MY VISIT TO COLOGNE

We arrived at the Cathedral in Cologne (High Cathedral of St. Peter & Mary) at 10am on a Sunday in August.  Since Mass was being celebrated in the Cathedral, we were only allowed to visit in the back of the cathedral.

Since we couldn't visit more of the Cathedral that morning, we took a walking tour of the city.  Cologne was once a Roman settlement called "Colonia Agrippina".  Old Roman ruins remain in this city and we saw some of them.

After lunch, we had the opportunity to explore more of the Cathedral in Cologne.  We saw the beautiful stained glass windows and ornate gold shrine on an elaborate altar.  I thought the Cathedral was very impressive.

Of course, we took some photos re-enacting some of the ones my Grandma was in 1961.  I always liked this photo of her (in the red coat) in front of the Cathedral.  The problem was there were way too many people walking back and forth to take a photo where you would actually see us.  So instead we stood closer to where the photographer took the original photo.

From the two photos you will notice that things have changed.  There is no longer that small patch of grass in front of the cathedral.  Also, there is no longer a street in front of the cathedral but rather a "plaza" where people walk through or gather.

I loved my short visit to Cologne and to its magnificent cathedral!  I already have two things to do on my next visit to Cologne:
1. Take a ride on the Rheinseilbahn (the bucket ride over the city and river) to get an aerial view of the city.
2. Drink a glass of Cologne famous Kolsch beer.

GRANDMA THERESA'S VISIT TO COLOGNE

The first time I viewed the slides of Grandpa Charlie's and Grandma Theresa's month long trip to Europe in 1961, I was in awe of the photo of my Grandma standing in front of the grand Cathedral in Cologne.  As time passed, the Cathedral and the city of Cologne was not only placed on my "bucket list" but was placed near the top.

According to Grandma Theresa's diary -- while visiting Cologne, she made a visit to the "most beautiful cathedral".  Theresa and Charlie also visited with her cousin Richard Nebgen and his brothers Gunter, Sieglinde and Alfous Nebgen while in Cologne.  The photo above was taken during this visit with Grandpa Charlie being at the far right.


What would be for me a perfect way to visit Cologne?  Well, of course, on a river cruise down the Rhine.  That way I could cruise down the Rhine viewing castle after castle for hours,  I could visit my ancestral home towns, located near Koblenz.  And I could see the magnificent cathedral in Cologne!

How great would it be if I could re-create this same photo while I was in Cologne?  Well, I am planning on bringing some of her photos and see what happens.

WRAP UP OF VISIT TO MY GERMAN ANCESTRAL TOWNS

It was such a wonderful gift to be able to visit 4 of my German Ancestral villages while on my Rhine River cruise this past summer.  While it required extra effort on our part -- renting a car, getting to the car rental agency before it closed at 1pm and of course finding our way back to our ship -- it was well worth it!  I loved seeing the natural beauty of the areas surrounding Helferskirchen, Wirges, Staudt and Dernbach.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that these villages are growing larger and seem to be doing very well.  I wonder if I can find any photos of these villages from the 1700 and 1800's.

I enjoyed the peaceful moments while I sat in the churches where my ancestors attended Sunday Mass -- St. Boniface in Wirges, St. Laurentius in Dernbach and the cute little prayer chapel in Helferskirchen.

While my Grandma Theresa knew that her father Peter Joseph Nebgen was from Dernbach, Germany, I don't think she knew about her ancestors from Helferskirchen, Staudt and Wirges.  I wonder if she had known, would she and Grandpa Charlie stopped and visited these villages on their trip up the Rhine River in 1961?

DERNBACH -- THE HOMETOWN OF ANNA MARIA WITTAYER

My 2nd Great Grandmother Anna Maria Wittayer was born in Dernbach, Germany on 23 Oct 1841.   She married Baltazar Nebgen in Dernbach.  She also gave birth to her children -- Peter (1863), Nicholas (1865), Peter Clemens (1867), Emil (1876), Maria Rosina (1880) and Joseph Laurentius (1884) in Dernbach. Her son Peter Joseph (my Great Grandfather) was born in Eschelbach.  Anna Maria died in Dernbach on 6 Jan 1918.

