Suzanna Kostelnic (Varga) Wargo 1859-c1910

   The Mystery of “Fuzsi” or “Fursi” is Solved!

"Slovakia Census, 1869," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-28480-19928-12?cc=1986782 : accessed 7 March 2016).

I am so thankful for doing my spit test with Ancestry DNA along with my brother, my mother & my father’s sister. I have been connected with unknown distant cousins through the current DNA popularity & others that I knew about; yet, I had difficulty locating.

In three previous blog posts from 2016, I was researching the mystery of the surname of my great-grandmother, Mary Hyduck/Kostelnic Sarna. In the final post, I concluded that her name was Kostelnic. In doing so, I came across a mysterious forename of one of her sisters, Fuzsi or Fursi. 

See attachment here.

Mary had two elder sisters, Anna born 1851, Fuzsi or Susanna born 1859. Mary was born in 1863. A fourth sister, Elizabeth was born in 1866. 

A DNA cousin and I have been collaborating our family trees. I am connected via her husband’s line. Jean Hoffman’s family tree is from Anna’s line. She has shared more details along with photos.

Anna Kostelnic Zemany, the firstborn, with her first four children of eight. This photo was taken around 1882.

Mary Kostelnic Sarna, the third born, with her family. Their younger daughter is my grandmother. Photo was taken around 1900.

Anna & Mary sure look like sisters!

Suzanna Kostelnic came to the US around 1875 

according to the 1900 US Census. 

She is listed with her husband Michael Wargo. They were married by 1880. They have four children listed as Michael, John, Mary, Susan all born between 1883 to 1895.

My mother and her sisters, remember their grandmother, Mary Kostelnic Sarna,  telling stories about her coming to the US as a teenager, first staying with her sister, a Mrs. Wargo. Suzanna! 

Anna came to the US in 1874 with her husband, Michael Zemany. Susanna followed the next year in 1875. She was married to Michael Wargo by 1880. Mary came in 1880 and married George Sarna by 1883.

Several Extract Deed documents mention the three sisters (husbands mentioned), Mrs. Anna Zemany, Mrs. Susanne Wargo and Mrs. Mary Sarna all living in Freeland, Pennsylvania, at the same time! Thank you, Richard and Jean Hoffman for helping me solve this mystery!    

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Vol. 269, p. 65

Cross Creek Coal Co. to Trustees of the Hungarian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Freeland Pa.

     “This indenture made the Twenty-first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred  and eighty-Seven Between the Cross Creek Coal Company of the first part and Michael Zemany and Michael Warga of Freeland Pa, George Dzurisen and John Soltis of Upper Lehigh Pa Michael Cervenak George Celig of Sandy Run John Kmetz of Drifton and John Homulska of Eckley Pa Trustees of the Hungarian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Freeland Luzerne County Pennsylvania of the Second part, “

Abstract: For the sum of one dollar a lot on the east side of Washington Street is sold. The lot is identified as No six (6) of block L on a map of the Woodside. Further description of the lot is:

“Beginning at a point on East side of said Washington Street on hundred and twenty-five (125) feet south of the South-East corner of the intersection of said Washington Street with Luzerne Street thence East on a line parallel with said Luzerne Street one hundred and thirty (130) feet more or less to an alley or Smaller Street on a line parallel with said Washington Street twenty-five (25) feet thence west on a line parallel with said Luzerne Street one hundred and thirty (130) feet more or less to said Washington Street thence North along said Washington Street twenty-five (25) feet to point of beginning.”

All the usual rights are granted to the party of the Second Part, their successors and assigns in trust for the Church and School purposes and as a dwelling for the resident clergyman and not for interment of deceased persons or any other purposes. Failure to heed this restriction will result in forfeiture of the Estate granted and reversion of ownership to the grantor.

   The original declaration contained the word “heirs” in five places. This word was lined out and replaced with the word “successors” in the presence of both parties. Sealed with the Corporate Seal of the Cross Creek Coal Company, and signed Eckley B. Coxe, president; Arthur McClellan, secretary; Michael Zemany, Michael Warga, Djurisen George, John Soltis, Mikel Cervenak, George Celig, John (his X mark) Kmetz, John Homulka

   Receipt of one dollar acknowledged by J. B. White, Treasurer of the Cross Creek Coal Company

   Signature above sworn to as his and sale sworn to as executed in his presence and with his affirmation by Eckley B. Coxe, president of the Cross Creek Coal Company on 26 April 1887 in the presence of Elliott A. Oberrender, Notary Public.

