This picture is in the Watson-Curtze Mansion in Erie. It's a family picture and it shows part of my Eriete family. There is Louis Albracht with his family, Frederick and August Albracht and the Mertens family, who are descendants of Louis' elder sister Wilhelmine. I had no pictures of them before and I am so glad that Patti knew that I use to talk often about my Albracht-family when she visited the museum. She remembered the name when reading it on this photo.
Thank you so much, Patti!
Part 1:
I think, this is a quite normal interpretation of today's topic: Some branches and the sky behind them. Because of the contrast between dark wood in the foreground and the bright sky the picture hasn't got any colors, seems as if it were a black and white photography. The blurry part is a little snowflake that fell on the camera lens.
But I were not Georgia if I wouldn't go crazy sometimes:
Part 2:
When going through my photo archives I found a lot of old pics I never published before and It would have been a pity not to show them, because you always see my "new old house" in the background.
In front of the house in the late 1930ies. It was my great grandfather's 70th birthday.
1: grandfather Fritz, 2: my father Georg, 3: father's elder brother Fritz, 4: grandma Anna and her mother Karoline (left of her), 5: great grandfather Fritz
The little boy with the white apron is my uncle Karl and behind him the girl is his sister Luise. They are the only ones on the pic who are still alive.
This must have been shortly before May 1943, when my father's brother died. He (left side) and my father (right side) are sitting at the back seat of the horse carriage. On the stairs there are standing my grandfather (closest to the carriage) and my great grandfather (near the sign at the door). The man in a suit must be my grandmother's youngest brother Georg. The woman must be his wife Karoline. My granny was probably in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
Village feast at the same time: They played a lot of music and went around in the village. In the evening there was dance.
The house in 1959 with the new Veranda in front of it. My father colored the pic with some crayons.
Great grandfather inside the house. We still have the sofa, the cupboard and most of the pictures.
It is currently in the cellar of my other house and waiting to move back to where it belongs. This pic was taken one year ago.
Part 3:
No photo, but it is black and white and it says: Have a wonderful week!
If you want to make your own, you can get it here:
http://goqr.me/[Insert%20text%20here]
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My mother, * September 18, 1927 , + February 12, 2011
I loved my Granny. She was the cutest granny ever. She was my friend and there was nothing I couldn't talk about to her. She was 93, but her spirit was still young.
She died in 1985 during a blizzard. Her heart... It was the day after Christmas in 1985. The day before we spent together. I was the last person who talked to her.
Still miss your love, Granny Anna Albracht.
This is the place where the photo was taken today. You still recognize the floor tiles, where there was the bench there is a small dresser today:
The bench is upstairs now and it changed the color:
I miss you, still, after so many years. It's your birthday today, Grandpa. Wherever you are I'm convinced that you can see me and I know that you like what you see. Yes, we are all here again, in your house. And we are reconstructing it. All your work wasn't in vain. It goes on. Your family lives on in Waldeck.
Opa in 1914; the earliest pic I have
Opa and Grandma Anna at their 25th wedding anniversary in 1943. They just got the message that their firstborn son Fritz was shot in Russia.
Sunday walk along the river Diemel: Opa, grandma and my father; the pic must be taken in the 1950ies.
Opa is holding me, 1960.
50th wedding anniversary: My mother, Opa, me, grandma and my father. It was in 1972.
Opa and grandma the day after their 50th wedding anniversary. They were always flirting.
Happy birthday, Opa. I love you.
I you have got such a nice cousin like I have got, you can praise yourself lucky! He sent me the most valuable item I can think of, the family violin af my Albracht-family. Don't resent me the name, dear cousin, I used it in the originally German version.
