08 April, 2016

G is for Germany





Funny story. Years ago, a friend who had been serving as an au pair in Europe told me she had taken a trip into Germany, just because she was there. She went to the site of the post WWII trials in Nuremburg, and as she paid her tour fee, saw a tour group heading around the corner down the hall.


Clerk: The next tour leaves in half an hour.
My Friend: Can’t I just join that group that just left?
Clerk: I’m sorry, no. You must wait.
Friend: Well aren’t you just the tour-nazi! *gasp* I’m sorry! I didn’t mean…
 
Apparently the clerk was unoffended, probably used to loudmouthed Americans. I imagine it’s a uniquely American colloquialism: If someone is particularly strict in what they do, they get labeled the “whatever-nazi”. We had a “Dock-nazi” at a marina where I worked. “Hallway-nazi,” “Supply-Nazi”… we just don’t even think twice!
 
But that is not my story.
 
I am German. Actually a 7th-generation American, but with a well-defined German ancestry. With a deep German history on both sides of my family, naturally, the tour we embarked on in Amsterdam involved much time in Germany. What do I recall?
 
Castles.
 
Not really "floating" but it appears to be because it is actually in the water.
Like this “floating castle” in a river.

Ruins along rivers.
 

This was the view from one such ruin.
 
Food. They drink beer with breakfast!
 
Did I mention castles? Did you know that the “princess castle” famed by Disneyland/world themeparks was modeled after Schloss Neuschwanstein in Bavaria? We took the tour. Technically, this “castle” is too new to be a true castle. It has running water.
 
We sought records of births/baptisms in churches in the northern state of my paternal antecedents. We think, maybe, we found one. But who’s there to verify? On this whirlwind four-week European vacation, we weren’t going to stay in one place long enough to seek final clarification. It was good enough to get a “probably”. We now had seen where we came from, farms – more modern, but probably in some ways much like – those of my father’s father’s father’s fa…
 

Mountains and rivers. We even camped by a river.
 
Moral of the story: It’s pretty cool to see where you came from, if you can manage it. Even if there's no family left there.
 



 

15 comments:

  1. Without some serious genealogical studies, it would be very difficult to do that for my family. I don't have a single strong ethnic heritage of any kind. My ancestry is all over the place. We had ZERO cultural loyalty when it came to breeding.

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    1. That just means wider travels to more diverse places. Awesome! I'm in.

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  2. My late husband did his military service in Germany in the 1950's and I have heard many stories!!

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. The castles in Germany must be stunning, and there are so many of them! I'm not much of a camper, though. I need running water. I hear there's a castle that would do...

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  5. Whenever I think castles I think Ireland, not Germany. I guess I have to change that. That floating castle is something else.

    I'm not German, but I am a German mechanic because I drive a German car and it goes all of 10 days before falling apart all over again. I thought it would be more reliable. I did Nazi that coming.

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    1. *slow claps*
      I read your comment to Brett (Transformed Non-conformist) in the car, and we both groaned.

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  6. I am part German, too, Red. And I did get the German-sense-of-order gene. I even prefer driving German cars. For me, they just handle better. Anyway, someone recently described an acquaintance of mine as, when I complimented how well he had organized and carried out an event, as a Nazi. I didn't think he was. "He knows what he wants," I said. I wonder if I could find my ancestors if I went to Germany. What a fun, well-written post. Thanks.

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    1. Thanks. I think my heritage may explain why I grew up with so many rules. Order and organization!

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  7. Here I will say, too, that I have read and commented on all your posts, but the comments vanished into the black hole. Then, genius that I am, I cracked the Blogger/Blogspot code. I had to sign in to Google+ and Blogger -- I didn't know I had to sign in -- then choose either an upgrade (no) or a pseudonym. I chose the latter. I write under the pseudonym Samantha Mozart. My real name is Carol Child, under which I am registered on Google. Sigh.

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    1. Ah! I've had an interesting time finding the comment links on some of the new blogs I've found too. Glad to see your comments!

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  8. We have a German connection in our family too so some of us are rather houseproud and organised and can be a little bit dictatorial too!! However, we can all agree that the German castles are some of the prettiest in the world - the British ones are built for strength not style! So pleased to come across your blog through the A-Z Challenge - I'll be back for more :)
    Pempi
    A Stormy’s Sidekick
    Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! It honestly didn't occur to me until writing this post that my German heritage was the cause for all the rules in our home growing up!

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I enjoy a good debate. Feel free to shake things up. Tell me I'm wrong. Ask me why I have such a weird opinion. ...or, just laugh and tell how this relates to you and your life.