   Similarly sworn to by parties of the second part on 23 Apr 1887 and notarized by John D. Hayes

   Recorded Aug 4th 1887

Another volume mentions a land sale between George Sarna and Michael Wargo (brothers-in-law) of Lots 21 & 22 across the street from the church property mentioned above.

Vol. 306

p. 248

George Sarna and Mary Sarna his wife of Upper Lehigh to Susan Varga (Wargo) of Foster Twp for $1.

W. side of Washington in Woodside Addition, #21 & 22 of Block K, 125’ S. of SW corner of Washington and Luzerne, W 130’ parallel (see map)

Dated 29 March 1892, Recorded 18 April 1892

p. 250

Michael Wargo and Susan his wife of Foster Twp to George Sarna of Upper Lehigh for $350 above lots 21 & 22.

Dated 29 March 1892, Recorded 18 April 1892

Included is a map with the above properties mentioned provided by Jean Hoffman.

All of Michael and Susan’s children were born in  Upper Lehigh, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, from 1883-1895. The Wargo family moved to Michigan by 1910.

I have also been connected with Wargo distant cousins through Ancestry DNA. One of them, unfortunately, informed me that her grandmother had a fire that destroyed all the family pictures and information. She was so thankful for the information I had on her ancestors.

Now did the fourth sister, Elizabeth Kostelnic, remain in Slovakia or did she also come to the US? I hope to find the answer to this question with more research and DNA testing.

Domain of the Golden Dragon Crossing the Prime Meridian- Part 6

Traveling Back to the United States 

Going the LONG Way

27 Sep 1965 - 23 Oct 1965

Part 6

In my previous blog post, I left my family on the train heading north to the Belgium border along the middle Rhine River to Cologne, Germany. Martha continues in her travel journal.

 Monday, 18 Oct 1965 -

"Our 5th stop is Bingerbrush (Bingen). Old castle on a hill across the river. Much traffic of barges on the Rhine. Clothes hanging out to dry on the barges. Families live on them. Fort on an island on the river. Trees & foliage along banks with beautiful autumn colors. Villages already looking more Dutch than German. Vineyards on the hillside on the other side of the river. We hit Koblenz at 1100. I started talking to our compartment mates. One was a man from Athens. He got off at Bonn. We had lunch & arrived in Cologne at 1215. We change trains to track 2A. It's very crowded. We saw the famous

Cologne Cathedral just across the tracks from the railroad station. We departed Cologne at 1245. We almost didn’t get seats. We ended up on the NO SMOKING car again. (My parents were smokers at this time in their lives.) 

Dusseldorf was our 1st stop. An old lady was peeking around from her compartment. I guess to see who was making funny noises. She had on a long black skirt, a long-sleeved blouse, a half apron & a black headscarf, a peasant-style dress. 2nd stop - Bruggen. 

We cross the border at Emmerich into the Netherlands. The train stops & police get on to check our passports & to make any money exchanges. Some German police were going home from work. We passed a neat little dairy farm. We stop at Erlhakm, a large size town. I saw neat rows of suburban type homes & apartment houses. Two elderly ladies get on. I saw a farm lady in wooden shoes checking her drying clothes. I saw Ayrshire cows, chickens, geese, pigs, & horses. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen farms like these. (Martha grew up on  a similar farm.)  We stopped at Utrecht at 1545 as we were running 30 min. late.

We arrive at Amsterdam at 1615, where we descend into a tunnel below the tracks. Gib discovers he forgot his Alpine hat & dashes back to the train but can’t find it. We go back upstairs to the main area & check Lost & Found. NO. They tell us to check when we leave. He thinks he left it in the compartment next to us when we were forced out of it as he was trying to save seats. Someone possibly walked off with it. We check in our excess baggage. Stan calls 2 hotels; no room in one, & the other doesn’t answer. The Hoksbergen on Singel Canal has rooms available. Gib checks costs of the trip to Brussels. We wait outside for a taxi. We sight cars & bicycles fighting each other in the homebound traffic. We show concern in which the taxi driver laughs & says, “Everyday like this.” At the hotel, there were brick-paved & tree-lined streets along the canals. It was a small hotel. We went up only one flight of narrow steep steps. A nice elderly couple runs it. The Check-In Desk was in the hallway. There was a small dining room to the left with throw rugs on top of their 4 tables. A small bar was in the corner with a TV & a few upholstered chairs. There was a kitchen & private sitting room to the rear. Our front room was overlooking the canal. Lovely. Tall windows with lace curtains & heavy brocade drapes. Two twins beds, a cot for Gib & a wall bed for Mary. Everyone was tired & irritable. Stan & I argue over the cost of the room which was 12 guilders per person, including large breakfasts, service charge 15% was added. We had a sink in our room. The shower was across the hall & the toilet was at end of hall. Very narrow buildings. We freshen up & go out for dinner. 

