In Appreciation of Angela Merkel

March 18th, 2024

 

Angela Merkel, the former German Chancellor, has been criticized for some of her decisions during her sixteen-year tenure (2005 to 2021). These include taking in more than a million asylum-seekers during the Syrian conflict, setting Germany on a path to a future without nuclear and fossil-fueled power, neglecting infrastructure renewal, and making Germany too dependent on Russian oil and gas. However, I don’t wish to discuss the merits of her political decisions. Instead, I would like to highlight that Angela Merkel was a rare politician who did not have an oversized ego.

 

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, https://walled-in-berlin.com. Image by dianakuehn30010 from Pixabay

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, https://walled-in-berlin.com. Image by dianakuehn30010 from Pixabay

Merkel’s Strengths

During her 16 years in office, Merkel never suffered from an inflated sense of self-importance or let her ego get in the way of her judgment. She will be known for her humility, down-to-earth personality, and fact-based decision-making. Despite being a global diplomatic heavyweight, she remained unassuming and approachable. Merkel held meetings and received guests at the German Chancellery (The German equivalent of the White House). At the same time, she continued to live with her husband, Joachim Sauer, in the same apartment building they had lived in before she became chancellor. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when toilet paper became a sought-after commodity, she discouraged hoarding and refrained from doing so herself.

Brief History of Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel was raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, studied chemistry, and started her career as a research chemist. One month after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, she joined the newly founded Democratic Awakening and became the party’s press spokesperson shortly thereafter. In early 1990, the party joined the Alliance for Germany, a coalition with the German Social Union and the Christian Democratic Union. Within 15 years, Merkel had become the Chancellor of Germany and, before long, the unofficial leader of the West.

Amidst a world in which many politicians prioritize power, influence, and notoriety, Merkel’s lack of egotism stands out as a rare quality. It is a trait that is considered old-fashioned by some and fondly remembered and appreciated by many as part of her legacy.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

German Women’s Rights Through History

February 19th, 2024

In 1919, during the Weimar Republic, German women achieved equality in education for both sexes, equal pay in the professions, equal opportunity in civil service appointments, and the right to vote.

German Women’s Rights During the Weimar Republic

In terms of women’s rights, Germany was one of the most advanced countries in Europe and the United States at the time. By 1932, thirty-six women served in the German Reichstag (Parliament). According to Richard Grunberger (A Social History of the Third Reich), Germany had 100,000 women teachers, 13,000 women musicians, and 3,000 women doctors.

German Women’s Rights Reversed

When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, he reversed the gains German women had made during the Weimar years. He passed legislation that barred them from government and university positions. Girls were banned from learning Latin, a requirement for university entrance. Women were expected to forego careers, be subservient to men, and devote themselves to home and motherhood.

German mother with two girls and a boy in Hitler-Youth Uniform, 1943. www.walled-in-berlin.com

German mother with two girls and a boy in Hitler-Youth Uniform, 1943. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Hitler’s Unemployment Conundrum

In 1932, thirty-three percent of the workforce was without jobs. It was often easier for women to find employment than for men because female labor was cheaper. Hitler decided to reduce unemployment among men by removing women from the labor force. He did so by making interest-free loans of up to 1,000 Reichsmark available to would-be couples if the prospective wife agreed to give up her job. Hitler’s manipulation worked. Within four years, 800,000 women married and opted out of employment.

Hitler’s Ideal Woman – No Rights and No Brains

According to Ian Kershaw (Hitler 1889-1936), Hitler described his ideal woman as “a cute, cuddly, naive little thing – tender, sweet, and stupid.” He detested women with their own opinions, women who smoked, and women who wore make-up. Nazi ideology stated that a woman had a different mission than a man. Her world was her husband, her family, her children, and her home.

Women’s Rights Changed Again

In 1937, Hitler changed his tune about women in the workforce. When war efforts were ratcheted up, married women were needed in the factories so that the men could go to war. Hitler quickly rescinded the interest-free loans to young one-income couples, and within a few months, women made up a third of the employed workforce again.  At one point, Martin Bormann, Adolf Hitler’s private secretary, proposed the army form women’s battalions, a plan quite the opposite of tying women to the home. Then, after Germany’s defeat at Stalingrad in 1943, the Nazi government called for total mobilization of female labor. Forgotten was the Nazi notion that the most suitable place for women is at home. Today, German women enjoy equality in education, pay, and opportunities again.

