From The Dubois County Daily Herald
Thursday, December 16, 1954
HARK THE HERALD
Receptions, Formal and Informal
by A. T. Rumbach
I shall not attempt to give a day by day account of our rather protracted stay in Reute. To do so would be repetitious and somewhat monotonous. However, I shall touch upon the outstanding incidents and shall try to give a word picture of the numerous very scenic and interesting excursions we made from this base, including almost daily trips into the Schwarzwald and a three-day trip into nearby Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
But first I must tell you about the formal reception accorded us by the citizens of Reute. On Saturday night ( October 2, 1954), while assembled in the family circle, we were informally serenaded over the telephone from the tavern “ Zum Roessle” (The Little Horse) by the lone village musician with an accordion, who “lent to the sound of the music the beauty of his voice”. After several selections over the “far-speaker instrument”, he asked for permission to appear in person; so Mr. Stoeckle accompanied by his accordion and by neighbor Herren came in, played all the old time selections that came to his mind, singing them loudly and vigorously.
It was on Sunday evening ( October 3, 1954) that the big event occurred. Feeling that we had time to rest up after our “long journey from America”, the village band and Maenner-chor (men’s choir) accompanied by the buergermeister and several hundred citizens, assembled in front of the Hettich Beckerei and summoned us from the house. As we stepped out, the band played a lively march and followed up with several other selections.
Then the mayor delivered his address of welcome to “den vier Herren von America” who had honored the village with a visit. I was delegated by the gang to respond, and “unaccustomed as I am to public speaking”, especially in the German language, I made the point short but emphatic, that we were “tickled to death” by the reception. (Let’s see, now, how would one say that one is “tickled to death” in German? Ich bin zu death geticleled?)
Under the direction of the “ verein’s” leader from Freiburg, the Maenner-chor sang some really beautiful numbers, after which they adjourned “ Zum Hirschen”, while the band went on. Eventually, the majority landed in “ der Sonne” where the band furnished the music for a free dance.
The drinks for the band and “ chor” and the dance were at our expense and cost us about $3.50 or $4 each. The Badner Zeitung, printed at Emmendingen, reported next day that “a good time was had by all”. To us it was a unique and unforgettable experience.
A few days later, on one of our trips through the Schwarzwald, we passed through Bolschweil, the ancestral home of the Gramelspachers, where we were most graciously received and especially Onkel Virgil and Onkel Clarence (in absentia) were given many a “ hoch” for the help they had given the family in the difficult post-war days.
It was an early morning visit (about 10 o’clock) and only Oma Gramelspacher, her son, Franz, the village postmaster, and his wife and two children and sister, Mrs. Hilda Schweitzen, whom we decided to call Mary Alice because of her resemblance to the daughter of Claude Gramelspacher, were at home. Again we were treated to Zwetsgen kuchen, pastetten and white wine, before we proceeded on our way. And since only a few of the clan were present, arrangements were made to have Onkel Virgil spend the week-end with them. We learned from Virgil upon his return that there was a great feast in Bolschweil with relatives from Freiburg, and other points in the Breisgau in attendance.
Not far from Bolschweil we came across a saw mill and veneer mill operated by a Gramelspacher, but as far as we could determine, they were not related to the branch of the family that had migrated to American over a century ago (1837).
The Bolschweil folks came to Reute on the last Sunday of our stay in Reute to take part in the farewell ceremonies.