We walk to V.A.M.I. restaurant. Hungry for some Dutch "broodjes" which I thought were gooey-open faced sandwiches. These turned out to be thin sliced plain meat on top of an open- soft roll. I had to eat mine with a knife & fork. There was a peculiar odor like de-natured alcohol in the restaurant, but it had a nice atmosphere. Stan & I had an "advorkat" which is a yellow alcoholic pudding with whip cream. Very delicious & strong. We also had delicious vegetable soup served in large pewter cups. The children had "broodjes" & cream puffs. We walked back to our hotel about 1930. Mary & I watch American cartoons on TV with Dutch subtitles. We were all in bed about 2030.

Tuesday, 19 Oct. 1965 -

Up at 0830. We dress & down to our big breakfast of ham, cheese, fried egg, toast, white & whole wheat, jam & butter, coffee & tea. We pass the cleaning woman on way up to clean rooms carrying a big plastic bucket full of keys. We are outside about 1000. We walk along the canal. The children go back into our hotel to get bread to feed the ducks. Seagulls join them. Stan crosses the bridge to the other side to take pictures. 

Mary, Gib & Martha feed the birds with bread at the canal.

We cross the square. We take a glass-covered boat to tour the canals which lasted about 85 minutes. We pass rows of very narrow houses. Rembrandt and Anne Frank’s houses were pointed out along with the St. Nicola Russian Church near the railroad station. Seven bridge extensions on roofs of houses with hooks to hoist furniture into houses as stairs too narrow. Then into the harbor, where there were many floating dry docks. We return to the Rondvaart dock. We find the Victoria Hotel to find out where there is an American Express station where Stan & Gib go for money, while Mary & I browse in souvenir shops. We stand on the street corner watching a traffic cop turning the signals. 

I see my first woman in Dutch costume. The boys are back & we go across the bridge to the railroad station to get tickets for Brussels, 48.60 in guilders. We then browse up Damrak Canal to the Debok Restaurant. Tables were covered with yellow plastic table cloths. I had cream mushroom (champignon) soup which was terrible & followed by meat "croquetto," also terrible, with french fries. The others had meat patties with french fries. Stan & I had a beer. Out again & back to the railroad square where we went to the dock built with white & grey low Victorian-style buildings. We purchased tickets to take the boats across the harbor costing us Dutch 25 cents each. We then catch the bus for 45 minutes across to Volendam, a nearby fishing village. Across from us, sat a woman in Dutch costume with narrow crochet scant in blue & white design with tassels. A man wore wooden shoes. I see no windmills, but many dykes. We arrived at Volendam, a small quaint quiet village, about 1430. It looks like only married women wear Dutch clothing. The children dress like ours. There were many tiny 2 story houses with a peaked 2nd story. 

We walked off the bus at the bus station & walked around. Women dressed in black shoes & stockings, long black dirndl skirts, long blue, white & brown stripes half apron (note everyone leaves 2nd ties hanging loose), a black blouse with white embroidery, black peak cap with no wings. Dark plaid fringed shawls. Houses either red brick or shiny varnished wood. Some window frames painted in blue. Then we come across the waterfront & we see some men in black baggy trousers. We find many souvenir shops. I got dolls for Mary & 2 painted tiles for both grandmas. Everything so expensive. I also bought my postcards. Properties are very pleasant. Walking further along, we find a very tiny street & tinier houses. They hang clothes by twisting 2 lines rather than use clothespins. We find our way back to the bus station to catch the 1525 bus back. We stop at the Marken where a large group of blond rosy-cheeked, runny-nosed school children get on the bus. I note the style of the canal draw bridge. We take the boat back to Amsterdam. We walk back to the long Damrak Canal & stop in a candy shop & I buy 6 slides at 20 cents apiece.