Moral of the Story

Throughout world history, not just German history, governments have manipulated the populace for political reasons. Propaganda glorifies their objectives. But ideology quickly changes when the objectives change.

 

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

Lufthansa, National Airline of Germany

January 22nd, 2024

 

Deutsche Lufthansa AG, commonly known as Lufthansa, is the national airline of Germany. Along with its subsidiaries, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, it is the second-largest airline in Europe after the ultra-low-cost carrier, Ryanair. Lufthansa’s primary hub is located at Frankfurt Airport, and its secondary hub is at Munich Airport.

In 1964 and 1965, I worked for Lufthansa in the air freight department at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport. Because of Berlin’s special status throughout the Cold War, Lufthansa was not allowed to fly to the airports of either part of the city.

Lufthansa ashtray with company logo. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2024, www.walled-in-berlin.com

Lufthansa ashtray with company logo. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2024, www.walled-in-berlin.com

Lufthansa ashtray, ca. 1966, showing company logo. Photo © J.
Elke Ertle, 2024. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The special status of Berlin

After Germany’s military defeat, France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States shared supreme authority in all administrative affairs concerning Germany, as stated in the Berlin Declaration of 1945. Until German reunification in 1990, the four allied powers decreed that only British Airways, Air France, and PanAm (carriers of the three Western Allies), were allowed to land in West Berlin while Interflug (the East German airline) was permitted to land only in East Berlin.

Why Did Lufthansa maintain offices in Berlin?

During the years when Lufthansa was not allowed to fly to Berlin, it nonetheless transported passengers and cargo within West Germany and internationally. To fulfill freight shipment orders from Berlin to their final destinations, our Berlin office booked transport from West Berlin to West Germany with any of the three Western carriers. After reaching West Germany, passengers and cargo were shifted to Lufthansa flights. The process was similar to the airline alliances we see today.

Brief History of Lufthansa

Lufthansa is a well-known airline with a long and interesting history. Its predecessor, Deutsche Luft Hansa, was established in 1926. However, the company was dissolved after World War II due to its association with Hitler’s Nazi government. In 1953, former employees of Deutsche Luft Hansa founded Luftag (Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf). It was later renamed Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft. The latter is now known as Lufthansa, the flag carrier of Germany.

Branding

The Lufthansa logo, which features a stylized crane in flight inside a circle, was originally designed by Otto Firle in 1918. In 1926, it was adopted by Deutsche Luft Hansa. When the current company, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, was established, it continued to use  the logo – a yellow crane on a blue background.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

The Swabian Housewife Explained

December 18th, 2023

Swabian Housewife is a moniker for a homemaker who knows how to live within the family budget. Her guiding principles are: “Spend less than you earn,” and “Don’t live beyond your means.” Angela Merkel, https://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/angela-merkel/ former German chancellor, turned the metaphor into a household word in 2008 when she argued that Europe was living beyond its means and could learn from the Swabian Housewife. And when American banks were failing, she said they should have consulted a Swabian Housewife because she could have told them how to deal with money.

Where is Swabia?

Swabia is located in the south of Germany, roughly between Munich and Stuttgart. Its inhabitants are known to be hardworking, thrifty (not stingy), and resourceful. The Swabian saying “Schaffe, schaffe – Häusle baue” (work, work – and build your own home) epitomizes the willingness to work hard to achieve one’s dreams. This lifestyle has its roots in the 19th century when extreme poverty was common. Another influence was religion. Lutheranism praised hard work and shunned worldly amusements. Economizing became a way of life and continues today.

The Swabian Housewife Approach to Life

A Swabian Housewife only buys what her family needs. She rarely buys on credit, never throws anything away unless it is broken and cannot be repaired, and grows her own fruit and vegetables, if possible. Swabians start saving for retirement early in life, save up to a third of a property’s value before applying for a mortgage, tend to drive older model cars, and avoid showing off.

