Finally the day had arrived, the wait was over, and the hour was upon us. Our flights were comfortable and smooth. The food and service was excellent. With seven hours lost over the Atlantic Ocean, we arrived at the Frankfurt, Germany airport at 7:00 A.M.
After pouring through numerous books I finally got my first glimpse of the castle responsible for the Pfaltzgraff stoneware castle outline motif. It's quite ironic that the name of the castle is Pfalzgrafenstein but is interpreted in the following way. Other than the motif used this castle has no bearing on the history of Pfaltzgraff stoneware. The company Pfaltzgraff is named as such because of Johannes George Pfaltzgraff, a very modest man, I've discovered. The meaning of Pfaltzgraff is broke down into two meanings. Pfaltz = a room where court sessions were held and Graf = individual who sets up court meetings,etc.. or Pfaltz = Palatinate and Graf = count, stein = stone. So in translation the castle Pfalzgrafenstein gets its name after the count of the Palatinate. The count, the builder King Ludwig and Palatinate being the name of the region at this particular point of the Rhine River. The Pfalzgrafenstein castle sits on an islet in the middle of the Rhine River. The central tower was built in 1327. This was our first sight after leaving the Frankfort airport. The wind was very cool, it was a cloudy day yet all was sunny in my view. Thankfully the river wasn't frozen and we were able to hop on the ferry and take a self guided tour. At the front door we were handed a history sheet and set loose. I recorded the sounds of the castle on my hand held tape recorder. Now when I want to remember I just pop in my tape and reminisce. We bought several post cards and a small book about the castle. The book shows many photos, sketches, and paintings of the castle done throughout the years. It has stood the test of time for 669 years. We stood in awe of this great historical landmark. It was fascinating. The workers were sifting through dirt from a small opening in the central tower. There they showed us they were finding human bones, horse shoes, etc... The tower is 6 stories high, and was originally built as a toll collection station. The dungeon was just a well and on top of the water surface was a floating raft. All merchants who did not pay the toll to pass the tower were taken and lowered down onto this raft by a heavy rope. They remained there until someone came to pay their toll and redeem them. There were 20 collectors in all and one supervisor. General Prince Field Marshall Von Blucher crossed the Rhine river with his troops at this tower on the night of New Years Eve 1813-1814. In the first week of 1814 the General passed over 60,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses and 200 cannons in pursuit of Napoleon. A pontoon bridge was built by Russian pioneers to accomplish this. Blucher supervised the military operation from the Pfalzgrafenstein castle. It's hard to imagine the history this building has. You can't really grasp at the concept that reality tells and shows us of the many things in Europe.
With every step we took brought history to our feet. The cobblestone beneath us, the towering medival castles, the center Marktplatz in each little village and the glacier waters of the Rhine River. From the moment we boarded the first plane, the experiences were all new and real. America looks neat and tidy from high in the sky, patchworks like quilts and even lines. After you've crossed the Atlantic Oceon and gaze across the land, you are sure to know you're above foreign soil. The landscape is so different. And what you have known all your life isn't so anymore, you take nothing for granted and you keep out a watchful eye!!
The Rhine River is Europes leading waterway. Beginning in Lake Constance, Austria to Basel in Switzerland, north through Germany and west to the Netherlands to Rotterdam the river stretches 840 miles. Germans call their favorite river Vater Rein(Father Rhine).
We spent some time in the Schwalmstadt, Ziegenhain area. It is full of roaming mountainous ranges, half timbered homes and rich with history. The town of Ziegenhain is completely surrounded by a moat, a structure in size that is unique in Germany.We took a tour of the museum in Schwalmstadt, it was a wonderful insight on the Schwalm Valley area. We noticed the Pfaltzgraff name many places throughout the displays. This valley is very similar to Pennsylvania landscape. We now know why Johannes George Pfaltzgraff must have settled in PA as his surroundings must have made him feel right at home. The soil in this Schwalm Valley is red with clay. No wonder Pfaltzgraff made redware when he first began, it was quite abundant in the 1800's as well as now. Research tells me that he left his homeland because of depleting forests. With no wood for fire, there is no pottery to kiln. From the standing timber in this area today, I'm glad to report they've given back to nature. Frielendorf, his actual birth place is a neat and tidy villiage. His birthplace doesn't really stand out from any other of the quaint homes. It was interesting here though, German wording is painted on exposed beams on the homes.To be in the center of the villiage where Pfaltzgraff must have run barefoot as a small boy, learned his alphabet, eyed the surroundings as I have just done was a THRILL for me!!! To know my eyes have fallen upon a world all so familiar and normal to him makes me even more eager to know all I can about this interesting man. Just a few kilometers away we went to the viliage of Spieskappel. Here Johannes George Pfaltzgraff was married to Elenora Bramer. The church is magnificent and truely serene. Restoration was being done to the one side of the outside wall. In Germany they restore, how else would all this history survive that the war hasn't taketh away. To see many orginal ramparts in this beautiful country was only the beginning of our search for history. The many stones walled fortresses are evidence of uneasier times and the need for these ancient fortified walls obviously were for safety and security against their enemies.
Johannes married Elonora on May 27,1833. They departed very shortly after their marriage and left to come to America arriving at the Port of Baltimore, on September 17,1833 on the Brig Charles Ferdinand. I found the Port of Baltimore passenger list book and sure enough his name lay in the book in black and white, showing residence in Frielendorf, 2 adults aboard. So they spent the next 114 days on the Atlantic Oceon waiting for a dream to become a reality. Through my research I have found there to be at least 37 other passengers who took this voyage with them upon this small ship. I have been trying to dig up more info on the Brig Charles Ferdinand but have had no luck. Johannes and Elonora left Port of Bremen,in Germany. We were unable to get that far north on this trip, I would have liked to see the seaport. I am told it is the 2nd largest in Germany. In the center of the main square stands a stone statue. The hero holds a shield with the imperial eagle. For those of you who have the older Yorktowne pattern pie plate you'll see this 2 headed eagle and know you have a part of German history in your collection.
This Europe vacation also found us in France, Luxembourg, and Belgium. We did alot of autobahn this day! This is their interstate system and there is literally NO SPEED LIMIT!!! Just you to face the road. We exchanged money so many times it was hard to keep up. We enjoyed palaces in Munich, castle views every few kilometers!! This is truely the land of legends. As I researched through the ships passenger lists, it was interesting to see all the different occupations. What is amazing to think about is that now many of them are obsolete.
I hope you have enjoyed my notes about my experience in Germany! We have so many pictures to remind us of the glorious time there but only my mind can really recall the feel, smell,and taste of Europe.Something no one will ever be able to take away from me. If you get the chance to go to a place that makes you happy, seize the day, and take it. You won't regret it.
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