Meeting the Cousins in Steinfeld, Germany

 Andre Kobus, Fritz Schmätjen and Dolores Petit check out a model 1962 VW bus that represents the beginning of the Schmätjen bus company

 Dolores has a treasured painting showing family members at a backoffen, or baking oven. This one is similar and stands in front of the Schmätjen home

Discussing family history in the living room of the Schmätjen home

 Visiting a farmhouse that was restored by the family. The house dates from 1843. 

Fritz and Ursel Schmätjen with Dolores Petit in the center walking down the street in Steinfeld

Care Package 'Thank You' 67 years later

Dolores' family sent care packages after the war. In about 1947, one of those packages included a couple of dresses that had been worn by Dolores, who was about nine years-old at the time. As the Schmätjen family had no young girls at the time, they gave those dresses to the neighbor family. In the living room of the Schmätjen family, 67 years later, the recipient of those dresses came to say 'thank you.' It was an emotional meeting for Dolores Petit and Gerlinda Schwelgin who still lives right next door.

Dolores Petit meets Gerlinda Schwelgin

 Dolores and Gerlinda look at old photos

Trunks used when Dolores' grandfather emigrated to America were used on his return trip in 1950. They are kept in the garage of the Schmätjen family farm in Steinfeld.

Bavaria

 Brats over a beechwood fire in the Zum Guldenen Stern Bratwurst Kitchen from 1419

 Packed house when we arrived, we got the last two seats inside

 

Everywhere you look, a new and charming corner

 

Copper pots at the fireplace 

 

Our busy waitress

 

Brats with potato salad for Dolores and liver dumpling soup for James

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

 The former Free Imperial City of Rothenburg where we stayed for a night near the end of the trip. This view shows the street 'Herrngasse,' a former cattle and horse market area where the wealthy lived. (And still do)

 Dolores loved this garden down in the Tauber Valley

This little house was built in the early 1300s and was used by Rothenburg's powerful mayor Heinrich Toppler as a summer getaway. It is larger inside than it looks, due to the small windows. 

 One of the more than 12 towers on the walls around Rothenburg, this one was used to store water in huge oak barrels in the top. 

 

The wall on the north side of the town with ramparts one can walk upon

 The wall with the famous dungeon tower, said to be deeper than it is high

 Dolores was not up to walking and so we explored Rothenburg with my van. She asked that I specifically take this shot of this pretty view looking south down the Smithy Lane

Delicious apple strudel after dinner at the Alter Keller Restaurant

Rhein Cruise

 Dolores spent her final afternoon in Germany enjoying the picturesque Rhein River Valley between the towns of Rüdesheim and St. Goarshausen with a side trip up to see the medieval Marksburg castle at Braubach near Koblenz. The cruise was two hours long and she saw many castles, villages and vineyards along the way. 

 

Burg Stahleck above Bacharach

 Dolores Petit and the VW she rode in around Germany in the background. 

 We used this road to get up into the vineyards above Bacharach 

 Pfalzgrafenstein Castle on the Rhein sits on its own island. It was built in about 1330.

 The amazing fortress of Marksburg. It has never been sacked, destroyed or even captured in more than 900 years.

 The pretty town of Oberwesel and its 12th century church

 

Dolores arrived at the boat early enough to be able to pick the perfect seat

 Leaving the boat in St. Goarshausen

Cruising past history

Auf Wiedersehen in Germany!