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Strasbourg, France
We finally arrived back in Strasbourg, France, a medium large city on the France - German border about 20 miles from Reichsfeld, where Theresa's relatives live. From Strasbourg, we took the train back to Paris where we flew back home.
The Rhine River as seen fro the train as we entered Strasbourg.
Monceau flower shop at Strasbourg. Note the similar spelling to the Mongeau family name (which was Mother's).
Struthof concentration Camp Gas chamber sign. It is a very sad reminder of ugly times. Enough said. ( This is about one hour southwest of Strasbourg.)
Struthof again: showing the monument, the lovely mountain scenery, the memorial crosses, and some of the barracks for the thousands of prisoners of the Nazis.
Memorial cross of Xavier Bleesz, said to be one of our relatives. We were told that he resisted when drafted by the Nazis to fight for the Germans, so he was executed at the camp.
The flag at half mast at Struthof, one of many we saw while in Europe.
Barbed wire perimeter fence at the concentration camp.
Barracks/bunk beds for the prisoners, with photo of prisoners.
Roger, at the 1,000 year old Strasbourg Cathedral, as large as Notre Dame. (Huge, really). Made of pink sandstone and very ornate. Inside, among many other features was a memorial to the Allied liberators from WWI; and a unique astrological clock, and a life size relief of the crucifixion ( "3-d")
An anonymous old man in this window beckoned to me to take his picture. What a neat slice of humanity!
Mark, Joe & Urbain meeting for the first time in front of the Cathedral. More on him later. (a neat cousin!)
Moments later, cousin Roland, wife Odette, their daughters Lucile and Marie, also Urbain, at the Cathedral meeting point.
This is the first family dinner, held in an Alsatian restaurant in La Petite France, a lovely and quaint section of Strasbourg. This dinner was attended by Urbain, Roland, Odette, their daughters Lucile and Marie. Also all eight of us;Ron & Allette, Mark & Rona, Joe & Linda, and Roger & Theresa. Everyone had a lovely time, and too much food was served.They paid for everything! (At both dinners.)
Roland and family, and Urbain
Memorial to Liberators in WWII
Inside the Cathedral - the rose window
Exterior door detail of Cathedral
Gutenberg statue in Strasbourg
Roger & Theresa near the Cathedral... about 3 blocks away and still cannot get it all in the picture. I walked around the perimeter right at the base and it was about 6-7 blocks!
In the quaint part of Strasbourg called La Petite France: some of hundreds of special windows
Here is that "Fritz tavern. It reminded me of cousin Fritz Bleess in the USA. Roland said it means "a nice guy who likes to eat and drink"
Group photo of all eight of us at one of the many lovely sites in La Petite France.
A tavern which had USA cousin's name (Maurice) on it.
Street sign in La Petit France- with Roland
Sign is in French and also Alsatian, which is an extrapolation of both German and French. The relatives from our parents' generation speak only Alsatian. The younger ones speak both French and Alsatian, and some also speak English.
Urbain's house in Reichsfeld.
He is in his early 50's, very cute, animated, fun loving. ( Urbain is the son of Marie and Cyrille. Marie is the daughter of Odile, who is the sister of Grandpa Nick. In other words, Urbain (they pronounce it "Urban" is a grand nephew of Grandpa. He and we are of the same generation--his grandmother and our grandfather were siblings.)
**Please note that names are used over and over again in various generations. so a chart is needed to know which person about whom one is speaking. .
He drives 40 minutes every day to north Strasbourg to a tall building where he works as an insurance claims manager. He speaks pretty good English, even though he says he has not used it in 10 years. He did visit the Bleess reunion in 1979.
He has also travelled to many other countries. He mentioned many. I remember Russia, Holland, Italy, Africa, and I think he said Turkey and also England.
Sign on what we think was a tavern or bar, which read "Bleesz" (in Reichsfeld.)
Reichsfeld church, currently under renovation. Funding is coming from both National and local sources.
A view of Reichsfeld. Very pretty, quaint, and only a few hundred people live in this village, located in grape growing hilly countryside. Most of the houses are 300 years old and very well maintained. The weather is moderate, with summers a bit cooler than we get and although they get snow in winter, it melts quickly. They tell us that 30 degrees F. is as cold as it gets.
Grape fields at Reichsfeld almost ready to harvest. Tasted good- mostly white/green. They mostly make a medium dry wine. These fields are essentially right "in" the town, or right at the edge.
One of the church windows, and some more beautiful flowers, which were everywhere throughout Alsace.
We went first to the home of Roland's parents: the very outgoing Odile (who reminded us of Aunt Ottillia) and Alphonse. He is also a jovial guy. Odile is the daughter of Louis, the brother of Nick. In other words, Odile is a niece of Nick. They served baked goods some of which are usually only for Christmas; and local wine; also Alphonse had made raspberry schnapps of which he was very proud. (True to legend, we saw lots of drinking but no "drunks".)
The home of Grandfather Nick. The people living here now are not in the family but they invited us in to look around. They are in process of renovation and are keeping the "flavor" of the original house. They call this type of structure "half timber" which utilizes wood construction and a mortar made of clay, straw and a white powder. It looks rather like plaster or stucco.
Current occupant of Grandpa's house, with Joe and Urbain.
This is "young" Francis Bleesz, who, at about 50 years old, still lives with his parents. He also works in Strasbourg. He is shown here with his father Fernand, who is a nephew to Grandpa Nick. (Fernand's father, Louis, was a brother to Nick.) This was our first meeting-from their window-as we were touring the town. Later we were invited inside. (See pictures below.)
Inside the home of Odile and Alphonse (Roland's parents). They, as were all of our Alsatian relatives, were very hospitable and very friendly. The lovely baked good were both sweet and salty things, some of which are usually for Christmas.
A good time was had by all. The connections with these folks and all of our relatives was heartwarming!
Inside the home of Fernand Bleesz and wife Jeanne , also son Francis. Also present was Alphonse, in coat and tie, speaking good English, whose wife Jeanne was too infirm to attend. Cyrille Bleesz, father of Urbain was also there.I believe his wife Marie is dead. (Later we met Sabine, Urbain's sister, at her home. She and her husband are also renovating (but keeping the old style) right in Reichsfeld. I do not know how we missed getting a photo of Sabine! Hopefully one of my siblings did.
Again, gracious Alsatian hospitality was shown to us.
In Reichsfeld: this restaurant. with "Bleesz" on it. I think it is from another family.Maybe somebody can explain this.
These four photos are of the wonderful Alsatian dinner we had which was attended by at least 27 people.: Fernand & Jeanne, their Francis & Martha (and her husband); Roland, Odette, Lucile, Marie, Francois (another brother of Roland), his wife Christine, their son Frank; Alphonse, Cyrille, Urbain, Dominique (Urbain's brother,just as gregarious); another pretty, young woman who was very pleasant in spite of a terrible fall years ago in to the Grand Canyon.-somebody please tell me her name!
I appreciate any additions and corrections to the above. We all want to really understand who everyone is!
Anyhow everyone was so special; the evening went to fast; and when we at last pried ourselves away and out into the rain for an unfamiliar car trip back to the Strasbourg hotel, we had made a great many good memories.
We said that we think Grandpa Nick made a "mistake" coming to a hard life in USA, leaving behind a beautiful homeland and such lovely people. But, as so many young folks did, he fearlessly struck out to a strange new land. And now we have made an unforgettable connection to the past.
