Ralf, great story. Just a few thoughts from inside Germany: <<There was no speed limit on the autobahn back then. (There is now, but no on pays any attention to it)>> There's still no general speed limit on the autobahn. <<German drivers were CRAZY>> I think it would be a good idea not to try to drive a car somewhere in Southern Europe, the Near or Far East or South America :) <<It was however, also made illegal to impede traffic in the passing lane.>> If you consider that a normal German autobahn still has just 2 lanes for each direction this seems to be a reasonable solution. If you have 5 lanes each like in North America you may well find other solutions more appropriate. <<The Octoberfest in Munich (held in September)>> To be fair to them it has to be said that it starts in September and ends in October :) <<a person could walk through a park at any time , day or night, and never have any fear of being attacked.>> Unfortunately this is no longer the case. Sad. I would never walk alone through any park by night :( Heinz _________________________ Heinz L. Zulauf Flotowstrasse 9 D-64287 Darmstadt Germany zulauf@bigfoot.de _______________________ ----- Original Message ----- From: <lumby@air.on.ca> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2001 6:08 PM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] GERMAN lIFE IN THE 60S. My thoughts about living in and visiting Germany. It was in November of 1962 that I found out that I was being transferred from Toronto, Canada, to Cologne (Koeln) Germany. We left Canada shortly after New Years day to New York where we boarded the SS United States for its next trip to Bremerhaven. With us we had our eight month old daughter, Karen. The ship had just returned from the Carribean Sea, where it had been battered by a tropical storm, and all was not ship shape. In addition, crossing the North Atlantic in January, was not at all something to look forward to, and we were right. The ship sped up during the night and slowed down during the day. It didn't matter, Sonja and I both lay in bed most of the days, just to keep everything down. What upset us even more was Karen, our daughter, stood in the crib, bouncing up and down, thoroughly enjoying herself. We landed in Bremerhaven and next day boarded the train to Koeln. My first impressions of Germany were helped by the fact that Sonja was completely fluent in German, albeit with a southern dialect. As we travelled on the very fast European train, down from the north, I was struck by the buildings still in ruins from the war, along some portions of the RR line. We spent the next three months living on the 12 floor of the Bull Building in Koeln/Muelheim. First things first, of course. We bought a used Ford Opel Caravan. and within a month had ventured out on the Autobahn, south past Limburg, Frankfurt, Mannheim, cut off on the AB to Heidelburg, through Sinsheim and finally to Heilbronn, and my Mother-in-law, Wilma Eble, in Heilbronn/Sontheim. The first thing Sonja said to me when we arrived at the house where she spent her youth, on the outskirts of Sontheim, was "The house and property don't look as big as I remember them." What do I remember about my first trip on the Autobahn? German drivers were CRAZY. There was no speed limit on the autobahn back then. (There is now, but no on pays any attention to it). I learned very soon, that when you passed someone, you had to do it very quickly, because those blinking headlights 3to 4 kms behind you in the passing lane, was probably a huge Mercedes Benz,, telling you to get the hell out of the way, because everyone should know, you do not impede a person in a very large, expensive car on the Autobahn. I then found out how big a Merc looked when it was only about 1cm from my bumper. This rather frightening habit of blinking headlights and tailgaiting was made illegal sometime between the time we left Germany in 1971, and when we went back in 1994. Thank God. It was however, also made illegal to impede traffic in the passing lane. When you want to pass, you had to do it quickly, in and out. When I took to the autobahn when we returned in 1995, I was ready to get back on the plane and go back to Canada. They were still crazy. I found out, however, if you can make through the first three days of driving, and you learn their rules (not the legal rules, the "in practice rules" ) then you are able to drive comfortably because you become as crazy as they are. Back in the 60s there were only half the number of autobahns that there are today, and half the traffic. The most dangerous part of driving on the autobahn back then was rounding a curve or over a slight rise, and finding traffic stacked up for kilometers. Today, of course, the central Radio network reports every fifteen minutes on the "Stau" throughout Germany. i.e. translated into English) "-on the Autobahn # -- between Munich and Augsburg there is a 15km long stau". At any given time throughout Germany there are about 5-10 "Stau". All I can advise is that unless you absolutely must, stay off the autobahn, and see the real Germany on the secondary roads. Back to my story. About three months after we arrived in Koeln, we were transferred to Munich, where we lived until 1967. Two of our daughters were born in Munich and are therefor both original "Münchner Kindl". When I think back now, I truly believe that Munich was the nicest city in which we have ever lived. (Perhaps Ottawa, Ontario, runs a close second.) During our stay in Munich, we were very close to the German culture of Bavaria and southern Germany, and I came to love it very dearly. The life style was very attractive. the customs extremely interesting and memorable and the beer great. The Octoberfest in Munich (held in September) was one of the most interesting phenomenon in which I have ever overindulged, but wouldn't have missed my three years involvement in trying to have a krug in each tent. To bring this to an end, I will say that the thing that impressed me the most about Germany in the 60s was that in the cities and elsewhere, a person could walk through a park at any time , day or night, and never have any fear of being attacked. This was a sentiment that was expressed by all persons visiting from North America. Whether it is the same today, I don't know, since I stay away from the big cities. Too much traffic, resulting in too many "Stau". Enough is now enough. Best Regards. Ralf ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== Complaints: Contact the list administrator at: GERMAN-LIFE-L-admin@rootsweb.com ============================== Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 Source for Family History Online. Go to: http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB