MY LIFE STORY IN A SUITCASE

Can you imagine that someone came to this lens and discovered we were related through my mother's side of the family! I have not had much information about an extended Fredersdorff family side, so to find that someone in Berlin contacted me and said I have some photos of your mother and family...how exciting is that!

It's wonderful to now have a connection, and because of this I want to "Thank Squidoo" for connecting me...all this because they allowed me to make a lens about my family.

When I first went through this suitcase I decided to do another project that has been on my mind for many years.

Using the photos above were my inspiration and painting miniatures of my early childhood memories. I created a blog with these paintings once in a while...painting a day. It's not an easy task to paint "almost" every day, as an artist I have to be in the mood (like most artists I believe).

Although I have been doing better since my fractured wrist in 8/09, I still have issues with pain when painting more then three hours...I will have to reside with the fact that this will be the way it is...it's called 'age'.

My last painting for this series has been posted and I will work on a new type of series for this year.

My parents knew people that had been in showbiz like Hannes Stelzer and Hans A, Schlettow and a few of the nobility mentioned below.

My father was a Baron and a bit older then my mom, he traveled in a circle of nobility, his godfathers where the famed Freiherr Richard Kapherr-Lockwitz and Graf Wilhelm Schwerin.

Also his friend the well known Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz of the Panzer Div. was the one who asked dad to bring us to the Castle Gross Stein to get us away from the bombing in Berlin...dad also was good friends with Rittmeister Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (the Red Baron) seen below in a photo of dad in the plane with him.

Hannes Stelzer a movie star, a Luftwaffe flier and a man my mother use to date, they where friends for years. When we stayed at the castle Gross Stein he was stationed there and wrote letters to my mom while on sorties. I happen to have three handwritten letters that where from Hannes to my mom. I could not make out the details in the letter because the handwriting was difficult to read, however I did see my name in it and the fact he was looking for dolls and candy for my sister and me.

Several years ago I had the letters translated by the famed Utah genealogist Horst Reshke. The last letter Hannes wrote was absolutely beautiful, touching and sad, it actually was several days before he lost his life. My aunt claimed he committed suicide in his plane, but on the internet it said he was shot down, well maybe he allowed himself to be shot down, because he was very depressed over the continuing war. He was so young when he died.

These letters where obviously love letters and I can't judge my mother or Hannes for their continued involvement, the war makes one very different in thought and actions. I will always treasure those letters and pictures, they must have meant a great deal to my mom, since she never destroyed them.

Hans Stuck was my fathers best friend, he even mentioned Hans in his will. Interestingly enough his son, Hans-Joachim "Striezel" Stuck is also a famed race car driver.

The image shown here is a note that Hans sent to my father, it was given to me the last time I visited my Aunt in Germany...I am so happy to have this, and how nice of her to have parted with it.

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A photo of my father seated in the rear seat of the Bi-Plane with the Red Baron in the front...this photo is from a larger version cropped and colorized...

please do not save or use this image without my permission, it is copyright protected

Hans Adalbert Schlettow was a friend of both of my parents, he also was in show business. I'm a bit surprised there is not more about him on the internet.

If anyone knows more information about Hans Schlettow, please contact me.

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I can't emphasize enough how important it is to keep old photographs and letters of the past. I'm talking to those young readers who like me didn't want anything to do with "old stuff," trust me you will regret it someday. Your parentage and your genealogy is very important, not only for the sake of knowledge, but for your DNA, health records and just the simple fact of "Who You are!"

If you find old photographs and items passed down from a relative DON'T throw it away or give it to the Goodwill, put it in a safe place and keep it there till you get older, you'll appreciate these items. It's wonderful to pass on to your children, even if they were not famous or did anything grand, it's still who you are. As it stands now both of my kids have no interest, BUT when I'm gone they will have wished they had talked about it...I think this is why I'm making lenses on this, and possibly write my story...at least some of the stories are here...so it's their loss if they never asked or paid attention...I'm glad I do have memories of stories, but wished I had paid even more attention.

My family lost everything, some things were saved from the war but what is still in Germany (property) I will never know, as that information was lost when my mother died and I never bothered to ask.

Please think about what I have mentioned above....treasure your family items, even if not a good memory attached, it will change as you get older.