Wednesday, 20 Oct 1965 -

Up at 0700. Dress, pack & out of Room 3 of Hoksbergen Hotel. Down to breakfast at 0800. Cheese, ham (thin slices), toast with butter, jam & soft boiled egg with coffee & tea. Stan pays the bill with a Travel Cheque as the young cook & waiter said “not American Express” as the mistress told us yesterday. We talked awhile to a couple from New York who are on their way to Munich. Our taxi arrives at 845 for the railroad station. Gib checks Lost & Found for his Alpine hat. No luck. We go up to platform 2 & wait for the Brussels car to be hooked on. It is a small 2nd class section with 4 groups of seats. We depart at 920. Our first stop is at Haarlem. The countryside is flat. I see trucks, dairy farms, & some old-style windmills at last. I can’t take pictures as the sun is on one side & the reflection is on the other side. I love my view of the canals, houseboats, immense field of flower (mostly chrysanthemums) hothouses. Our next stop is at Delft & then on to Rotterdam. We pass small wooden square frames with clotheslines sticking out of apartment windows. Farmland again. Next stop Dordrecht. Spend one last guilder & 30 cents on one coffee & Coke which we share. An elderly woman gets on & scolds a young man for smoking. Then makes him close the window & she closes the door. She spoke to me across the aisle this time in English & said it makes her furious to see people smoking in the NO SMOKING car. Later, after she leaves for the restaurant car, everyone lights up opening the windows, relaxes, laughs & talks about the old grouch. Next stop is Roosendaal. A lady gets on with her collie who nuzzles Mary & visits everyone. This makes us realize how much we miss our dog still in Japan waiting for us to arrive in the United States. We cross the border into Belgium. We arrive in Antwerp at 1145. Stan exchanges for the Belgium franc (49 francs to the American $1.00)."

This is the last entrance in Martha Cooper’s travel journal. I am sure she meant to fill it in at a later time.

Mary, Gib & Martha at the Stad Brussel in Brussels.

Mannekin Pis, otherwise the famous statue in Brussels.

We arrived in Brussels by 1230, according to my dad’s itinerary. We stayed at the Hotel Carlton-Brouse. Martha makes a note that it was “not so good.” Martha continues our adventure in her 1965 Christmas letter, "We stayed for an overnight where we saw the old Guild Houses, the flower market, & the old royal palace with its gardens. We had hoped to go to Paris, but time & money were running out."

Thursday, 21 Oct 1965 - Saturday, 23 Oct 1965

Here is my father’s itinerary for our last 3 days in Europe.

Thurs. Oct. 21 - Depart Brussels by train at 0950 for Oostend & arrive at Oostend at 1115 to catch the boat for Dover at 1500.  Arrive Dover at 1830. Depart by train for London at 1910. Arrive in London at 2030.

Fri. Oct. 22 - Day in London

Sat. Oct. 23 - Depart London by bus at 0715. Arrive Mildenhall at 1030. Departed at 1300 by PanAm MATS (Military Air Travel Service).  Arrive McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey at 1945.

Martha continues in her Christmas letter, “So we went to Oostend, Belgium, where we took the channel steamer to Dover, England. Then by train to London. [This is where we cross the Prime Meridian, unknown to me.] We had planned to have spent at least 4 days in England so we could visit British friends in Portsmouth; but the MATS flight schedule was changed so we had just 2 days in London & nearly choked to death from the smog. We peered at Buckingham Palace through the bars of the fence, had a photo taken this time with the British Guard, walked through a beautiful park, on to Westminster Abbey & the Houses of Parliament. We took a boat ride on the Thames to the London Bridge & the Tower. We rode on a double-decker bus to Piccadilly Circus, where we went to a theater & fulfilled Mary’s dream of seeing her Beatle friends in their latest movie “HELP” on home grounds. 

Stan met some friends while arranging for a flight home, & Martha did the laundry. We had a 3-hour early morning bus ride to Mildenhall through thick fog so we didn’t see any English countryside. We left Mildenhall on a MATS chartered PanAm flight at 1300. Mom also wrote about this memory (not in the letter) flying home from Europe. ‘Gib & Dad sat on one side of the aisle. Mary & I sat on the other side of the aisle. Dad reached over & handed Mary a note folded to look like an envelope addressed to her marked AIR MAIL!!’ 

Mary found this napkin at a later date. It was not addressed to Mary. It was for mom. We arrived at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, around 2030.”

I will never forget this privilege to tag along with my family to see the world. As a 9-year old, there were times I was ornery & showed it along with feelings of mania; also feeling in-between as I experienced different cultures. Travel is better than reading about different places. I am thankful I found my mother’s journal & my father’s photos so I could share these memories with my family & friends many decades later.

Domain of the Golden Dragon Crossing the Prime Meridian- Part 5

Traveling Back to the United States 

Going the LONG Way

27 Sep 1965 - 23 Oct 1965

Part 5

I am now continuing with my mother’s journal.

