Friday 28 November 2014
We miss you
It is already two years ago, that our Mom, Grandma, friend Hella passed away. Way too early. We miss her ...
Sunday 9 November 2014
November 9th 1989 - 2014 - The day the wall came down
Wow, the time flies by. 25 years ago I made my unbelievable Interrail Trip with my good friend Marcus all over Europe. At a time when the people in East-Germany already started to fight for the right to travel around without being blocked from the Government.
Strange time. For me, living not so far away from the border (about 120km) it was always strange to see this "other world". In my hometown Wunstorf near Hanover we could watch also the east German Television. DDR F1 and DDR F2.
So it was funny to see the news there, the news were always nothing about the movement or just tiny bits of information, but nothing that really showed the huge change coming nearer.
We had no relatives in East-Germany. So there was no close connecting for my family, but we made trips to West-Berlin and we saw a little piece of the old GDR.
The border control was tough. I remember a class trip to Berlin with the Bus. The teachers were telling us not to make any jokes while the GDR Border Patrol controls our passports and inspects the Bus.
There were those moments when someone made a joke and the complete car would be taken apart to check for smuggling etc.
We saw the border patrols on trips to the areas. Even though the Fence is a bit further away, the border itself was much closer and if someone had the stupid idea to walk in the area between a hidden border patrol person could arrest you.
Strange times...
I remember November 9th pretty well. As almost every evening I was watching East German Television News to see once more what they tell about the big protests and people fleeing over the hungarian Border etc.
So there was the news report where Mr. Schabowski talked about the new travel rules, meaning the East-Germans can now cross the border without trouble. Wow, that was big news. We could not believe it.
Even the next morning some friends of mine have not heard the news and were stunned.
My wife Dagmar is from East-Germany, Magdeburg. Only 50km away from the border. She and her sister never really understood, why they could not travel further on the highway...
They also heard the news on the next morning from their parents. Kids we can travel to West-Germany. They thought they were joking.
But it was no joke.
From now on Hanover for example was filled with Trabants and Wartburgs. People from East Germany were coming to this bigger City (500.000 inhabitants) and went shopping.
The city smelled from the 2-cylinder 2 stroke engines :-)
They even had to close some parking garages, because the smoke detectors were always trip.
Once a Trabant was burned down in Hanover. Right after the wall came down. The family was now without a car. So a big Volkswagen Dealer gave them a new used Golf for free, since they were not able to travel anymore.
Hmm, some people thought it was fun and burned down more Trabant cars, but no more free cars were given...
In 2002, 13 years after the wall came down and already 12 years living near Stuttgart I finally met my lovely wife Dagmar in the south.
We were both only separated around 170km for a long time, but with a big fence between us. Living next to the same Highway. Autobahn A2. She was born in Wolmirstedt the sister city of my hometown Wunstorf. But we met 600km away.
Now we have four kids. We are totally happy. We make vacation in "East and West Germany". We are open minded. We live the reunification of Germany. We are no longer East and West - we are one
Our Kids know the history.
In 2007 I finally bought our little 1983 Trabant 601S de Luxe. A present to Dagmar.
I restored it in these years and the Trabant even received a new, regenerated Engine this year.
Also a piece of history.
There are still people East and West that have not changed their old, stubborn thoughts about the former two Germanys. But that will change one day.
The 6 Engelkahles :-)
Strange time. For me, living not so far away from the border (about 120km) it was always strange to see this "other world". In my hometown Wunstorf near Hanover we could watch also the east German Television. DDR F1 and DDR F2.
So it was funny to see the news there, the news were always nothing about the movement or just tiny bits of information, but nothing that really showed the huge change coming nearer.
We had no relatives in East-Germany. So there was no close connecting for my family, but we made trips to West-Berlin and we saw a little piece of the old GDR.
The border control was tough. I remember a class trip to Berlin with the Bus. The teachers were telling us not to make any jokes while the GDR Border Patrol controls our passports and inspects the Bus.
There were those moments when someone made a joke and the complete car would be taken apart to check for smuggling etc.
We saw the border patrols on trips to the areas. Even though the Fence is a bit further away, the border itself was much closer and if someone had the stupid idea to walk in the area between a hidden border patrol person could arrest you.
Strange times...
I remember November 9th pretty well. As almost every evening I was watching East German Television News to see once more what they tell about the big protests and people fleeing over the hungarian Border etc.
So there was the news report where Mr. Schabowski talked about the new travel rules, meaning the East-Germans can now cross the border without trouble. Wow, that was big news. We could not believe it.
Even the next morning some friends of mine have not heard the news and were stunned.
My wife Dagmar is from East-Germany, Magdeburg. Only 50km away from the border. She and her sister never really understood, why they could not travel further on the highway...
They also heard the news on the next morning from their parents. Kids we can travel to West-Germany. They thought they were joking.
But it was no joke.
From now on Hanover for example was filled with Trabants and Wartburgs. People from East Germany were coming to this bigger City (500.000 inhabitants) and went shopping.
The city smelled from the 2-cylinder 2 stroke engines :-)
They even had to close some parking garages, because the smoke detectors were always trip.
Once a Trabant was burned down in Hanover. Right after the wall came down. The family was now without a car. So a big Volkswagen Dealer gave them a new used Golf for free, since they were not able to travel anymore.
Hmm, some people thought it was fun and burned down more Trabant cars, but no more free cars were given...
In 2002, 13 years after the wall came down and already 12 years living near Stuttgart I finally met my lovely wife Dagmar in the south.
We were both only separated around 170km for a long time, but with a big fence between us. Living next to the same Highway. Autobahn A2. She was born in Wolmirstedt the sister city of my hometown Wunstorf. But we met 600km away.
Now we have four kids. We are totally happy. We make vacation in "East and West Germany". We are open minded. We live the reunification of Germany. We are no longer East and West - we are one
Our Kids know the history.
In 2007 I finally bought our little 1983 Trabant 601S de Luxe. A present to Dagmar.
I restored it in these years and the Trabant even received a new, regenerated Engine this year.
Also a piece of history.
There are still people East and West that have not changed their old, stubborn thoughts about the former two Germanys. But that will change one day.
The 6 Engelkahles :-)
Tuesday 4 November 2014
Linkin Park - Jonathan's first concert
Finally I made it to a Linkin Park Concert. I am a big fan since almost the beginning. But so far I had no chance to go to a concert. 4 years ago I had tickets, but Dagmar got sick and I sold the tickets to a friend. Now it was time again and this time it was supposed to be Jonathan's first concert ever. He also loves LP and so we went there. Met another friend and then went to out seats.
More than 10.000 People in the Hanns-Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart.
Jonathan got his first T-Shirt from Linkin Park.
We had such a good time.
Enjoy some pics
More than 10.000 People in the Hanns-Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart.
Jonathan got his first T-Shirt from Linkin Park.
We had such a good time.
Enjoy some pics
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