Germany......16 Years Later....A Visit to Flossenburg Concentration Camp Memorial Site

Traveling is learning; therefore, we visited Flossenburg Concentration Camp Memorial Site. Located in an area of quarries near the Czech border, the prisoners were so-called 'criminals' and 'antisocial elements' mostly from other countries.

From the brochure:  "In total 100,000 prisoners from 30 countries were registered in Flossenburg Concentration Camp and its satellite camps between 1938 and 1945. At least 30,000 did not survive imprisonment."

An excellent museum is part of the overall exhibit. A fascinating map traces the opening and movement of all the concentration camps and their satellites from their beginnings in the 1930's until their closures-either from nearing allied forces or liberation by those forces.

Headquarters

A memorial

Execution area

Burial grounds

Crematorium

One of the Watch-Towers

Pyramid of Ashes

Marker at Pyramid of Ashes

Russian Memorial-Markers from different countries surrounded this area.

Ceiling of the Jewish Memorial

Looking across the Valley of Death...a chapel, 'Jesus in the Dungeon,'
is attached to the Watch-Tower.

Germany......16 Years Later....Regensburg

My favorite German city. How fortunate I was to be assigned to the school in Regensburg during my/our time there. The school was located on a German Kaserne in a World War II hospital. The classrooms were large, but not much storage until they remodeled the building...two years before the school closed.

Nothing was better during my first year than to wander around the streets of the Altstadt. Known as a vacation spot for Europeans, the U. S. A. tourists seemed to stay in Munich, Nurnberg, or visit the castles of Ludwig while bypassing the beauty of Regensburg. Tourist information now announces Regensburg as the "northernmost Italian city."

Over the entrance to St. Peter's Cathedral

Beautiful stained glass

No heating, but the pews had 'seat warmers.'
Even with the warmers, I would bundle up, keep my gloves on and
sit on my hands while listening to the Dom Spatzen. The
local ladies wore their furs.

A gargoyle ...So many fascinating details
inside and out

Looking at the Old Stone Bridge

View of St. Peter's from the Stone Bridge built 1130's-1140's
Donau (Danube) River

Historic Wurstkuche built to serve the bridge and cathedral
builders. It's still serving!

...the menu hasn't changed much after all these years.

We remembered this!

Possibly the best selection of maps we've seen

Germany....16 Years Later Continues....People, Places, and Post

Swans near Schwandorf

Kallmunz Castle

With my landlady in Laaber at the entrance of the apartment.
Herr D. is now in a wheelchair, and their son, who acted as
translator when I paid rent, passed
away a couple of months ago.



We visited Chicago during Cows on Parade; now
we see one in Hackenhofen!

Another familiar face!

Hans had told Raisi that we were in town.  

  Peter and Gisela...we managed to spend more time with

her at our breakfast place.  

Werner and Rosie-one of the few young couples in town.

They rented an upstairs apartment to a couple of my colleagues.

 

Fest tent on Post: July 4 early in the day

Justin, Mel's second son...we knew him as a toddler

.

With Deloris who continues to teach at Hohenfels  

                                   

Community Activity Center-Where we met

at COL Lightman's promotion party.

     This statue was made by a high school art

   class. A student's daddy served as the

model. We had read about it, but

         this was the first time to see it.

Very nice.

  Sergeant Major may have been the model for the statue

as he has been around quite a while! We visited with his son at Sig when

he traveled here for sports during our second year here.

What do you do with guys from Hawaii when they get together?

Bob is another former colleague of Flint's and a really nice guy.

Our dear friend and Flint's former colleague, Danny. He visited

us in Sicily several years ago. We interrupted his work day plus

enjoyed a great dinner with him at the Taverna....

across the street from the Parsberg Bahnhof.


As the post is a training area spread out over beautiful terrain, we saw a wild pig crossing the road with five or six little ones following.  Also, in the bird category...a European Green Woodpecker.

Germany....16 Years Later Continues.... Some Places We Remember

Our first night was spent in Munich near the airport as we had an evening flight, but once we reached our former home area, we returned to some of our favorite places. Delicious Sunday dinner at the Winkler Brau following the gospel rehearsal on post.

I lived here until I found my apartment...charming room, but small. My room overlooked the biergarten-now a wintergarten that opens weather permitting.



Villa Toskana is where we stayed, and we would highly recommend
it. It's within walking distance of our old neighborhood and run by a 
very nice family. Wonderful, mannerly dog with the cutest ears
and a toddler granddaughter made us feel like we were staying
with friends.
The area had built up so much, we hardly recognized it.
When we moved away, the ESSO station was brand new.
Other than Herbie's and Frieda's, the ESSO station
was our favorite breakfast place.



Zum Hirschen:  One of the places to meet  and eat in Parsberg.

The Goldener Adler in the town of Hohenfels...I thought it was a Greek restaurant, but the owner said Turkish. Anyone who has visited either of those countries knows how they take credit for the other's cuisine. (That's our little rental car...excellent ride for a small car.)

No renovations for MANY years, but a complete overhaul is coming this year!

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And, across the street from the Adler, the church where our marriage was blessed a few months following the Las Vegas ceremony. Our German neighbors had told us that this was the one that counted. I said, "Don't tell my mother!"
We returned from the blessing to find flower petals strewn in the foyer and balloons above the doorway. Seppe, playing his trumpet, led a parade to the house where they presented us with gifts and good wishes.

It's like opening a jewel box.