Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Wyk auf Föhr

Föhr is an island off the coast of Germany on the North Sea. My paternal grandmother used to live there. Here are a few postcards she and my great aunt sent to my father after he had emigrated to the United States and enlisted in the Army during the Korean War.




Here's the back of the second card.

The message reads:
My dear Dieter! Today you are getting the last greeting from Wyk. We are leaving tomorrow morning.  It's difficult to leave, because September is so incredibly beautiful. Sun, and wind, and warmth. There is still quite a bit of business at the spa. Everything is in order with the check. They sent it on September 15th, probably had to let it clear first. Hopefully, you are doing well. When I get back you'll get some pictures of us. What about pictures of you??? Stay healthy my dear boy with loving greetings and thanks for all good things from your Mutti and Aunt Grete

More from Wyk tomorrow!

7 comments:

  1. What an exotic island! I would love to walk that beach,....in the summer that is.

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  2. Nice handwriting, even if crammed to write more. Nice postcards, plus a personal meaning.

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  3. Lovely to have these bits of your family history....

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  4. How fabulous! What a great piece of family history, not to mention a wonderful PC.

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  5. Had to look it up on Google Earth - looks like a fabulous place. Street View doesn't seem to have got there yet which is a shame.

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  6. Glad jury duty is not hindering Daily Postcard postings. One must have one's priorities:) I'm like Alan now -- headed to Google to check this out on a map. Beautiful woman but my eyes are really on that house in the background...luv that style with the rounded roof edges. The cover stealer would have a definite architectural term for that, I'm sure.

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  7. Yes Trisha, it called 'fire hazard', or so it would seem from all the movies where marauders inevitably set the village on fire by igniting the thatched roofs! Actually, testing shows thatched roofs are generally no more susceptible to fire than many other roofing materials, but that they can be harder to extinguish after starting- none the less, I wouldn't suggest one in an area prone to wildfires...
    Still, I have never seen a genuine thatched roof roof in the US other than on the occasional tropical beachfront cabana or in a theme park, although there are lots of faux versions using wood or asphalt shingles with rolled edges at the fascia.
    That may be changing though, as people gain interest in 'green' building techniques.
    It also is being pitched as a luxury item, so instead of seeing it on peasant cottages, it may soon be gracing the roof of a mansion near you!

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