On Wednesday morning June 11, we awoke refreshed, feeling good, and ready for our adventures of the day. The buffet breakfasts at the hotel for this meal were sumptuous, including breads and cheeses, fresh fruit, müslix, Herring, Jams, Jellies, and preserves, and of course the American favorites of bacon, sausage and eggs with plenty of steaming hot Kaffee. We then boarded our bus to Oberfischbach. Our German guides welcomed us so warmly, making presentations, leading us on a walking tour of Oberfischbach. At noon we were escorted to a meeting hall for a delicious lunch of pea soup and crusty bread served by the ladies of the church, who were so gracious and welcoming. The language differences quickly melted away and in place of the spoken word, we managed to communicate with smiles, hugs, handshakes and gestures. Of course, many of those in our group speak German, or a courageous attempt, so we encountered no difficulties. Our homemade pea soup was a hearty lunch, the thick soup resplendent with lentils, potatoes, broth, sausage slices and cream. This was expertly presented with beverages of choice. After lunch we walked to some homes where we were invited inside. Without fail the homes were spotlessly clean and neat. All were so gracious. So many beautiful flowers adorn the window boxes of these half-timbered houses, and their lawns often have beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. It is sad to remember the damage that was done during WWII, and we were delighted that much renovation and rebuilding has been done, indeed still is being done. The slate shingles covering the roofs and north sides of these homes and buildings were interesting. The slate slabs are rounded and placed, looking very much like fish scales or similar designs, and appear to provide a durable, long-lasting protection for their homes. At times we saw homes that have been here for centuries or that have been renovated to appear that they were. We visited the Evangelische Johanneskirche where Pastor Haeger preached and Herr Gerhard Moisel presented the church records for use by researchers. Herr Moisel is the person to contact in Germany for additional family records.
The Evangelische Johanneskirche (St. John's Protestant Church) Oberfischbach as it appears today. On right Gerhard Moisel Archivist for the County of Siegen/Wittgenstein presents details of Pastor John Henry Haeger's life and career as Prediger (Pastor) at Oberfischbach. Moisel presented The Germanna Foundation with a copy of the original contract between John Just Albrecht and the pastor's of the Siegerland for the mining work in America. This was the home church of the Coons, Crim, Fishback, Spilman and Whitescarver families.
Gerhard Moisel points to the entry in the church record book marking the start of Pastor Haeger's ministry at Oberfischbach in 1703. Photo on right is Pastor Haeger's parsonage standing just below the church. (note the modern satellite dish on this ancient house.) Pastor Haeger pled with the congregation to build a larger house for the parsonage. Finally in about 1719, five years after Haeger left for Virginia, they built a new one seen below left. Below right is the Church Book.
The Chancel and pipe organ detail in the Johanneskirche at Oberfischbach.
Joyce Brown took this picture of Thom at the Oberfischbach Organ. Pulpit of the Johanneskirche at Oberfischbach.
Two Fischbach houses just across the street from each other, still owned by two Fischbach brothers. Notice Herr Fischbach standing in his garage.
The parish school in Oberfischbach. Everywhere you go you see either pretty flowers in the windows or as is the case here and below beautiful hand made window decorations.
We then proceeded to Trupbach, home to the Rector/Richer, Nay/Noeh, Hanback, Heimbach, Utterbach/Otterbach, and Young/Jung families. See the printed material attached which was presented via CD by our friends in Trupbach containing the history of Trupbach, description of houses, and family trees. We visited the Kapellenschule, the Chapel School in the heart of town, now home to the Heimatverein. We were treated to a dessert of Kuchen, which were lovely, huge wedges of cake, one selection topped with almonds, butter, sugar, and cream, another appeared to be a crumb cake with sugar topping. This was served with steaming cups of Kaffee or other beverages. The many members of our welcoming committee accompanied us on a walk about the village.
The Kapellenschule at Trupbach, is now the Heimatstaub (Clubhouse) for the Trupbach Heimatverein. At right is a street scene of Trupbach.
An in town farm house in Trupbach, the cattle and animals live in first floor while the people live upstairs. On right, Hey look who's still working in Trupbach.