Dr. Kenneth Albrecht from Erie
Kenneth and his sister Grace
Erie Highschool Orchestra
Kenneth plays the sax; picture taken in the Todd Studios, St. Louis
The violin is from Kenneth Albrecht (in the center with sax). Kenneth and his sister Grace were grandchildren of Louis Albracht about whom I just posted on my blog. His father was Frederick Albracht, who was a master plumber in Erie. The family went to St. Louis in the 1920ies, were the family owned a music studio. He later came back to Erie. Dr. Kenneth Albrecht, his son, played in several orchestras of the roaring St. Louis during the 20ies and 30ies. He also played on several records and made some film music for Hollywood. His sister Grace wa a singer in New York City.
These are early recordings of 1928, where Dr. Kenneth Albrecht plays the clarinette in Wylie's orchestra.
Ken Albrecht with band on a show boat, St. Louis
Kenneth died young at the age of 46. He had a car accident in Michigan, Ann Arbor. This was in 1950. The newspapers reported about this tragic accident.
His grave at Calvary Cemetery, Erie
He is not forgotten. I left a virtual bunch of flowers at his grave a few days ago, because I found a memorial of him in the internet. And once I will be able to lay real flowers down on his grave, I'm sure.
RIP, Kenneth.
Yesterday was the big day I held his violin in my hands for the very first timeand couldn't believe this. After I fetched it from Kassel, where it arrived, I put it reverential on the drawer in our present living room and I was very, very touched. Here it is, a present of unmeasurable affection value. I am speechless about the fact that I was found worthy to own it. Thank you, dearest cousin, simply thank you, that you gave me such heirloom of your father.
Let me hug you, dear cousin. I don't know how I can ever thank you for a present like this.
It's November again. A month, we use to think of our beloved family members and friends, who are deceased. A month, we use to bring flowers and wreaths to their graves and light candles, that brighten the night on the graveyards.
And when you can't go there, you can bring virtual flowers. Yesterday I found an interesting site where I found a lot of graves of my Eriete family. Here is one, just as an example: Louis Albracht, who went to Erie with his twin brother Henry. Both were born in Rhoden in the beautiful Dukedom of Waldeck. Louis was a carpenter and reconstructed the Lutheran Church in Erie, Henry was an engineer. Both constructed sturdy brick houses at French Street 309 and 310 after they attended and survived the Civil War. Their nephew Carl Reins died in Tennessee, but both brothers were lucky and came back to Erie. Louis married Lena Curtze. He died in 1910.
Here is a picture for Louis from where he is born:
I'm sure he can see all this from his cloud in heaven.
Findagrave.com is a wonderful site, where you can find a lot of information about your family. And it's a wonderful way to send virtual flowers. Thank you for this! Theanks to the people who made this site and thanks to those who helped with all the pictures of tombstones.
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Tombstone of Louis: Picture shot by my cousin Mary Kappelt Skol at Erie Cemetery
Rhoden: Old Postcard owned by my Aunt Louise Klapthor of Erie
Today I was back to school, holidays are over. It was a long, long day and I'm pretty tired, but glad to be home again now. In a few minutes I have to take Anna home from her driving lessons, so there is only time for a coffee and for browsing a bit through the old picture collections my garndma Anna Albracht Gutschank made for her two sons and my own collections.
On my desk there is a new picture of Anna, which I like very much. It was made a few days ago for her driving licence:
Anna, 20 years old
Both Annas at the age of 16: Anna Gutschank and Anna Albracht Gutschank, her great grandmother
I think my Anna has got the right name! - And here is the very first picture of my daughter at the age of only 1 day. Isn't she sweet? Of course all mommies think their children are sweet, I know.
*Smile* Whenever I look at this picture I can't avoid smiling or laughing, because my father is sooooooo happy with his little Anna (1 1/2 year old) on his arm - but also a bit stressed out. No grandfather could be more proud! I love you both over all!
Time to leave again now. I have to drive another hour to take my Anna home. I'm glad when we are together. We always have something to chat about or something we can smile about. She is certainly very tired now after 8 hours working at the land registry office (although she loves this work), two hours of practical driving lessons and two hours of theoretical driving lessons.
Bye!I must hurry up!
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Pictures: The pictures beong to Georgia; all rights reserved
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