The Swabian Housewife, image courtesy of Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay, www.walled-in-berlin.com

The Swabian Housewife, image courtesy of Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay, www.walled-in-berlin.com

Deutscher Hausfrauenbund (German housewife association)

There even is a German Housewife association (Deutscher Hausfrauenbund) in Swabia. It offers courses on how to run a household and how to budget. Courses lead to a “master housewife” certification which has become popular. Hospitals, retirement homes, and rehabilitation centers increasingly prefer to hire program graduates.

My Connection to the Swabian Housewife

I grew up in Prussia, not Swabia, but I must have internalized the Swabian Housewife concept even before it became a household phrase. I, too, repurpose whenever possible, grow my own fruits and vegetables, cook from scratch, and don’t replace my car until repairs become costlier than purchasing a new one. Finally, there is a name for my approach to money management.😀

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Rudolf Diesel – Inventor of Peanut-Powered Engine

November 20th, 2023

Rudolf Diesel was born in Paris in 1858 to German immigrants. Before immigrating to France, Diesel Sr. had been a bookbinder in his native Bavaria. In Paris, he became a manufacturer of leather goods. The family worked hard to make ends meet. Young Diesel worked in his father’s shop and made customer deliveries. At the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the family was forced to leave France and resettled in London. Even before the war ended the following year, his mother sent Rudolf to live with an aunt and uncle in Augsburg, Germany, and learn the language. Diesel completed his basic education in 1873 and graduated from university in 1880.

More than 100 years ago, Rudolf Diesel patented a design for a new type of internal combustion engine. Photo taken in June 1892 - https.//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:Rudolf Diesel2.jpgwww.walled-in-berlin.com

More than 100 years ago, Rudolf Diesel patented a design for a new type of internal combustion engine. Photo taken in June 1892 – https.//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:Rudolf Diesel2.jpg
www.walled-in-berlin.com

Diesel’s Career

Following graduation, Rudolf Diesel returned to Paris to work with Carl von Linde, one of his former university professors, on the construction of a modern refrigeration plant. But Dr. Diesel’s first love was engineering, and he soon began to experiment with a more efficient internal combustion engine than existed at the time. The steam engines of their day wasted 90% of the energy, and Diesel intended to invent a more efficient engine.

Rudolf Diesel Tests his Engine Design

Diesel built his first engine model in 1892. After several original design revisions, his first viable engine was called “Motor 250/400.” He tested it in 1897. Three years later, Dr. Diesel introduced the first engine to run on 100 percent peanut oil. It was more than 75 percent efficient. The steam engines of the time were less than 10 percent efficient. That put him at odds with the petroleum industry. He ended up modifying his diesel engine to run on the oil refinery product we now know as “diesel.” His peanut-powered engine was soon forgotten.

Today’s Diesel Engine

The primary fuel used in today’s diesel engines is Petrodiesel which isderived from unrefined petroleum. Biodiesel, on the other hand, is a renewable, biodegradable fuel, manufactured from peanut oil, soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, animal fat, or recycled restaurant grease. In 2008, the rise in fuel prices, coupled with concerns about the remaining petroleum reserves, led to an increased use of biodiesel. Biodiesel now powers many semi-trucks, tractors, heavy construction equipment, boats, school buses, city transit buses, military equipment, diesel pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, home heating burners, electrical generators.

Rudolf Diesel’s Mysterious Death

In 1913, Rudolf Diesel died in controversial circumstances just before the outbreak of World War I. On a trip from Belgium to England on the steamer, SS Dresden, he disappeared. There were rumors that he had been murdered by agents from the big oil trust. Some speculated that he was killed by coal magnates. Others theorized that he was assassinated by German spies to prevent him from sharing details about the development of the German U-boat. There is also the possibility that he deliberately jumped overboard because he was in financial trouble. To this day, the case remains unsolved. One thing is certain however: Rudolf Diesel was a man ahead of his time.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Berlin’s House Numbering Mystery

October 16th, 2023

Berlin’s house numbering system is often a mystery to newcomers. Finding a building can turn into a challenge because the number assigned to a structure depends on the district. Let’s say you are getting your hair done at a Beauty Salon at Windscheidstrasse 1 in Berlin Charlottenburg and would like to grab a bite to eat afterward at Mirko, a Croatian restaurant, at Windscheidstrasse 40. The street is only four blocks long, and you decide to walk the short distance.