The home where Jacob Holtzclaw lived and taught school (left picture) sits just across the parking lot from the birthplace of Anna Margaret Otterbach whom he married just before immigrating to Virginia along with his father-in-law Harmon Otterbach. Herr and Frau Jung now own the house and invited the Germanna Visitors to tour the house.
Barb Price and her mother Thelma Gregory stand in the doorway of their multi-great Grandmother Anna Margaret Otterbach just before being invited in for a tour of the house by Herr Ulrich Vetter who live in the house. On right is a picture of the Richter/Rector house just before it was blown out of existence by Allied artillery in March of 1945.
All that remains of the Richter/Rector house is this intricate Herringbone patterned stone floor now covered by a tractor barn. Rector descendants posed on the site of the entry hall of the house. Pictured are l. to r. Dr. Katharine L. Brown, Joy Watkins, Sue Forbes, Herr Fritz Bottenberg, Herr Rudy Schneider, J. Marc Wheat, Herr Dieter Bottenberg, and Dr. Bernie Cross.
An overview of Trupbach looking to the north toward Siegen just 3 kilometers away beyond the horizon. On the horizon is the Trupbach Hauberg, the community forest which was managed for firewood, oak bark for tanning, and charcoal for iron production. On right is a tiny kitchen garden in Trupbach, planted with several varieties of cabbage plants.
Later in the afternoon, we again boarded the bus and proceeded to Oberholzklau. On our arrival at Oberholzklau we were again greeted by a delegation of dignitaries. Our Germanna Foundation was presented with many gifts and welcomed with sincere hospitality. Tourists or people searching their roots do not often visit these small German communities and we were so warmly and graciously welcomed. Pictures were taken of our group while strolling with our new German friends. These pictures and articles appeared three times in newspapers and we were told that the story about the American descendants was also on the radio. They seemed so eager to accept us as their family. We visited the Protestant (Reformed) church, a very beautiful church with interesting pre-reformation murals, saw the minister's house, bake house, and the many beautiful half-timbered houses. We drove to the old Grenzwege, the ancient and historic border road between Köln and Nassau-Oranien. Three of our Oberholzklau hosts Eike Hammel, Burkhard Heide, and his little grandson Thomas were dressed as border guards in medieval costume with a green velvet hat complete with feathers. We walked into the forest toward the site of the old road and to the raised earthen bunkers. In places we could see where the iron wheels of wagons had cut deep tracks and trenches into the road. These tracks were at times so deep that our ancestors could no longer traverse this road because the center between the ruts would scrape the bottom of the heavily laden wagons. Consequently, new roads would be cut through this rugged terrain toward their destination. The products transported were iron and finished iron products making their way to the ports for shipment all over the world. Iron from the Siegerland was famous for many centuries. The mines are now closed, except for an exhibit showing how this product was extracted. There are now companies here that make iron products, using iron from other localities. Our hosts bid us gather in a meeting hall for refreshments, and Chad Holtzclaw, our Germanna Trustee/German ambassador, told us the story of his first visit to Oberholzklau, the village of his ancestors. Chad told the group that when he arrived at Oberholzklau, he knew no one so proceeded to a local establishment. There he asked where he might find lodging for the night. He was told that such did not exist, but a young man, Burkhard Heide overheard the conversation and told him he would find lodging for Chad or he could stay at his house. This was the beginning of a long and fervent relationship. Now Chad has a German family, a German grandmother as well. Chad introduced us to his German brother, Burkhard Heide (a Hitt descendant), and our additional hosts. Again, many gifts were exchanged between Oberholzklau folks and the Germanna Foundation. Burkhard arranged for us to visit the kindergarten formed and taught by his daughter Sandra. The Germanna Foundation enjoys a warm friendship with this village, and when it was learned that the kindergarten we visited did not have Internet access, the Germanna Trustees (there were five present) held an impromptu meeting and it was decided that The Foundation would contribute Internet access to the kindergarten for a year at a cost of $50. (Editors note: Not to be outdone, the members of the tour group passed the hat and