Wednesday, 13 Oct 1965 -

We boarded the train in Rome, Italy, at 2050 & we slept on the train the best we could as the train stops at stations, doors of compartment bang open & shut as people are looking for seats.

 Thursday, 14 Oct 1965 -

Daybreak about 6AM. Now we can see something. We ate our breakfast of turkey & salami, hard-boiled eggs, vino, mineral water & pears packed for us at the restaurant last night. Our compartment mates had German-Swiss cheese, rolls & other one cold pizza. Back to the washroom to freshen up. We are in the last car on the train. About 7:30 at Chiasso, Switzerland, a border town, we had our passports checked.  

Eventually, into the Swiss mountains, chalets look down into a fog-covered valley with a village church steeple sticking up out of the fog. 

We arrive in Zurich, Switzerland, at 1520. We wait in front of a candy wagon full of pretty boxes of Swiss chocolates, while Stan & Gib phone hotel & get a cab. We take the taxi to Rothus Hotel, a local pension, which rates #5 out of Europe on $5 A Day. HAHA. According to the book it states, “another big hotel located in the most interesting area of Zurich, the Niederdorf, just a block or two from the river, in the center of the city, but in a quaint, unchanged, medieval section of town, filled with narrow streets for walkers only, statues &    fountains at every small plaza, & packed also with cafes & nightspots of Zurich. The Rothus (whose lobby is one flight up) is above a nightclub, whose activity & noise may disturb, but may delight you. It is a large place with over 100 beds, neat & proper in a clean, woodsy old-fashioned Swiss-style (there are big feather blankets on each bed). The prices are fairly good for high-priced Zurich.” 

The cab drives along the river on the opposite side from the railroad station.  He turns off onto a narrow street with angled buildings. We stop in front of what seems to be a night club. It is downstairs & also across the street. Where is the hotel? Upstairs, no, only a restaurant. Down again. Another man from Spain is also looking for the same

hotel. Up again, ah, behind the curtains on the left. We find a semi-circle desk. Get key, up to the room in an elevator with doors on 2 sides as the floors are split. We enter one door on the vestibule (2nd floor of the building). The 1st floor is really the 4th. We were on the 8th floor in room 401. We are greeted by a heavy set matronly woman. In our large room, there are 3 big single beds. Not fancy, but clean. 2 sinks, a wardrobe, with a table & chairs. We had to share a common bath. Each bed had a big fluffy feather pillow & a feather blanket. We all wanted to fall right into those feathers, but Stan wouldn’t let us. The beds not yet made, but a floor maid came in to do so. We freshened up, then went out to look for a place to eat. We walked down the narrow street to the river passing all kinds of interesting shops. A butcher shop with all kinds of yummy looking wursts, pasty shops, & candy shops, etc. We cross the street to the Limmat River & watch the swans & ducks.

We cross 1/2 way over on the Townhall Bridge or locally called the “Vegetable Bridge.” We watch young boys fishing. We turn back to find the Blockhaus Restaurant to try their cheese fondue. This was also recommended in Europe on $5 A Day  “The Blockhaus Restaurant serves great fondue (melted cheese with wine & Kirsh, lapped up with chunks of bread, the food speciality of Switzerland.” Pretty waitress & a girl bartender. German-style rough decor with dark oak. Stan & I order the fondue. Not so good. Would like it better with kirsch. Served bubbling over a flame in an orange iron pan. Ordered kirsch with it. We still do not like the dish. Live & learn. Children fared better. For 90¢, they had thick barley soup, cauliflower lettuce salad, tasty veal stew with corkscrew noodles. Our bill came to about $6. We also showed the waitress how to make Coca Cola floats. Nice German music & atmosphere. On the way back to the hotel, we passed a 

children’s theatre. We crossed the river & worked our way through the narrow side streets to the Jelmoli Department Store where we each got a pair of gloves & a hood for Mary. The weather is crisp & chilly now. The older Swiss woman dress very plain/tailored, with low flat-heeled oxfords. The younger women were more fashionable. They had big bows on their shoes. This must be the high style now as we noticed this in Italy also. Fur ascots also were worn by many women. Those with hats are older with roll brim styles. No scarves on heads, just me. Looked at toys & sporting goods. Many English speaking clerks. We looked at Marklin trains for Gib’s collection & Alpine hats. Good looking but couldn’t find the price or anyone to tell us. I bought some Swiss chocolates. Browsed in the toy dept. Bought some little dishes for Mary’s Barbie. We crossed the street back to the railroad station to purchase tickets for Munich tomorrow. We walked back to the Pension. We stopped in a coffee shop for pastries & coffee. At the hotel, I did some hand laundry. Called for baths. Toilet down the hall. Could hear pigeons down in court below. When water is drawn, we are called. Mary & I first. Then to bed under the soft warm feather beds. We slept well.

