Kitty and Ray's Trip to Germany
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When I first received US Army orders for my second tour in Germany, I approached my parents and invited them to visit me there. It would give both of them the opportunity to see the land of their ancestors. It would also give me the pleasure of being their guide. The first response I had to my invitation was a warm, “That would be nice... we'll see.”
I knew I would need to have help swaying them to really accept the offer and I asked my brothers and sisters to also work on them. Dad was always reluctant to commit. He was always, Too busy to get away...” whenever." Finally, with the rest of the family badgering them, dad told mother that she could accept the invitation for them. Mother replied that since he had been dragging his feet all the while he should be the one to write to me and ask me to get the tickets.
He did write and it has been a great disappointment that in my excitement I did not think to keep that letter. Dad thanked me for the invitation and told me how much he and mother were looking forward to that trip. It was the only letter I ever remember having had from him and it would be priceless to me today. Later I did learn from my siblings that dad would tell his fellow workers and friends how his son had given them the trip to Germany and how proud he was of that.
Mother kept a running journal of their adventure and almost twenty-seven years later, in April, 2007, my sister Jane found the book in a box in her basement. What appears below is a transcript of her travels: [W John Schuck]Wednesday, October 15, 1980
Jane and Joe picked us up at 11:30, so we got to the bus early and had to wait a little while. Finally by a quarter of one, we could get out, and find an uncomfortable seat. We had a long stop in Janesville when they changed the drivers but we got to O'Hare on time. The International Terminal, was the first stop, which helped. After checking in we both had to make a pit stop. I phoned the hotel and Carroll told us that Ray [Watson] was okay, and they would be back home tonight, thank goodness.
We went out to the Lufthansa Concourse, and could get aboard at five thirty. Stupid that we were, we said we didn't care if we had a window seat. Next time, we'll know better as we had seats in the center bank. Took off on time, with my ears popping like crazy, even though I had my mouth wide open. They came for drink orders, as we were going over Detroit. We both had scotch and water, and then our dinner came. It was a beef roll up, and mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, shrimp salad, some sliced cucumbers with dill, hard roll, and lemon fluff pudding, and some rye bread and Camembert cheese. Its now nine o'clock and the pilot says we're about fifteen minutes ahead of schedule.
We opened Mark [Jaskowski's] letter. Dad insists he couldn't have printed it, but I know he did. Will try to read and hopefully go to sleep. I pulled up the arm rest between my seat and the one next to me, and folded myself up, pulled a blanket over me and slept until 12:30 our time. Then all the lights came on, and the stewardess came along with hot towels, to drop in your lap, before you could handle them to wipe your faces.
Thursday, October 16
Then we had breakfast. Melon, grapes, croissant, and a sweet Danish roll, orange juice, a heavy smoked sausage, jam and tea. By then we were flying over Ireland, and then London. Right after breakfast, we started to get organized to land. When we did, the passengers all clapped — good landing.
There are a lot of passengers on a 747, so it took quite a while to get off. Then it was a long walk to the baggage claim. I must have looked alright, as some woman came up to me, and helplessly asked me something about Stuttgart. If I could have said, “They moved it” in German, I would have, but all I could do was shrug and look like a dummy.
After getting the luggage, we went through customs, just passed through. And there was John, looking like ten million. Big hugs, and kisses and smiles, almost breaking our faces. Had a short distance to the car, then got our first taste of the Autobahn — This country must have a high rate of coronary attacks. The leaves are just starting to turn, but no frost as yet – Its a gray rainy day.
John's about an hour from Frankfurt [Leiselheim is a village municipality with something over 2000 inhabitants and we belong for more than 50 years to Worms, the oldest city in Germany. Joy of life, life feeling, the cozy atmosphere in the restaurants and the good Leiselheimer wine invite to stay in our beautiful suburb. The versatile meetings in the year show the pronounced cultural life.] His apartment is an English basement; living room, bedroom, kitchen and bath. It is very pleasant, and his new/old oriental rug, makes it gorgeous.
We talked for a while, then Ray and I fell apart, and took naps, while John mad a trip to post [Taukkunen Barracks], came home, and we had dinner here. Wild rice, steak, salad, and corn. We'd had a plate of cheeses and crackers and some wine before dinner. Talked some more, phoned Jimmy [James Jay Schuck] and made a date for Monday, planned to go to Cologne tomorrow and decided on an early night. I took a nice hot bath and crawled into a feather comforter and literally died.
Friday, October 17
We've just had breakfast, and are leaving for Cologne. Went to the cathedral, which is huge. The cornerstone was laid in 1172. By agreement it was not bombed during the war. Parts of it are being cleaned. It needs it. It was raining so we only walked around a little.
The King Tut exhibit is here, but the lines are too long for a wait in the rain. We came back to Worms about five, and after some cheese and wine, we went to a place, run by a man who used to be at the Officer's Mess. He won the German lottery, about 1 million! Has a nice place, a lot of army personnel there. I had some fish, super potato salad, and a tossed salad.
Ray and I came home, and John went to school for an hour or so. Ray went to bed early, and we talked, and watched part of the Tonight Show. Then I went to bed, I was tired.
Saturday, October 18
Got up at 7: A.M. And we were on our way to Trier by 7:45. It's a beautiful drive. Checked into a hotel then went to the cathedral. The cloak of Jesus is reportedly here in a crystal enclosed case. We did the church, then walked to the Square. It's lovely, flowers, vegetables, and fruit, and a German band playing. We went to a Konditori for coffee and a roll. Wiped out here — Slept for an hour.
After the coffee we went to the Porte Negra – the gates of the most northern empire of the Romans. There is a small museum in connection and we went through that. By then the car meter [parking] was up and Ray was ready to go back to the hotel. That was a four story, lavender building, very very clean. We had feather puffs on the beds. John and I left Ray and walked to the Roman Baths.
It must have been a beautiful place, and most ingenious. They heated the floors, and walls, and had some heated pools, and some cold. The poor slaves who had to keep it operating. We wandered around there, then went to see the Roman basilica, which is now an Evangelical church.
Saw a beautiful front of a Rococo palace. From what we figured there wasn't much more than the front left, and restored. It makes a beautiful background for the formal gardens though. The flowers are still in bloom, and roses everywhere.
From there we went to a big museum, with huge mosaics, and stone work from the ruins. Back to the hotel where I conked out.
John woke me in and hour and we went to Zum Christophel [restaurant] for dinner. Ray had venison stew while I settled for a very good, but mundane half chicken. John had some lamb, and we had some wine. After that we walked around the square and window shopped for a half hour or so. Then to the hotel, I took a hot shower, and fell into bed.
We never did find out why the town was so full, but there was a shortage of rooms all over. We were lucky to get one and we had to settle for a triple. We thought his mattress was stuffed with mice... it squeaked all night long. It bothered him, more so than us, as I know I was too tired for anything, short of a 7. earthquake, to bother me.
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