Since Dernbach is just south of Wirges and southwest of Staudt, my husband and I decided to stop there on our way back to our river cruise ship.  We visited the St. Laurentius Catholic Church in Dernbach.  This church was built in 1863 which is probably where her children were baptized.

Behind the actual church building is another building, shown in the photo below.  I do love the large bell (in the above photo) that is located next to the church.

Dernbach was also the place of birth of Catherine Kasper, who was the founder of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ order.  There is a statue and plaque in her honor in this church.

REMEMBERING HEROES

While we were visiting the cemetery in Staudt, we saw a memorial slate with names on it.  It was titled "Den Heldentod furs Vaterland starben" (died a hero's death for the fatherland).  The memorial honored those from the village of Staudt who had died while fighting during World War I.  The following names had surnames of my ancestors (and thereby could be potential relatives)

Herm Jos Heibel        gef   19 7 15

Anton Manns             gef   11 9 15

Joh Christ Heibel      gest  29 11 18

The bottom of the plaque read "Gestiftet von der Gemeinde Staudt"  (Donated by the municipality of Staudt).

CEMETERY IN STAUDT, GERMANY

Since we couldn't locate a cemetery in Wirges, Germany, our GPS said that the nearest cemetery was in Staudt, Germany.  My 8th great grandfather Oster Hober and his wife Afra were both born and died in the town of Staudt.  His son Gregarin Hober (my 7th great grandfather) also was born and died in Staudt.  Gregarin's son Johann Adam Hober and Johann's wife Sophia Maria Sabel (my 6th great grandparents), were also born and died in Staudt. Their daughter Anna Christina Hober (my 5th great grandmother) was also born in Staudt.  This gave me plenty of reason to visit the town of Staudt.

At the cemetery, we took photos of the gravestones of "potential" ancestors and relatives, including the following:

HEIBEL                   Katharina      1888-1967

HEIBEL                   Josef              1904-1968
                                 Maria             1915-1996

HEIBEL                  Bernard          1903-1976
                                Antonia          1908-1999

HEIBEL                  Josef               1902-1980
                                Irmgard           1908-1994

ZERFAS                 Mathilde          1943-2009

HEIBEL                 Theresia           1904-1988
                                Eugen              1903-1990

HOLZGEN             Werner            1931-1986
                                Maria              1931-1995

BAST                      Raimund         1922-1987
                                Elfriede           1929-2014

BAST                      Josef               1911-1993
                                Hedwig           1913-2000

HEIBEL                 Antonius          1912-1994
                                Klara               1920-2000

PFAFFHAUSEN   Leonard           1927-2001

HOMMRICH        Siegfried          1925-1991
                               Evelyn             1932-2015

PRACTICING GERMAN WITH GELATO

I had been trying to learn some words in German before my trip so that I would hopefully at least understand a few words while I was there.

We stopped at a gelato shop in Heidelberg and I saw that all of the flavors were listed in German.  This would be a perfect way for me to practice my German.  So, I tried to figure out what the flavors were in German.  Of course, I was aided by the fact that I could see the color of the gelato.

There was the following flavors --

Mandel -- Almond
Zitrone -- Lemon
Maracula -- Passion fruit
Schokolade -- Chocolate
Vanille -- Vanilla
Koffe -- Coffee
Elder Beer -- Elderberry

Okay, maybe that was too easy. I also looked up in my dictionary what other flavors would be in German

Mint -- Minze
Chocolate Chip -- Schokochip
Caramel -- Karamel
Peppermint -- Pfefferminze
Cookie dough -- Platzchenteig
Cookies and cream -- Kekse und Sahne