for a short time during WWII I lived in a Castle
I was born a Baroness in Berlin Germany during the war, as the bombings grew more intense on Berlin my father was invited by his good friend Count von Strachwitz to move North to Gross Stein (Large Stone) this being the Counts family castle, at that time it was in the German sector and now it is in Poland. Count von Strachwitz was one of the most decorated soldiers, I believe he was involved in trying to kill Hitler.
Interestingly enough I do have memories of this place, even though I was just a few years old. One of my memories where of Nuns and a huge statue of a man on a horse. Another memory was at Xmas time some soldier brought us little toys, I believe this man was Count Hannes Stelzer, a good friend of my parents.
The photo above shows my dad, sister and myself sitting on the front steps of Gross Stein. I recognized the front steps shown in pictures on the website... Wow I could not believe it, when I finaly found a website of the actual story about the Castle and the owners... now I did not have to feel like that I was telling a tall story...no one believed me, all this information was even confirmed by my Aunts in Germany.
New Table of Contents
- the steps of Gross Stein, dad, me & my twin sister
- Gross Stein the Castle as it looks now
- Gross Stein then
- Gross Stein now
- Spring Time picture
- Winter time picture
- Baron Alexander von Meyer
- Red Baron
- my father & the Red Baron (colorized by a friend)
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- Link List to some of my websites and lenses
- Reader Feedback
- Some interesting things written about the Place and People mentioned
- Castle and Genealogy collectors can find interesting items here
the steps of Gross Stein, dad, me & my twin sister
Gross Stein the Castle as it looks now
A Castle to visit and stay in Poland
Then I got a computer in 1999 I decided to look up the name Gross Stein, I came across a website where the members talked about Castles, I put in a query, and within a day I got three responses about this Castle. Coincidently the renovated building just opened up, and now is a tourist place to stay and have conventions.
Inthe last 7 yars i have been able to talk with my last aunt who is 95 now and she told me many things about my family...funny how you think things aren't important, but family history is what makes you...genetics is ingrained whether you realize it or not. Eventhough it does not change things in my life, it does complete it knowing my families past, especially the German side...I'm still working on the American/English side of my grandmother Georgianna Ives from Connecticut.
Gross Stein is quite a beautiful place, the renovations of the building and inside are marvelous, everything looks so grand.
I hope someday to be able to visit this place again.
Make sure to visit the website and check out the pictures.
Gross Stein then
Gross Stein now
Spring Time picture
Winter time picture
Baron Alexander von Meyer
a little bit about my father
My father spoke 11 languages, mostly learned from his nannies. He was very artistic and most likely I got my talent from him. Dad had two Photography Studios, one in Berlin and the other in Dresden, he did not have to work for a living, he had a trust, so taking photos was his hobby, he only took photos of famous people. I wish I had all those images now, most where destroyed during the war. I do have some interesting ones left, including the one of him and the Red Baron.My father's father came from Dresden and his mother was from Hartford Connecticut, she being an Ives from the famed Clock Makers.
My mother met my dad when he took a promotional photo of her while she was making a German Movie "die drei Codonas" ( famed Aerialists)mom did the stunts for the Trapeze scenes.
My NEW LENS Turkish (Ottoman Empire) Gallipoli Star Medal of WW1 http://www.squidoo.com/GallipoliStar/
is about my fathers Medal that I discovered years later and wore it as a brooch not knowing it was an award during WWI...it's interesting, so check it out and leave your comments.
Red Baron
another friend of my dad's
Here is a photo of my dad sitting in the back of the bi-plane and the Baron Manfred von Richthofen the "RED BARON" in the front seat...I am so very fortunate to have this photograph, a one of a kind.
my father & the Red Baron (colorized by a friend)
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COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
Link List to some of my websites and lenses
- a short story of the last SunMaid girl
- some interesting facts about me and the Sunmaid girl
- trapeze micky 2
- My mom when she was with Ringling Brothers and her time in show-business
- Turkish (Ottoman Empire) "Gallipoli Star" Medal of WW1
- This lens is about an item I inherited from my father many years ago...the Gallipoli Star (Ottoman Empire)a medal from Turkey during WW1
Reader Feedback
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grassosalvato86
Hello! Posted July 03, 2008 |
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richgerman
i like the Red Baron keep it up! nice post! 5 stars! Posted July 01, 2008 |
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VetFriends
Very cool lens, you and your family led quite a life! My family also hails from Germany (The Klekamps) but they had left Germany to come to a large German Immigrant American City (Cincinnati) by 1895 or so. I am also happy your husband enjoyed our site vetfriends.com! Keep up the great work with the lens's, you have some of my favorites Posted June 23, 2008 |
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funwithtrains
Nice Lens! 5 stars and a favorite from me! Please visit my Marklin Trains lens. Posted May 08, 2008 |
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JohannTheDog
I just love this lens and I love castles! Thanks for stopping by my lens! Woofs, Johann Posted April 25, 2008 |
Some interesting things written about the Place and People mentioned
Gross Stein, von Strachwitz, Hannes Stelzer
Anti-Nazi activity (1937-1945)
Amazon Price: (as of 07/05/2008)
Red Baron
Amazon Price: $11.19 (as of 07/05/2008)
The Red Fighter Pilot: The Autobiography of the Red Baron
Amazon Price: $10.79 (as of 07/05/2008)
Moritz Graf Strachwitz, Dichter zwischen Tradition und Revolution: Studie zu einem Abschnitt europaischer Geistesgeschichte
Amazon Price: (as of 07/05/2008)
Castle and Genealogy collectors can find interesting items here
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