Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church Berlin

This lens is a travel back in time for me, having visited there after 50 years it was quite an experience. I would like to share some of the history of this church and it being part of my life involvement.

To see this memorial Church should be on your list of travel to Berlin, Germany.

I can say proudly that I (left) and my twin (fraternal) sister Alexandra were baptized in this famous German Church Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche March 12, 19?? (OK, you do the math ;-)...shortly before it was destroyed.

We had the most beautiful Christening gowns made from my grandmother Baroness Georgianna (Ives) von Meyer wedding dress, French lace with beaded pearls...what I would give to have those dresses now! They were lost or left behind due to our migration during the war. All I have is one photograph for that day, and a label from a Champagne bottle "Brut Imperial 1928 Moet & Chandon Champagne Epernay" with the names of relatives and people that attended this Christening. This event was made into a painting for my Blog of Childhood memories.

To enter the church was a heart wrenching experience because my mom always wanted to take me there, but she was in my heart and spirit...I lit a candle and prayed for her.

My husband took a photo of me on the very steps where mom held me and my sister on that Baptism day. I can't wait to go back and visit.

Interesting that this item could be found during the war, but I guess if you have enough money anything can be bought. I'm happy to have this label commemorating this day...just wish I had a bottle of this Champagne "Brut Imperial 1928 Moet & Chandon Champagne Epernay"

And on the reverse side of this label are the names of the people that attended this Christening.

My (Aunt)Tante Eva was my Godmother (she was the youngest of mom's sisters, so one of my middle names is Eva, the second middle name was Hansi and it was for Hannes Stelzer.(see my suitcase lens) He was my Godfather.

My sister's Godmother was Tante Ruth and her Godfather's name has been forgotten, although one of her middle names is Teddi...something I had meant to ask my aunts, but they are all gone now, so really it doesn't matter.

Because of my father being a Baron, my sister and I inherited the titles of Baroness. We did not use the titles after becoming citizens...in this country a title means nothing unless you have the money to back it up...so be it!

photo credit bpk.

My Aunt Margot (Tante Margot) sent me this postcard in 1964 and she marked it with, "this is where you were Baptized."

The last time I visited with her she told me the Pastor that baptized us was quite famous, something I never knew.

If it were not for this aunt I would not have been able to confirm many stories from the family (I miss her dearly) she spoke English and it was easy to understand her, she's one reason I write about this, so that I will never forget or that my daughters never forget, who and what my family stood for (both of my girls have no interest in my past or family's past, but they might someday when I'm gone.)

Tante Margot is the mother of Beatrix Jahn who also has some lenses here... Link

We where lucky enough to be there when they had a free special concert of wonderful music, mostly sung in English. The service was late at night 11:00 pm...the lights from the outside came through the blue stain glass...it was lovely, I am so glad we chose to go to this.

We were born at a Hospital on this street Kurfürstendamm, my father also had a Photography Studio and the House we lived in on this street. The Hospital really was not a Hospital, but a mansion converted into a Hospital...The day after we left the Hospital it was bombed and everyone perished.

We left the Hospital early because my mother was angry, one of the nurses spilled boiling water on my left leg causing a severe burn and a scar to this day... when my mother questioned the nurse why I was wrapped up and not all of me could be seen, the nurse replied that she feared my dad because of his title...so my father insisted that we leave the Hospital, and that was a Blessing in disguise, as I mentioned before, the Hospital was bombed the following day.

My husband and I where so very lucky to get a room reserved at this Hotel Hardenberg ...it was was one block from the train station Berlin, and right by the Memorial Church, between Kurfurstendamm and the Zoo station. The Hotel manager who spoke English made special arrangements for us to get a room after he found out about my Berlin family history. All the hotels had been booked and all rooms were taken, this because of the World Champion Soccer 2006 Tournament...we were lucky indeed to have gotten this room.

The only regret I have about our visit there was my lack of research of Berlin touring places, it never occurred to me to visit a tour place there, since I forgot to do it at home...we did go on a boat trip down the river in Berlin, went to the Museum, then to the Wall and the Brandenburg Gate, of course walking a great deal...I guess I was just too excited being there and overwhelmed with it all, there were so many people and so much noise because the Germans won a tournament in Berlin...you can imagine the pandemonium...it scared me!

After Berlin our next stop was Dresden where my dad's family is from, what a treat and wonderful experience that was. That will be another story lens in the making...some of that story is already written in a lens

Squidster 12/11
WhiteOak50 2/10