Thursday, 14 Oct 1965 -

Up at 7:30 AM & out from under the feather beds. Dress (clothes still damp), pack up & down to breakfast. German-style dining room occupied by boisterous laughing German-speaking people. Breakfast of coffee, tea, hot milk & crescent & round shaped rolls with butter & jelly (continental breakfast). Rolls more delicate & lighter than Italian. Back to the room for our luggage. Then down to check-out. Cost of room (3 beds-4 of us-2 sinks-no bath in room-3 Continental breakfasts) plus 3 baths & 1 extra breakfast) 43.70 in Swiss francs.

Stan calls a taxi. A boy in green apron takes bags out front. Wait 10 min. for a taxi. To the railroad station by 915, The porter takes bags for 4 francs. At the train station, I buy postcards (10 for 3.50 francs). Buy sandwiches (ham in big rolls), grapes & 2.5 pounds of milk for 7.40 francs for our lunch on the train. Also English peppermints. To platform to wait for the train from Bern, Switzerland, in at 1000.  2nd class. Gib goes aboard first & gets seats. Then Dad sends luggage. This time we all got window seats. Train not cubicle type, open slot luggage racks above seats, large windows. Depart at 1020 for Munich. Winterthur is our first stop & 2 beautiful young blonds got on & sat next to Dad & Gib. They tried to figure out a card game we were playing & whether we were English or Americans. I enjoy the lovely fall scenery. Autumn colors profuse. Pastoral scenes.

Cows, sheep, some cows with different size brass bells. Small villages with church steeples. Every house has neat vegetable and/or flower garden.

Yesterday’s bedding hanging out of windows to air. It’s a hazy day. Areas along the railroad track also neat, clean & tidy as we are riding on electric trains. Even the coal company has bags hanging neatly on lines against the outside wall of buildings. This is similar to my home in Pennsylvania. The blondes got off at St. Gallen, our 5th stop. Weather crisp & chilly. We are wearing our sweaters, coats, & gloves bought yesterday. Stop at #7 at Rorschach onshore of Upper Lake Constance near the Austrian border. Architecture more German Gothic out of Zurich. (Swiss-German-Italian languages) Lace curtains (saw some drying over bushes) at windows. Flower boxes at windows, mostly geraniums. Tomato plants covered with plastic. Chrysanthemums in bloom of many colors. #8 stop is St. Margrethen on the Austrian border at noon. Customs inspectors come by in their green jackets & visor caps look at our passports. We pass a big expressway system.

Another inspector comes by to speak to us. Stan told him that we were American, he then came to me across the aisle to tell me in German that they were American so I said with my hands that we were together. His hand flew to head, then with a big smile saluted us. He left. Then at Bregenz, near lake again (upper Lake Constance). Yacht marina & swans. Rows of very tiny one-door houses surrounded by gardens. Eat lunch we bought this morning at a buffet counter in Zurich railroad station. Ham on soft rolls, grapes, milk. 

We crossed the Austrian/German border. At Lindau, we were back out of the station & surrounded by apple orchards with trees heavily laden with red fruit. Then beautiful farm country interspersed by wooded areas of tall evergreens. We passed Immarstadt where I saw an old man with a beard standing by the track in Alpine style clothes. There were 3 rail busses together waiting for customers. Next stop Kempten. An elderly woman sat next to me. We tried to speak to each other. Everyone gets a kick out of Mary talking to her doll. The next stops are Kaufbeuren & Buchloe. 

