governor Parris Glendening, University System of Maryland Chancellor Donald Langenberg, UMUC President Gerald
Heeger, and dozens of current and former faculty, students, and staff, including two of the original seven professors sent to Germany in 1949 to start the University of Maryland's new overseas program in Europe.
FASNET FUN
STRANGE CARNIVAL CELEBRATIONS IN THE SOUTH
by Leah Larkin
Thousands of frightful figures, decked out in bizarre costumes and masks, hip-hop through the streets.
Giant jingle bells strapped to their chests cling and clang, filling the town with strange sounds in the early morning hours. Some of the characters belt out haunting hoots and howls. Others crack whips at the
crowds gathered in this pretty Black Forest burg.
It is Fasnet (dialect for Fasching) in Rottweil, a town in southwestern Germany famous for these
ancient rituals which are reenacted every year before the beginning of Lent. In Villingen, a nearby town, more weird characters parade through the streets, often followed by marching bands and floats with folks
on board who throw candy to the crowds.
The parade in Shramberg stars witches and animals -- strange looking creatures from deep in the Black
Forest. Schrambergers also take to the water in a pre-Lenten custom, the "Da-Bach-na-Fahrt," a lusty parade of washtubs decorated as floats on the Schiltach, a tiny river that flows through the
middle of town. Before it is over, many of the tubs capsize, their decorations disintegrate and the two-man (or woman) crew gets an icy bath in the frigid waters of the raging river.
A City for Caesar
by Carl Kuntze
Its origins are derived from the military camp of Augustus’ stepsons, Drusus and Tiberius, who had been
dispatched to subdue the Ratic and Celtic tribes. They bivouacked at a defendable position in Oberhausen, where they could repel any attack with minimal loss. Formally founded in the 15th century B.C. as Augusta
Vendelicum, it blossomed into an efficient functioning city rather quickly. Its location, at the junction of two great watercourses, made it not only an important communications center, but a major trading route
between Northern and Southern Europe. Soon after there would be a settlement on the triangular terrace between the Lech and Wertach Rivers, where they flowed together. Under Augustus Tiberius’ protection, it
would become a market, then a town. In a few decades, it would be named capital of the newly formed province, Rhaetia.
It was likewise a crossroads of history, sweeping with it a series of triumphs and tragedies. Not only
did the Roman Legions tear through its bowels on their way to “pacify” the Germanic provinces, but the wave of violence, known as the Huns, sacked and razed the city. While many Teutonic tribes expended
their resources and energies in endless warfare and rebellion, the people of Augsburg concentrated on trade and development. To them, foreign occupation was ephemeral but their city would belong to them forever.
This trait, perhaps, impressed the Romans, who admired their industry and organization. Augsburgers, convinced that Romans were only temporary guests, tolerated their presence in the certitude of their eventual
retreat. Time rewarded their forbearance. The interlopers finally receded, leaving Augsburg to elect its national affiliation.
By 1300 A.D., it became a free imperial city and was the home of the Merchant Princes, among them the
Fuggers and the Welsers. In the 15th century, the Fuggerei, an early experiment in low-cost housing, was built with structures still extant today. They were used to shelter the city’s indigent and quiet the
increasingly querulous industrial guilds, which it placated in some measure. The Fugger Family Trust still maintains the complex for the same purpose today.
Maximillianstrasse and Karolingenstrasse still contain a medieval look although they form the core of the
business center, transacting commerce with methods as modern as any larger city.
Exploring Your German Roots
By Renée Shreve
Tracing one’s ancestry is one of the world’s most popular pastimes. In fact, “genealogy” is
the third most entered word on the Internet. Root seeking can, indeed, be a very rewarding hobby. But it can also be challenging, especially when you start doing research in a foreign country.
Language differences, lack of civil registration records and fluctuating boundaries can make researching even more difficult. But if you are thinking about tracking down your German ancestors and do not
know where to begin, you need not despair. With so much interest in genealogy, there is plenty of help available. Here are just a few simple suggestions to get you started on your exciting
genealogical journey.
GETTING STARTED
Fortunately, in this age of computers, searching for your predecessors has
never been easier. However, before looking online, or heading off to the Old Country, preliminary research is needed.
Educate Yourself
In order to save yourself both time and frustration, you should first learn as much about genealogy as
possible. Genealogists suggest beginners do the following:
Take a genealogy class. Local genealogical societies often sponsor seminars for less than $50. You will learn how to use American records, such as
vital, census and naturalization.
Join a genealogical society. You can share your experiences with others, as well as learn from each other’s mistakes and successes.