Since the Beauty Salon is on the west side of Windscheidstrasse at the northern end, you head south expecting to find the restaurant at the end of your walk on the opposite side of the street. Wrong. The last building on the west side of Windscheidstrasse is the number 19. Across the street, on the east side, is the number 20. What happened to Windscheidstrasse 40? You walk north on the east side, and the numbers increase again. Guess what? After walking the four blocks back to where you started, you find yourself standing in front of Mirko’s and directly across from the Beauty Salon you came from. How did that happen?

 


The horseshoe system of numbering to help the mail carrier. Photo © J. Elke Ertle. www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

Berlin has two distinct house numbering systems.

Depending on the district in which the building is located, one of two house numbering methods is used: The horseshoe system and the odd/even (zigzag) system. The historic center of Berlin, such as Charlottenburg and Mitte, uses the horseshoe method. The odd/even system governs the newer districts, such as Dahlem and Zehlendorf.

Origin of the horseshoe system

When Berlin began numbering houses, city officials wanted to simplify the task of the mailman. Soon after the French Revolution, Paris had introduced house numbers. In 1799, the Prussian capital copied Paris, which had used the horseshoe system. Now, when the letter carrier delivered the mail, he started at house number 1 and walked toward the end of that side of the street and back on the other. House numbers were consecutive from the first to the last number. That is why house number 1 in the Windscheidstrasse ends up straight across from house no. 40.

Origin of the odd/even system

The odd/even system also originated in France. Soon after introducing the horseshoe system, France switched to the odd-even numbering system because it allowed for extending streets without having to change house numbers. Under the odd/even system, all houses on one side have even numbers. All buildings on the other side have odd numbers. In 1927, Berlin also switched to the odd/even system, but only for the houses in the newer communities. Because of cost considerations, city officials decided to keep the horseshoe system in the original districts, the center of town.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

Munich Oktoberfest, the World’s Largest Volksfest

September 23rd, 2023

 

The Munich Oktoberfest is the world’s largest folk festival and features beer and food tents, rides, a variey of stalls, and games. It takes place from mid-September to the first Sunday in October every year. In 2023, it runs from September 16 to October 3. Since everyone loves beer, the Oktoberfest celebration has spread all over the world in all sorts of variations.

History of the Munich Oktoberfest

Two stories surround the origin of the Munich Oktoberfest. The official version cites the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810, as the original celebration. The royal couple threw a party for the commoners to celebrate their union in a meadow outside Munich. People enjoyed it so much that it became an annual event. Subsequently, the meadow was named Theresienwiese in honor of Princess Therese, and the Munich Oktoberfest continues to be held there every year.

The German Beer Institute proposes a different story. It believes the festival dates back to the fifteenth century. Back then, the only way to refrigerate beer was to place it in a dark cellar or a snow-covered cave. Making beer in the summer would result in a funky brew. Therefore, Bavarians decided to brew it in the fall instead and store it during the winter. Every year, after harvesting the grain in October, they emptied the spring beer kegs and got ready for the fall brews.

Then Why is Oktoberfest celebrated in September?

To ready the kegs for the new brew, the Munich townsfolk drank the remaining spring beer at the end of September and the beginning of October. Since the weather was usually better in early fall, they chose September as the time to celebrate.

Which Beers are Served at the Munich Oktoberfest?

More than six million people worldwide flock to Munich annually to be part of the Oktoberfest and consume vast quantities of beer. Only beers that conform to the Reinheitsgebot (purity law) and are brewed within the city limits of Munich can be served. The law dates back to 1516 and limits the ingredients to water, barley, and hops.

 

The Vogel Jacob stall at the Munich Oktoberfest. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2006. www.walled-in-berlin. com

The Vogel Jacob stall at the Munich Oktoberfest. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2006. www.walled-in-berlin. com

 

Which Breweries Serve Oktoberfest Beer?

Only six Munich breweries meet the purity law criteria: Augustiner Bräu, Hacker-Pschorr Bräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spatenbräu, and Staatliches Hofbräu-München.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

The German Stretch of the Baltic Sea has a Secret

August 21st, 2023

There’s more to the German stretch of the Baltic Sea than idyllic walks along the beach, swimming, sailing, surfing, and relaxing in beach baskets. Between Flensburg and the island of Usedom, concealed to visiting sun worshippers, the Baltic Sea is also home to WWII explosives and chemical weapons.

Wicker Beach Baskets at the Baltic Sea, Photo: J. Elke Ertle, 2016. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Wicker Beach Baskets at the Baltic Sea, Photo: J. Elke Ertle, 2016. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Where is the Baltic Sea?

The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean and is connected to the North Sea via the Kattegat and Skagerrak Straits. It is made up of a mixture of ocean water and freshwater delivered by numerous rivers. The Baltic Sea is surrounded by nine countries: Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden. Germany enjoys about 450 miles of coastline along the Baltic.

Why and Where are There Explosives in the Baltic Sea?

In order to quickly demilitarize Germany following World War II, the Allies disposed of the remaining weapons of the German Wehrmacht in the Baltic in 1945.  They filled barges and fishing boats with artillery shells, torpedoes, bazookas, cluster bombs, and V1 rockets, and dumped them into the sea. There are no records of the exact locations and quantities discarded. However, exploration has revealed that a number of ammunition dumps are located in the mouth of the Kiel Fjord and near the cities of Luebeck and Flensburg.

How Harmful are the Underwater Ammunitions?

Scientists have been able to prove that the discarded explosives are slowly dissolving in the water. They are already detectable in sea animals. In the Bay of Kiel, trace elements have been found in mussels, worms, snails, and fish. Even some flatfish are suffering from increased liver tumors. The quantities of carcinogenic elements are still small and, therefore, harmless to humans, but degradation is taking place.

What is being done?

The German government has earmarked 100 million euros for a pilot project to raise these deteriorating ammunitions from the floor of the Baltic Sea. The big question is what to do with them once brought to the surface. Should they be transported to a land site and destroyed? Should they be destroyed in place? What will be the safest way without causing explosions?

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Berliner Schnauze at its Best

July 17th, 2023

Berliner Schnauze (literally “Berlin Snout”) is a blunt, honest, and often flippant response to a question or situation given by a Berlin native. While “Berlinisch” is the colloquial language, speaking with Berliner Schnauze is the ability to take advantage of the potential for comedy in a  situation and come back with a quick-witted response. Although born-and-bred Berliners sometimes come across as shockingly direct, underneath their irreverent exterior usually beats a big heart. Quintessential Berliners can speak Berlinisch on demand but will not always respond with Berliner Schnauze.

Example of Berlinisch spoken with Berliner Schnauze

A tourist asks,

“Excuse me, where is the Television Tower?

A Berliner answers,

Da wos jestern ooooch jestanden hat” (exactly where it stood yesterday).

The pronunciation is Berlinisch; the answer is given with Berliner Schnauze.

Another Example

The owner of a small neighborhood Bistro in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district is looking for someone to photograph the menu items on his establishment’s card du jour. He contacts a local photographer and writes,

Berliner Schnauze at its Best. Photo courtesy of Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay. www.walled-in-Berlin.com

Berliner Schnauze at its Best. Photo courtesy of Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay. www.walled-in-Berlin.com

Dear Sir,

I own a restaurant in the area and am looking for someone to take mouth-watering photos of the items on our card du jour. You were recommended by a colleague.

I want to make you a proposition that will benefit both of us. If you are willing to take the photos on a complimentary basis, I will give you credit underneath each picture. Since many patrons frequent the Bistro, our card du jour will be free advertising for your business. If the first set of photos meets my expectations, we can do it again with other menu items since I change our card du jour every  month. If interested, please contact me by phone or online.”

