Late September 1988. I fly from Philadelphia to West Berlin, or as the Germans say, Berlin West as opposed to Berlin Ost. Seven years after my flight from JFK to Frankfurt. Seven years. That’s a long time in the life of a twenty-nine year old. In fact, it was my … Read more
In this post I should begin with when I returned to Germany at the end of September 1988. That’s when I started a Master’s program at Die Freie Universität in then West Berlin. But for some reason I sense the need to talk about two grandmothers. I made the decision … Read more
Before I jump to September of 1988, when I begin graduate studies in West Berlin, I almost forgot to describe a brief visit I had in West Germany a year before. I was self-employed in Philadelphia beginning in January 1985. Nothing dramatic. Selling communications equipment that replaced the old teletype, … Read more
I returned to the U.S. in September of 1982. One year after I had flown from JFK to Frankfurt. If someone would have said to me after my return: “John, you know, in just about six years you will fly from Philadelphia to West Berlin, and then spend the next … Read more
September 1981 until September 1982. A year. Not very long compared to this second time in Germany. More than thirty-five years. It’s always about the quality, and not the quantity, of time, however. Of time. Of anything. Quality. Depth. Meaning. Understanding. At the end of my stay I took a … Read more
Over the years, whenever I looked back on those roughly eleven months in Germany, I realized that I had not really sunk into the German culture. Yes, I had done a ten-week intensive language course. Yes, I had lived with a German family. However, I worked forty hours a week … Read more
West Germany established its own armed forces, the Bundeswehr, at the end of 1955. At the time Daniela’s father was in Bonn struggling to make a living in real estate. He had been an officer in the Wehrmacht. He immediately signed up to serve, then, many years later, retiring as … Read more
Daniela would drop me off in the Mehlem section of Bonn where the U.S. Embassy was located. Or, in the warmer months, I would ride my dumbass bike from Oberwinter to work. Along the Rhine. A bike path. Scenic. Flat. Lots of fresh air. Eighteen kilometers. A little over ten … Read more
I packed my stuff, grabbed my dumbass bicycle, and headed to the quaint, meek train station in Blaubeuren, hopped on a D-Zug and headed to Ulm. From there I took an intercity train up to Bonn, the then capital of West Germany. Remember, Folks, we’re talking late November 1981. Just … Read more
I don’t remember all that much about the language classes. I can picture the teacher, however. Volkbert. Tall. Slender. Big glasses. Effeminate. Positive. Enthusiastic. A solid educator. The other students were from various European countries. Frankly, I didn’t pay much attention to them. I was focused on learning German. Wait, … Read more