collected enough money to provide an additional two years of Internet access for the children of Oberholzklau.) The Oberholzklau ladies had several items that they had made for sale, including teddy bears, fluffy white lambs, and other hand-made items. As the weather in Germany was unusually warm this day, the cold refreshments were so welcome. Beverages here are seldom served with ice and colas are served at room temperature. We found that most of the bottled water here contains carbonation. There are so many breweries in Germany; there is always a wide selection of beer available. Our visit in Oberholzklau seemed like a visit with long lost relatives, which in fact we were. We bid farewell to our new friends and family then drove the short distance to a lovely restaurant in the country not far from Oberholzklau. Chad had arranged for pre-selected items from the menu and knew the owners and servers there. He, Burkhard Heide, and our now "old" friends had dinner with us. My dinner of poached salmon with béarnaise sauce was the most delicious meal to date in Germany. After dinner, Chad discovered a lovely lady in the next dining room who was celebrating her 70th birthday and invited her to our room, where we all sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She invited us to her party, where a group of German Folksingers entertained us. When the lady insisted we return the favor, our group sang "You Are My Sunshine" and "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" much to our host’s delight. (Editor’s Note: The Birthday Lady was so impressed with our gesture that she drove to Freudenberg on Friday morning to bid us goodbye. She also promised to have her Folksingers Group entertain us when we return next spring.)
The bus was met at Oberholzklau by our guides Eike Hammel and Burkhard Heide (Hitt) l. to r. center. The community Bakes (Bake House and the Minister's fishpond were located across the road from the parsonage and school (seen below).
At the entrance to the new Kindergarten in Oberholzklau, Chad Holdsclaw introduces Sandra Heide and her son Thomas to the group. After the tour of the Kindergarten we approached the beautiful Protestant Church where the Hitts and Holtzclaw families worshipped.
Chad introduces Reverend Gotmar Thiemann who was pastor of the Church at Oberholzklau for 34 years. His father was pastor before him also for 34 years. Pastor Thiemann provided assistance and information for Dr. B. C. Holtzclaw when he wrote Germanna Record Number 5. The view from the Organ loft of the church into the nave is spectacular.
The Organ in the Church at Oberholzklau sounds very majestic in the open space of the sanctuary. Above the Pulpit where Pastor Thiemann and his father before him preached.
The Oberholzklau church predates the reformation. This mural depicting the Death of St. Mary was stuccoed over by the protestants but was uncovered in a recent restoration of the ancient church. An ancient Roman Catholic shrine to St. Matthew was also uncovered during the restoration.
At the border between Nassau and Cologne passes the Grenzwege an ancient trade road where iron and other goods would pass between the two principalities. Our guides Eike Hammel and Burkhard Heide dressed as border guards from the middle ages to describe the bastions that protected the border.
Burkhard was assisted in his guard duties by his 5 year old Grandson Thomas Heide. This 7 meter deep ditch was dug along the entire border then planted with heavy logs and trees to keep invaders from crossing the border. The ancient road is more than 900 years old and after centuries of heavily laden carts passing over it the ruts were worn so deep that a wagon could no longer travel on the road. Here and below are our group walking along the old "Holweg". There is now a new road shown on the left below. The Border Stone is more than 900 years old.
After refreshments in the Heimatstaub at Oberholzklau we traveled to Buhl for dinner in Landhaus zur Heide restaurant. There we met the delightful 70-year-old Frau Walbrint Münker (below with guitar). We sang "Happy Birthday" to her and she invited us into the banquet room to hear her Folk Singing Club perform. The music was marvelous and we made a new friend in the Siegerland.
The fun we had with Frau Münker is evident on the faces of Walt Watkins, Shirley Utz, and Mona Phillips. Betty Prescott, Donna Albin, Hack Broyles, Pat Broyles, Marc Wheat, Anita Schmidt, John Forbes, and Katharine Brown join hands and sway to the music. Anita seems to have known the words to the Lieder and joined in with the singing. Sue Forbes and Thelma Gregory were content to sit and listen to the charming music.
After this much fun it was off to bed to prepare for another day.