Photographer responds with Berliner Schnauze

The photographer considers the offer and shoots back,

Dear Sir,

I am a photographer and have many friends who regularly stop by my studio. I am looking for a restaurant that will host these informal gatherings. I don’t expect to pay anything because my guests change frequently, and my get-togethers will be a great way for you to advertise your restaurant without paying anything. If the food is good, we’ll do it again. If interested, please contact me.”

That’s Berliner Schnauze.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Quedlinburg Treasures Stolen by U.S. Soldier

June 19th, 2023

Where is Quedlinburg?

The town of Quedlinburg exists since the early 9th century, or longer, and is one of the largest and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Located north of the Harz Mountains in Germany, the central part of the city is home to 2,000 half-timbered houses from at least five different centuries. The city’s outer fringes showcase 19th and 20th-century Art Nouveau buildings. In 1994, Quedlinburg’s castle, oldtown, and its abbey church, St. Servatius, were added to the Unesco World Heritage List.

 

The church of St. Servatius in Quedlinburg houses priceless art treasures. Photo courtesy of Barbara Dondrup, Pixabay. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The church of St. Servatius in Quedlinburg houses priceless art treasures. Photo courtesy of Barbara Dondrup, Pixabay. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Quedlingburg’s Art Treasures

St. Servatius is one of the best-preserved 12th-century buildings in Germany and houses Quedlinburg’s extraordinary art treasures. This collection of 65 art objects dates from the 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries. It includes golden chests, unique textiles, religious manuscripts, crystal bottles, ivory combs, and swords. Many of the items are covered with jewels. The collection also includes the alleged remains of martyrs of the Middle Ages. Some of the pieces were assembled by King Henry the Fowler, and his wife Mathilde, who died in 936 and 968 respectively.

The Quedlinburg Art Treasures were Stolen at the End of WWII

In 1938, Nazi leader, Heinrich Himmler, started to convert St. Servatius into a National Socialist devotional site. To make room for Nazi memorabilia, the treasures were first moved to a bank in the center of town and then, in 1942, to the Altenburg Caves, southwest of the city. On 19 April 1945, the American Army occupied Quedlinburg and was tasked with guarding the entrance to the caves. City officials, afraid that mold may damage the art objects, asked that the collection be brought to the front of the cave, where ventilation was better, making the thousand-year-old relics more accessible. One month later, a Quedlinburg official discovered that 12 of the most valuable pieces were missing. The U.S. Army launched an investigation. But since the Americans pulled out of the region in July 1945, and the new occupying power, the Soviet Union, never continued the search, the theft remained a mystery.

Who Committed the Theft?

Many years later, it came to light that a first lieutenant, serving with the U.S. 87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, had brazenly stolen priceless pieces of the collection during the short time the American Army occupied Quedlinburg. His name was Joe Tom Meador. Fellow soldiers saw him repeatedly emerging from the cave with his jacket bulging. In fact, Meador sent several packages through military mail to his parents in his hometown of Whitewright, Texas. He attached a note, “Don’t ask me where I got it, but it could possibly be very, very valuable.” After the war, Meador kept the treasures in his closet and later in a safe in the hardware store he took over from his father. He displayed them proudly to visitors and told them that he had “liberated the pieces from Germany.”

Recovery of the Quedlinburg Art Treasures

In 1988, a “Quedlinburg gospel book” was offered for sale to the state library in West Berlin for $8 million. A married couple from the U.S. claimed to be the book’s owners. In reality, the couple were Meador’s brother and sister, Jack and Jane. Meador had passed away eight years earlier, and they had inherited the item. But the transaction could not be completed because Quedlinburg was located in East Germany, and the East German regime did not have the cash to purchase the treasure.

Only in Texas

In Texas, the statute of limitations for the appropriation of stolen goods is just two years. Quedlinburg authorities would have had to lodge a complaint by 1982, within two years after Meador’s death. But they did not know who had absconded with the treasures at that time. Undoubtedly, the Meador heirs felt safe from the law when they put the gospel book on the market in Germany in 1988, eight years after their brother’s death. In 1993, the art pieces reacquired by the St. Servatius parish and are on display again, except for two pieces that remain missing.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.