Friday, June 13 Frankfurt

This was our coolest day yet as the temperature was only 10 degrees C with a low overcast sky and a cool breeze blowing when we left the hotel. It probably reached the low 20s by late afternoon when the sun came out.

We were on the road shortly after 8 for the two hour drive to our first stop, the Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim. You need a day or two to cover this museum thoroughly, but we tried to capture the flavour in less than two hours. That is about all the ladies could take anyway.

From there we set out for Otterberg for a visit with Helmut K, who, with help from Peter N, compiled and continues to add to the Zichydorf Familienbuch. We underestimated the time to get there on the quiet country roads and driving through the small villages. Then, when we got there, we had trouble finding Helmut’s house due construction detours. We finally arrived half an hour late at 3 pm.

Helmut greeted us enthusiastically and we were soon eating cake and drinking coffee, followed by wine and schnapps, followed by sandwiches and more wine. The occasion was mostly joyful, but occasionally sad as Helmut recalled the aftermath of war, the loss of his father and grandfather, life and death in the Rudolfsgnad camp, loss of everything the family owned, and starting over with nothing in Germany.

Here are (l to r, please forgive any spelling mistakes) Helmut's wife Hannelore, their friend Giesbert, whose wife Renata had to leave earlier, Helmut, his younger brother Erhard, and Erhard's wife Leta).

We reluctantly wrapped up the festivities at about 6:30 as three of us have an early morning departure tomorrow and Johannes still has a 2.5 hour drive home after he drops us off in Frankfurt. We were checked into our hotel by 8:30, gathered in the restaurant for a goodbye meeting, then packed it in for the night at 10pm.

It is amazing how a group of virtual strangers can come together as friends in a short time in a common pursuit. Some of us found significant success in our genealogy. Others were thankful to merely experience walking where their ancestors walked, but we all enjoyed our time together. It seems like we only started yesterday as our days were so full that time flew by, but we are all eager to get home again and return to our normal lives.

Goodbye until next time.