We arrive in Munich at about 3:30 PM. Stan checks bags, exchanges money, & buys tickets to Heidelberg. We walk to Pension Hella, a block away, as recommended by $5 A Day. "The cheapest way to live in Munich is to seek out its many pensions. which turn out to be large apartments occupying one or two floors of an apartment house or a large 2-family home. Although many of these lack elevators, they are remarkable, comfy, homey, old-fashioned places with a German ‘hausfraus’ or housewife as their proprietress. They rarely charge more than $2 a person!"  At the Pension Hella, there are street repairs in front. We find the big wooden door. We enter into a concrete tunnel with a stone floor. Very dark. Find the light switch. Steep rickety stairs at end of the tunnel & climb up 2 flights of stairs. Very dismal & dreary. We find a sexy-looking brunette in black stretch pants. We ask for a room. She has to call the owner. We have to wait until she makes up the beds. Torn linoleum on floors. Filthy court down below. Musty smelling. Up another flight to our rooms. I ask about baths. The attendant does not know. She tells us that the owner will be here later tonight. The room is about 30 DM (Deutsche Marks) per night. Our room is a very large room with a small room off to the side. The toilet in the hall is filthy. We don’t like it, but we’ll take it. I ask about where to have laundry done & she is no help. Forget it. We freshen up & are out the door & turn left at the corner. We pass a yummy pastry shop & a few doors down we find laundry & dry cleaner!  I attempt to get information. The owner says, “Yes to express.” So Gib & I run back to the room for clothes to sort & list. When we get back they tell us it can’t be done. Misunderstanding due to lack of language. In situations like this, they go running around the neighborhood looking for someone who speaks/understands English. The old man here tried. He could speak but could not understand us. We decided to keep on walking. They suggested we go to the one at the railroad station. Long walk. We go looking in shop windows on the way. Gib is carrying the heavy laundry bag. Passed movie house advertising a Don Camillo movie with Fernandel; but, shucks, not tonight. Looks like Don Camillo in Russian. At the railroad station, we find a dry cleaner which is just across from where we checked our other bags. They took our shirts & trousers (had to be dry-cleaned) but not the underwear. Told us about a self-service “washateria.” Decide not to bother tonight. We go right out from the station on Bayerstrasse & turn into Sounenstrause where we went into Lowenbran for dinner. Stand up service at the entrance. Front rooms have tablecloths. Back further in the rear bar area - no covers. We took a table there. There was a big semi-circular bar with a beer barrel behind. We watch the bartender change the barrel. Stan & I each have a huge stein of beer. Order “schwien met kraut” & "knudel mit sauce” (Roast pork with kraut & potato dumpling with tomato sauce). The dumpling was the size of a baseball. Kraut was mushy. I don’t like the flavor, as it does not taste as well as mom makes it. Tomato sauce spoils it. Waitress mostly middle-aged wearing a black dress with a rose print. The younger ones were in a dirndl, a German traditional dress. Gib had ham & kraut. Dad had roast beef. We hear brawls from the beer hall upstairs. After eating, we went upstairs to check it out. Huge hall. Band in the stand in the center of the room. Players in green shorts & suspenders. We stand by door & watch. Waitresses pass by carrying 6 big steins in each hand, some carelessly sloshing the beer. No children in the whole place except ours; none allowed in the beer hall. We start to walk back to the hotel, tired so we take a cab back to Pensione Hella. The big door was locked. We knock. Someone on the other side yells back in German & we knock & they yell, etc. Finally, Gib sees a button & presses it which unlocks the door. He was trying to get out & we in. The hall was pitch black, feel for light switch & then find our way up to the 4th floor in dim lights. So depressing. Hurry to bed to pass night quickly.

Friday, 15 Oct 1965 -

Up & out of that horrible place by 830. We went into the Kondetosea for pastry & coffee for our breakfast, a pastry shop nearby. We chose an assortment of 8 different pastries & divide them so each can have a taste of everything. Gib is still carrying the dirty laundry. So we get our directional bearings & walk toward the station which we pass & follow directions to find the washateria. We finally find it to work on our laundry. We pass the Hotel Pension Ancora on the same street as the washateria. We check it out, find it is run by a wonderful Turkish couple & decide to stay here for the night. 

 We go back to Pension Hella & check out. After details are done with the Hotel Pension Ancora & clean laundry put away, we go out to visit Munich. We walk to the Marienplatz, or St. Mary’s Square, to see the famous Rathaus-Glockenspiel or the new Town Hall Clock built

Postcard mom bought & did not send.

in 1908. At noon, the clock chimes & tells two stories from the 16th century. This lasts about 15  minutes long. At the end, the rooster at the top chirps quietly 3 times. We visit the Deutsches Museum in the afternoon.

Deutsches Museum postcard

We walked along the Isar River & pass the Friedensengel or the Angel of Peace which was erected in 1899 celebrating 25 years of peace in Germany (1875-1899).   

