Intro to Germany

[wterrell]

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />
Would you gentlemen entertain us with your first introductions to Germany and things German?

My introduction to German was by a little old lady in her 80's named Mrs. Anrich. She was my 6th grade teacher in a small rural school in Oklahoma. She was born in Imperial Germany and her speech was strongly accented but grammatically correct. Her manners were strictly proper. I suppose she was all of 5 ft. tall and wore the dress of the turn of the century and her hair was always in a bun.

Mrs. Anrich lived in town in a small house that had a yard that was totally composed of flowers. No lawn, just flower-beds, enclosed with a white picket fence. She was the founder of the town garden club and we would always see her during the summer in the community flower plots along side the road.

My respect for Imperial Germany began with her, for I had a lot of respect for her and her personal (dignified) demeanor. I was fortunate that the engineering of the Luger lived up to my expectations of what Imperial Germany would produce.

[Hugh]

I visited Germany & Austria in 1962 while on overseas assignment. Besides the great biergartens and beautiful countryside, I was most impressed with the friendliness of the people and cleanliness of the country. Driving down the autobahnn you did not see any litter, the roadway was neatly trimmed and even the woods and forests along the highway were free of underbrush, dead limbs, etc. Maybe it was because they were in dire need of firewood, but the forests looked like they were kept as neat as the yards! <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

[John Sabato]

Two years of German Language training in High School (Father Feider, O Praem), and two more years in College a VVVEEEERRRRYYYYY long time ago.

6 weeks at the 7th Army NCO Academy at Bad Toelz in 1973.

4 weeks at the First Sergeant's Course at Vilseck in 1979.

Approximately three months total TDY (temporary duty) for various training, staff conferences and staff visits to deployed units from 1977 to 1980 and again from 1986 to 1988.

I concur with Hugh's comments... Great Food, Great wine, and Great people... (Sorry, I don't drink beer!)

Auf Weidersehen! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Bernard]

Hmmm -

I'm German (long-time U.S. citizen), so any comment I make would not be objective. But beer is another matter. Things German, such as PO8s and my collectible choice, P38s, go together with beer. Does Thor agree? Should we start a new thread about beer?

[Edward Tinker]

Well I can't say I like Bier either, but the Wine on the Mosel and the Rhein is outstanding!

My Great-Grandfather was a minister and during WW1 the people came to lynch him, he talked them out of it. It was because he was 1st generation German, so there is that background I always heard about. My Grand Aunt, my Grandfathers brothers wife grew up in a German village (in America, I think in North Dakota). So I always heard her accent and Mita was a nice lady.

I took high school German for two years, got an A the first semester, then a B, a C (you see where this is going), so I quit after four semesters.

Then I joined the army and always heard stories about Germany, always good, except for the duty (tower duty for many MP's and that would stink). Then I was stationed next to Aachen for almost 7 years, I went all over Deutschland, from Bremerhaven to Beirchestgaden. Wonderful place, nice people (good wine, beer always tastes, like beer? [img]rolleyes.gif[/img] ).

I learned a bit of Dutch and German and liked it very much. Now, my Mom asked me recently, "Why do you like Lugerâ??s so much?" I don't know I said, same reason I like old Mustangs? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Luke]

I like German Beer (Bier), especially Weisbier, but I also have to agree with Ed on the Mosel wine. My wife and I always buy Piesporter when we find it.

In 1989 we had the good fortune of driving all the way up the Mosel to Koblenz and back down the Rhine to the Heidelberg area . . . . great trip with LOTS of old castles.

Studied German for an intense year during my 4 years at Georgia Tech back in 1964. Easy language for an English speaking person except for those d.... gender things. [img]frown.gif[/img]
Never could get those right.

[Frank]

Luke, you mean der frau isn't correct?? [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

My experience is easy to remember. My Grandfather, who came to the US in the late 1870's, would sit me down in front of a chalk board and do the one, two, three, then eins, twei, drei thing. We lived in one of those small German Communities in SD. When I "helped" Grandpa, about every afternoon, we, yes we, would take a beer break at the local saloon. Really fond memories of a fine gentleman!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

[Roadkill]

Why not, everybody else is. I got out of the army in 72, went to Germany to visit my father for two weeks, he was working for US in Chapparal & Redeye, I had been there about a week when driving up a backroad on a cold rainy day a young lady was hitchhiking, others cars had passed
her, so I didn't. (We were married a year later) I got a job as a bartender in Wurzburg, went to school there, stayed two years. Ended up with minors in German & History, rest isn't important. Been married 27 years, great relatives, come visit every year, wife opened a German Bakery & restaurant six years ago, 90% German clientel, English rarely spoken there. We have a beautiful authentic gasthaus in the woods, balcony with flowers, window boxes, Bavarian decor, music, ect. Open invitation to anyone who comes to Huntsville. Folks drive 200 miles plus for her bread.

RK

[Roadkill]

Tacfoley, I've been thinking a lot about your post. We were in Germany about the same time in the same general area, it was the beginning of the most wonderful part of the rest of my life, for you and your wife it was what must have been the most unimaginably painful episode possible in yours. When we were young we looked forward, when old we look back. You were young then and didn't know which way to look. How can you see beyond such immense grief? And now its too painful to look back. There is no way I can even pretend to know how difficult it was for you. But Germany is a beautiful place. And I know the cemetery is well kept and your son's resting place is well cared for and it always will be.

RK