Our German Summer 2014: Father and Daughter(s): Cologne (Koln), Attendorn Area and Relatives

COLOGNE (KOLN): It was a MUST to drive to Cologne and visit the Cathedral on the way to Attendorn...
and indeed it was spectacular!

a side portal

The oldest remaining sacrament altar with a fixed tabernacle. It can be opened in three transformation. From the 13th c. it originates from a Franciscan convent.

One of several organs in the Dom (the Cologne Cathedral)

view from the bridge after a rain

ATTENDORN: We met Claudia, her parents Theo and Ute, and her children, Maximilian, Charlotte and Klemens at her house just outside the old center of Attendorn. They had fancy cakes and coffee for us. Claudia shared photos of when she visited Texas as a teenager and later again for Grandma's 100th birthday party. See her pics by going to "Our German Roots". (They know quite a few of our relatives from the Fuhrman/Flusche/Pulte families, and they know a lot about Texas.)

That night we checked into Burg Schnellenburg, a beautiful castle built in late 1500's and very well preserved. Wow! Our rooms were darling, spacious and had nice updated bathrooms. The windows overlooked luscious hillside views. As with all our hotels, we enjoyed a spread of cheeses, breads, fresh fruits, homemade jams, rich coffee and more each morning, in a dining room with huge windows covered in ivy. We could watch the fog roll in and out.

In the chapel in Burg Schnellenburg

Ornate ceilings in the chapel

(thanks to Klaus we were able to get in to this room)

the altar in the chapel

Delicious and fancy dinner we shared with the Ortmanns in Schnellenburg Castle

view of the main residence in the castle next to the town tower in Attendorn
(where we stayed) with Claudia
The next day we drove to Attahole near Attendorn, the expansive underground caverns with grand stalagmites and formations. It is quite extensive...our guide was animated in pointing out unique formations and telling stories about these. (I wasn't allowed to take pictures.)
http://www.atta-hoehle.de/index.php?id=2

The story goes that our great-great grandfather Wilhelm Steinmetz owned about an acre near this natural wonder. However, Claudia had the land deed looked up by the city, and it was not so close to this popular tourist spot. (If we had owned some part of it, and held onto the land, we would have acquired some wealth!) So I joked maybe we had one or two stalagmites or -tites. The tour of the caves was quite interesting!

After the tour of course Dad had to joke about a small rip in Maximillian's jeans...he said, "Atta hole!"

To read a lot more about the Steinmetzes and other relatives, go to "Our German Roots".

Next we got a tour of central Attendorn including a small museum, the church and the tower which holds the Schuzenfest medals, etc. You can read about some of these places on this great site: http://www.hivino.travel/discover-germany/medieval-castles-and-fairy-tale-villages/attendorn--old-hanseatic-city-in-the-sauerland/e379

Theo and Dad, center of Attendorn

The wall (and moat) around the central part of Attendorn remained until early 1900's, and then they decided to tear it down to make the city "more accessible" and inclusive of neighborhoods.

the beautiful church in Attendorn

this is a well preserved altar they have in the town museum

old light fixture in the tower

People of Attendorn are known as "Catfillers" or Cat Killers because of a legend. Once there was a dispute between folks of Attendorn and a nearby town. The Attendorn-ers marched over to the other town and shot at this other ruler but only a cat fell dead. Thus the moniker. (And I heard that during WWII, the POW's in a camp drew the symbol of this cat and put it on their hats so those of Attendorn would be able to identify each other.)
So you see this representation of a cat with an arrow through it on many structures.
(Yes, ironic because Dad can identify with this! He did not know this story.)

Klaus and Claudia gave us quite an introduction to a proud tradition in Attendorn, and this is Schutzenfest. In fact, Klaus and Claudia first met at Schutzenfest when Klaus won. Schutzenfest is celebrated in certain towns in this area; it is an annual shooting contest. I read it is also continued in towns around the world settled by Germans like in Australia and Fredericksburg, Texas. So you either shoot at a ceramic plate or you shoot at a fake animal that is in a wooden box. The ceramic plate is made by the winner from the previous year...Claudia took us out in the countryside to see a shooting range. In fact, there she planted an acorn she got from Muenster. It is now growing well.

on left, the target for target practice for Schutzenfest/ on the right Dad, Claudia and the oak tree from Muenster, TX

Read more here: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schützenfest

So the next pictures are in the old town tower (that used to be part of the medieval wall that surrounded the town). This is where they keep all the Schutzenfest memorabilia and important items for the annual "fest" which includes a parade where the men and women dress in traditional outfits (we just missed this extravaganza by a few weeks). Klaus has a key to this tower because he is on the "board" of Schutzenfest organizers. Theo is a former winner too. I imagine there is a lot of pressure on Claudia's boys to be a future winner.

Theo and Ute are showing off Theo's plate when he won the Schutzenfest.

Dad, pretending to be a Schutzenfest King!

Claudia and family so kindly drove us to nearby Wamge where the Flusches are from, Grandma Fuhrman's father's house (Wilhelm Flusche). (So this side of the family is not connected to the Koslowskis. See page "Our German Roots".)

map showing Wamge (small town)

Dad and I in front of Wilhelm Flusche's house in Wamge, near Attendorn

We also drove to the site of the Bieketurm (Bieke tower), also part of the former town fortification from medieval times. Claudia explained that recently they worked to preserve this tower, a remnant of the past.

Dad, me and Theo

Next we drove to the hills near Biggee Lake.

This is an old chapel at the foot of a trail that leads to Cologne and even further destinations. It was a trail of commerce and pilgrimages back in the Middle Ages. Claudia showed us a shell that was the mark of a pilgrim...they would sew one on their pack.

the altar inside the chapel, hikers still visit it
note the colorful flowers, everywhere in Germany

Our great, great grandmother (Emma Agusta Steinmetz) came here to pray when she was deciding whether or not to take a marriage proposal from Wilhelm Flusche in America. These forests are lush with great views of hills and lake.