Saturday, 16 Oct 1965 -

Up at 7AM. All took cold showers in the shower stall in our room. Across the hall was the toilet. Sink in our room. Pack, dress & outside to look for pastry & coffee for breakfast. Found one around the corner toward the railroad station. Very tidy. Delicious looking pastries & candies. There were blueprint glass-covered tablecloths on their tables. We choose assorted pastries & divided them between us. Coffee & hot chocolate. Bought assorted cookies for lunch. Then on to the Platz, a big toy store. I ran into a hat shop, but Alpine hat for D.M. 9.50 ($2.20) was a child’s hat. Ladies’ hats too expensive, so I didn’t get any. Joined others in the toy shop. Gib bought some MÄRKLIN train cars. (2 for DM 16 = $4). Mary & I look at dolls & dollhouses & furniture. Fabulous miniature assortments & styles. They even had a little schoolhouse with playground equipment. There were 2 nuns buying quite a bit for an orphanage.  I found little dishes for Barbie ($1.00), a tiny baby doll DM 1.50=38¢) for Mary to play with on train & German boy & girl dolls, 5 inches for her collection @ DM 12.50=$3.25). 

Lodging & meals cheap in Munich, but material things are expensive. They mixed up our purchase in the toy store as every purchase is sent to a big purchase &  wrapping counter. They had the wrong doll in our basket, I ran back to exchange it but had to run back again as it belonged to someone else. From there, Stan & Gib walked back to Pension Ancora for our bags to check out, while Mary & I went over to the Hauptbahnhof railroad station via another street. We stopped in a hat shop & got a brush & medal for Dad’s Alpine hat. 

Then we went to the railroad station laundry & dry cleaning to pick up our clean clothes that came to DM 22. I did not have enough so we went to the exchange office. Very busy. Took me about 20 minutes & when I got back to the dry cleaners Stan & Gib were already there. I thought we might be able to make the 1018 train, but we were too late by the time we got the rest of our bags checked out of the Hondgespack (baggage check room). We then put the clean clothes in the bags & to platform 15. Our train came in about 1130 & Gib ran aboard to get seats. We took the luggage on & left the children to write postcards while Stan & I went for more DMs, postcards, stamps & lunch. Stan had picked up some grapes, so I got some milk, round hard rolls, &  some wurst for sandwiches. I dashed around the corner for big yellow pears. On the way back to train, I spied some apfelstaf (apple cider) on one of the rolling buffets & just had to have some. Since taking one’s lunch on the train is common, the stations are well prepared, even have special bags to carry it in. A large group of young Italian men took up the car in front of us. Each carrying one large suitcase & numerous bags of salamis & loaves of bread, etc. We departed Munich with 2 women in our 6 seat compartment (2nd class) Compartment has 

2 tiny pull up shelves under each window. Jump seats in the aisle. No smoking. Have to go into the aisle for a smoke. 1st stop Augsburg. Had our lunch. 2 ladies got off & one got on. 2nd stop. Ulm. Lady got off. A young man got in our compartment. Raining in Ulm.  Stuttgart at 2PM. Industrial town. The young man got off. We ate our grapes. A young couple got on. Bruchsal was our next stop. We arrive in Heidelberg at 1530. We checked in at the Hotel Central near the railroad station. We attended a local carnival in the evening. How far superior than ours, & a perfectly delightful experience!

Sunday, 17 Oct 1965 - 

Mom left this day blank. I know she intended to fill this in at a later time. I fill in our itinerary using photos, letters, ephemera & the internet.

We chanced upon a Sunday morning ceremony by fox hunters prior to taking up the chase. We explored this great city along with sampling the confectionary goodies & bakeshops.

We toured the Heidelberg Castle on the Neckar River that flows into the Rhine River. Mom takes a picture of a local doing the same taking pictures of my father, my brother & me. Is that with dad’s movie camera? I need to see that film again.

Neckar River viewed looking down from the Castle Hill. 

Another photo was taken from walking uphill to the entrance of Heidelberg Castle, seeing the original ruins built in the Renaissance era. 

The castle went through many natural & man-made destructions & has been rebuilt through the past 8 centuries. 




Martha finds postcards in town. Back in the hotel, we all write postcards to family & friends.

Monday, 18 Oct 1965 -

Martha continues in her journal.

Up at 7AM. Dress & pack up. Check out. Walk across the square from Central Hotel to Haupttionhaf Railroad Station. Very modern. But not the variety of shops & buffets as in Munich & Zurich. I put postcards in the mailbox & gave our film to Sgt. in the U.S. waiting room at the far end of station. (Americans gave the undeveloped film to a U.S. military room at local railroad stations if there was a U.S. base in that city to be mailed to a known address of a home U.S. military base.) 

This travel adventure continues in my next blog post as we move on to Amsterdam in Holland or the Netherlands.