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German Roots Trip 2003 - Contents

SEEKING OUR GERMAN ROOTS

Chapter III    
May 16 - 20, 2003

MECKLENBURG

Von Pressentin Family History - Schloss Kaarz

Monday, May 19 - Schloss Kaarz

Another estate with early links to the von Pressentins was on our route back to Wessin from Sternberg, so we stopped in at "Schloss Kaarz." (Red star on map.)

The von Pressentins held lands in this area in the 18th century, and probably for many centuries before that. But the lands were sold to other nobles and after the 1880’s, the estate was in the hands of the von Hüniken family.

Kaarz suffered the same mistreatment as Daschow during the GDR era, when it was a billet for Red Army officers, among other things. It even had a bad fire which left it pretty well gutted. Now it is back in the hands of family members and with the application of a lot of money, it has been restored to its earlier splendor. The long driveway up to the castle, bordered by huge trees, immediately let us know this was a Very Important Place.

Someone with a sense of drama placed the schloss atop a hill and its reflection is mirrored in a little pond below. If we had been so inclined, Karen and I could have stayed in a fully-equipped apartment suite at the hotel, for about 80 Euros per night. Not a bad price for such an elegant hotel with tennis courts, horse back riding trails, etc. But, today we settled for afternoon tea and of course, the requisite apfel strudel in the main Reception Hall.

The hostess invited us to look around the castle, and we found a very handsome library on the main floor. We took the elevator to the top floor, then Karen climbed the iron spiral staircase leading up to the distinctive tower that sits at one end of the building. She said it was a great 360-degree view from the top--nursing my knees, I stayed below and took her word for it.

More views of Kaarz can be seen at this website: http://www.schloss-kaarz.m-vp.de/

Lewitz "Fish Ponds

On the way back from Kaarz, we stopped at the Lewitz "fish ponds" south of Crivitz, almost to Neustadt-Glewe. These artificial lakes were used for carp-production in the DDR period, and are now a wildlife preserve with lots of waterfowl, boat canals, and observation towers. Karen got to use her powerful binoculars to check out the waterbirds--some tending their nests in the reeds near the shores of the ponds.

After returning to Wessin, we walked over to the Landhotel for a late supper--a repeat of the "small" Farmer’s Breakfast that was so good and so cheap. Karen and I continued our new tradition of having a "radler," a beverage that is a combination of beer and lemon soda. Very refreshing, cheaper than beer, and apparently available all over Germany. At that late hour, we were the only customers in the restaurant, and so we had a long chat with the manager who was more than willing to talk with us about what life was and is like for the common people of former East Germany.

Her father was a prisoner of the Russians during World War II, but came back with a philosophical outlook, saying he had been given the opportunity to "travel and see the world" or at least France, Austria, Poland and of course, Russia where he was taken prisoner. Upon his return, he survived life under the Communist regime, and has had to adapt to the stresses and strains of reunifying Germany. Now 89 years old, his summation is: "you can’t understand the world."

Probably our conversation with the manager could be summed up as: they are glad to be back as part of Germany, but they feel the reunification was poorly handled. West Germany rushed too fast and all the economic benefits went to the West Germans and the foreigners, and not to the local people. Credit was not offered to the people after the collective farms were broken up, and what little money they had in East German marks was immediately devalued by fifty per cent. Under the GDR in this agricultural area, they had been mostly farmers, and everyone had a job and housing. Now, suddenly, all the farmers were out of work because they weren’t trained in the technology brought into Mecklenburg by wealthy westerners--such as Herr Reitman. Fewer people now work more hours while others probably are subsisting on welfare payments. The young people have fled the little villages for western Germany, where the jobs are. Some people in Wessin drive three hours to their jobs--knowing how much each liter of gasoline costs, we wondered how long those workers would stay in their home village, before moving closer to their work.

Rather belatedly, efforts are now underway to improve the economy of the area. Just in little Wessin, there are projects underway, such as the Meditek sales training center and the old manor house which is being converted to another training school.

Karen and I brought along some background history on Mecklenburg and it is obvious that its common people have really never had what we in the USA would consider the "good life." Kept in serfdom by the nobility until the 1830’s, then set "free" to wander the countryside and at the mercy of anyone who would offer them work, it’s not surprising to read that the state of Mecklenburg accounted for a significant portion of the German emigration to North and South America in the 19th century. We left Wessin with a great deal of sympathy for these people, who could really use a little good luck.

* * * * * * * * *

For an intriguing glimpse into the lives of some of the Mecklenburgers who emigrated to the U.S. in the 19th century, read Letters of a German American Farmer--Jürnjakob Swehn Travels to America, written in the early 1900's. A book that was popular in Germany for many years, it was translated into English in 2000.

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