Purchase books and videos. If you do not have access to seminars, there are hundreds of books and videos available to guide you.
Find a Web site with beginners’ tips. While many sites are formidable to beginning genealogists, there are sites that offer less intimidating information.
Learn about German history. Because Germany was not a unified nation until the late nineteenth century, it may be difficult to determine exactly where your
ancestor’s records are located. You will be more informed about where to look for those records if you research Germany’s past.
Research Your Family First
Begin your research with the sources that you already have access to:
Bibles, marriage and death certificates, photos, letters and military records. You should also interview older relatives and gather as much information as possible, paying particular attention to names,
dates and places. Additionally, your library or your ancestor’s library may have information on local family history.
Keep Records
The more generations you go back, the more complicated your pedigree
becomes, so good record keeping is essential. This not only includes charting your lineage, but recording the names and page numbers of sources and the dates of your archival visits as well. Computer
software is available to help you keep track, but free, simple charts and records may also be printed from some Web sites.
GOING ONLINE
Once you have some basic knowledge about the resources available to you and your family history, you are
ready to go online. The Internet will give you access to libraries, databases, telephone directories, genealogical Web sites and much more. You may even find that a distant cousin has conveniently
done most of your research for you, but be skeptical. As you probably already know, not all the information on the Internet is accurate. You still need to do your own research to verify the posted
information.
SEARCHING IN GERMANY
Because civil registration records were not required in Germany until the mid 1870s, German church
records will probably be your main source of information. Therefore, it is imperative that you determine the exact location of your ancestor’s hometown and his or her religion. Some American
sources that may indicate your ancestor’s place of origin include: passenger lists, local history books, obituaries, church and naturalization records. Maps and gazetteers can also help you find a
specific church parish, or the nearest parish if you ancestor’s village did not have a church.
But when you locate the records, you may need assistance in reading them. Depending on the type of
church, time period or region, the records could be written in Latin, old German script, Polish or various other languages. But, fortunately, genealogical dictionaries, family history centers and online
help are available to assist you.
Once you have determined your ancestor’s place of origin and are comfortable working with German
records, there are many other German resources that you can explore, such as family registers, court, land and military records, to trace your lineage even farther. But as Craig Roger discovers in “Das is mein Grossvater.
Exploring your heritage can also be an opportunity to make connections with present-day Germans. Craig states that not only does his Oberndorf adventure chronicle his “efforts to unearth the past,” it
also illustrates “the kindness of the inhabitants [of Northern Germany] who helped me along the path of self-discovery.
“Das ist mein Grossvater”: On the Trail of Herr Boehmcke
By Craig Rodgers
My dad had been acting strangely since he began tracing our family’s past. It started with a few
classes sponsored by the Smithsonian, which turned into more than a few late nights at the National Archives. Plumbing the minds of elderly relatives provided mixed success: dates, names and
addresses, often faded with time. When Dad tried to lay it all out for me one night with handwritten lists, copies of 19th century census records and ancient photos, it all seemed muddled. But through persistent digging and a bit of luck, my dad unearthed most of his family, at least those who have been in the States since his grandfather, Herr Friedrich Boehmcke, had immigrated in 1860.
Dad then decided to take the search one step farther, and trace the family back to Germany. Among my grandmother’s affairs, Dad discovered Herr Boehmcke’s marriage certificate, which
indicated that he was from Oberndorf, Hannover. I was about to embark on a backpacking trip across Europe, so Dad asked if I was interested in looking up the Boehmckes. Sure, I said.
I arrived in the city of Hannover in mid-afternoon, a breezy day in late March, amid a swarm of local commuters. Hoping to find a train to Oberndorf, I asked the man at the information booth
for a train schedule to Oberndorf. He merely shrugged; he didn’t speak English. I tried a few phrases in stilted German—unsuccessful—then nodded goodbye. Undaunted, I noticed a sign for
the Tourist Information Office and went there.
I pulled out the copy of the marriage certificate, pointed to Herr Boemcke’s name and struggled for the words. “This is-…Das…ist…mein…grandfather, how do you say that, mein…Grossvater,”
I concluded triumphantly. I managed to convey my mission, the search for Oberndorf and my great-grandfather and all the information girls sprung into action, searching for maps and guidebooks. For
the next half hour we went over every map of Hannover but failed to unearth any sign of Oberndorf. With many apologies, the girls handed me a handful of maps, transport guides, brochures and escorted me to
the door.
I happily trudged along until I reached the marketplace. A pair of police officers proved unhelpful
when I asked them if they knew where Oberndorf was, but they did steer me toward a post office. After explaining my dilemma to the postmaster, he did some punching on his computer. “Jah, jah,
Oberndorf.” He had several Oberndorfs listed. Unfortunately, none of them were close to the city, none even in the region.
Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves?
600 Jahre Zigeuner in Deutschland
by Robert Selig
I remember him well, the skinny little man with the black hair, dark brown skin and the deep furrows in
his face. Ever so often, in the late 1950s, he would pass through my little hometown. At the same corner of the same unpaved road, he would get off his bicycle, take the violin from the rucksack on his back and
play some melancholy tunes that sounded of faraway countries, very different from anything we usually heard. "Der Zigeuner -- the gypsy," my mother would say, a mixture of disdain and apprehension in her voice. But then she would give us five or ten Pfennig to add to the coins he had collected in his old hat: I can still hear my grandmother say that it was bad luck not to give to a gypsy. Half an hour later he would get on his bike again and disappear.
The anonymous Zigeunerof my childhood reflects in many ways the (hi-)story of his people. The Rom
(plural: Roma, meaning man, human or husband), as they call themselves, have always been held in contempt for being different. During their 600 years in European history, they have been feared for their dark
powers and consulted for them, been accused of most every imaginable crime, envied their freedom from the ties that bound non-Gypsies to their own dull existences and persecuted with a ruthlessness comparable
only with that used against Europe's Jews. Today, Germany's Zigeuner still fight the same accusations leveled against them for centuries, struggle with the same prejudices, long for tolerance without integration, seek permission to be different without being suspicious.
Who are the gypsies, les tziganes, los Gitanos, die Zigeuner?
German-American Craftsman Restored Many Classic Vintage Automobiles
By John Gunnell
It takes a rare individual to work at a single profession for 75 years. German-born American craftsman
Adolph Schneider was such a person. Born in 1896 in the town of Torun, Germany (now part of Poland), Schneider began working in the auto-body trade in 1914. He was still handcrafting bodies for show-winning
classic automobiles in 1986, at 90 years of age.
Schneider's parents were farmers in Torun. He attended grammar school in the German town, but by age 17
was ready to try a new life in America. He had two sisters who had already sailed to the “New World.” Now, Adolph was ready to follow them.
After reaching the United States, Schneider settled in Brooklyn, New York, where he lived for some two
years. He obtained work at a Domino's Sugar Co. factory as a laborer. Being bright and conscientious, he was soon promoted to syrup sampling and then to the sugar-pumping station, which pumped liquid sugar from
one factory to another.
The factory job lasted about a year. Then, at 18, Adolph went to work for a friend involved in the
automotive trade at a company named Sharebolt Manufacturing. It was 1914, the boom in automobile sales was on and Schneider began to learn the art of building car bodies.
Gallery:The Imperial Furniture Collection
(Kaiserliches Hofmobiliendepot)
by Jill Knight Weinberger
Years ago, on a miserably cold and rainy Sunday afternoon in Vienna, my husband and I visited a drafty
old warehouse of a museum on the Mariahilferstrasse called the Bundesmobiliendepot (the Federal Furniture Collection). The lone guide seemed almost deliriously happy for the opportunity to lead us, his only guests, through this Gebrauchsammlung comprising room after cluttered room of chairs, divans, desks, chests, picture frames, wash basins and bric-a-brac. We had stumbled across 300 years of Habsburg household history crammed into storage bins and dimly lit galleries. It all looked rather like a beloved grandmother's attic, albeit on a royal scale. This granny, after all, was an empress named Maria Theresa.
Maria Theresa, who ruled the Austrian Empire from 1740 to 1780, in 1747 established the forerunner of today's museum, a Depot or depository for the inventory.
Julius Rudel:
By Renée Shreve
Austrian-born musical conductor Julius Rudel will celebrate his 80th birthday on March 6th of this year. After 57 years with the baton, Rudel’s credentials are impressive and unprecedented. He has a repertory of 175 operas, which span four centuries; an equally extensive repertory of symphonic works; conducted in all the major opera and symphonic houses in the world; made numerous recordings, won a Grammy Award and seven nominations; been director of New York City Opera, the Kennedy Center, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, plus scores of music festivals; and, as if that is not enough, received countless international awards and honorary degrees. But “Mr. Opera” has no intentions of slowing down, yet. When asked if he has any plans for retirement, the silvered-haired Maestro emphatically states, “No, I’m feeling great and plan to conduct to forever!”
Calendar
New York, NY
February 3: 39th Kölsche Funke rut wieß New York Grand Masquerade Ball, including Funkenmariechen, Stadtsoldaten, and the Dreigestirn. Foe additional
information: (516)797-5224 or www.KFNY1061.org, or send e-mails to KFNY1961@nyc.com
Cincinnati, OH
February 3: Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball.
At Holiday Inn Eastgate, music by Joe Lindlau Band. For reservations Call Monika Lohff at (513) 831-8817 or Mane Lichtenberger at (513) 891-8657.
February 24: Kerhaus Tanz (Sweep Out Dance).
At the Germania Klub Haus. Music by Prost Band. For reservations, contact Lydia Waldleitner at (513) 683-4864 or Marie Lichtenberger at (513) –891-8657.
St. Louis, MO
February 10: Stuttgart Sister Cities Inc. Winterball. For information call (314) 781-5665.
Cleveland. OH
February 10-18: 11th Annual National City Cleveland Home & Garden Show. The featured theme “Discover Deutschland” is a celebration of the
landscaped gardens, architecture, food, dance and music of Germany. It takes place at the I-X Center and has 20 indoor acres of exhibits, demonstrations, entertainment, and 30 gardens. For information call Jim
Brazytis or Gail Fein at Stern Public Relations (216) 464-4850.
Giddings, TX
February 16-18: Sorbish/Wendish Folk Dance- Folklore Workshop.
Presented by the North-American Federation of German Folk Dance Groups and hosted by the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum. For information call (830) 606-0844 or e-mail dicus@swbell.net
St. Louis, MO
February 24: Deutscher Maennerchor Grosser Preis Maskenball. At the German Cultural Society Hall, 5652 S. Jefferson. For information call (314) 638-0848 or (314) 638-4499.
Travel Tips
By Victor Tigron
One of the most exciting aspects of holidays or business trips in Germany has been the anticipation of getting behind the wheel of a BMW, Mercedes, Porche, Audi, or even a souped-up turbo VW,
flooring the accelerator and going full blast down the Autobahn.
Imagine blitzing through Deutschland at 22, 240, or even 260-kms an hour from the Bavarian Alps to Denmark, from the Mosel’s vineyards clear through to the Czeck border, or even Poland. No speed
limit! Even the most circumspect driver crawls along at a mere 100 mph in a modest Opel sedan.
Alas, the party’s over. The once unemcumbered auto is no more. With pitifully few exceptions, those
mostly in Bavaria, the brakes have been applied.
Today, at least 75-80% of all autobahns are now posted for speed. Long stretches hold drivers to 120
kilometers an hour in the alten Bundesländern. In the east, 130 km/hr is a matter of course – even on the brand-new three-lane concrete paved stretches. Among these are the A4 from Eisenach and the Wartburg,
clear through Thüingen and on through Saxony past Dresden. Likewise on the A9 at Hermsdorfer Kreuz clear up to Pottsdam and Berlin.
Extensive repair segments really slow things down. These bits require a piddling 60 km/hr or 80 km/hr (
40 or 50 mph) because lanes are rarely more than 2-meters wide, and usually with no shoulder, or on make-shift temporary asphalt. Following unification, repairs and new roads were frequently found in the east.
Today the older autobahns in the west desperately need overhaul.
Congestion has cut into convenience. The enormous increase in autobahn usage stems from increased traffic
from neighboring countries and from Germans acquiring second cars. In 1961 Munich had 110,000 cars, in 1999 there were 880,000 – an 800% growth!
Environmental considerations are a concern, too. Debates rage from ozone to Waldsterben, from excessive
untaxed foreign usage to noise complaints.
Greater preoccupation with safety is another major deterrent to freewheeling autobahn ways – not to
mention gas economy which is more efficient at more moderate speeds. The price of gas is currently at DM2.12 a liter ($4 a gallon) leading most drivers to voluntarily slow down.
Another dictate that has tempered autobahn speed is Germany’s all-powerful insurance companies. They
won’t pay damages on wrecks occurring at speeds over 130 km/hr (80 mph) regardless of who is at fault. Furthermore, the official Richtgeschwindigkeit (suggested speed) on the autobahn is 110 km/hr (68 mph).
The Penalty Box
20 to 29 km/hr above the speed limit is good for one point and usually about a $100 to $150 fine. Over 31 km/hr but under 40 km/hr is three points and a $250 fine, and over 40 km/hr means fines
approaching $400 and a six month revocation of your license.
Over 40 km/hr, repeat offenders must take a psychiatric test to ascertain driving suitability. This follows a mandatory re-education program costing a few hundred dollars is 14 points are reached.
If alcohol is involved, five points are automatically accessed and violations only expire after three to five years of faultless driving, especially if there has been an accident.
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