August 12. 2018

How to Glide out of a POW Prison

We remarked last week how hot it has been here and this week was no exception. I smiled when I noted that none of the branch presidency were wearing their suit coats that Sunday and so I figured I would join them the next week. Naturally just about everyone were not wearing their coats except me so I decided I need to listen more to the prevailing spirit and I’ll get on better.

Not only do we not see much air-conditioning here but the other prevalent thing in Europe is that the grocery stores never hire baggers. Nor do they provide grocery sacks or bags. Basically, when we proceed to buy our food one must provide his own method for getting everything packed up and home. When we use our car, it is possible to move the shopping cart to the end of the check-out counter and restock everything therein.Then one takes the shopping cart to the car and when it’s emptied one must return the cart to their storage lines. To use a cart, one has to use a coin to detach it from the group and you get it back when it is returned. Our temple president was kind enough to furnish us with a small plastic coin that works great for otherwise we’d have to hand carry everything. So naturally we have purchased some reusable grocery bags to take along with us whenever we go. If you happen to forget a bag, it is possible to purchase one at the checkout counter to carry things out. I think we have become accustomed to this method.

This week was special because the dominant group present came from one of the wards in Vienna and we found that we recognized just about all of them and they us. There were a few we were hoping would be along but they were not in the traveling group that arrived so we’ll be patient. We have mentioned Sister Dospil in the past who was a temple worker hailing originally from Hungary who then lived for a while in Ireland. Then they moved to Vienna where the family has lived since that time. She left because of health problems but was recuperating sufficiently to accompany the group that came along with several members of her extended family for the week.

It was fun to work with them and one of the special events was a new endowment for one of the daughters of the Krywult family. We knew them well and her older brother was a regular visitor in our young adult center in Vienna. He has now married and has a young child about a year old.His sister, Sophie, has received a mission call to serve in the Washington D.C visitors center. We understand it will be open while the temple is undergoing renovation. So she was here along with three other elders who all went through the same session. Other than that group the temple was pretty quiet this week and we didn’t have a lot of available temple workers other than the missionaries so with all of the escorts who arrived to attend the session we really had to scramble to cover our bases.  

As an initiatory coordinator, I was privileged to help there. Our future temple president has left with his wife for a three-month opportunity to enjoy home life until he is installed. So we are a counselor short and that gave me the opportunity to help out and it’s always special to perform these living ordinances. I only had the chance to talk with one of the three elders, all of whom are native Germans, but he has been called to the Calgary Canada mission and will be leaving soon for the Provo MTC.

Our P day activity this week was very interesting. About an hour away is the city of Colditz which contains an old fortress-castle dating back to the 12th century but naturally remodeled in more recent times. It was primarily used during the Second World War as a special prison for officer prisoners of war from Poland, Belgium, Holland, France and Great Britain. It was unique because virtually everyone there had already made an attempt to escape from a previous POW camp and it was supposed to have very special security. It was a little bit analogous to “The Great Escape” as many attempts (apparently over 160 in number) were still made to escape. Of the approximately 600 “opponents of Nazism” 30 actually succeeded in escaping and it has become a popular site to view the evidence of their efforts.We saw evidence of the dummies that were created to masquerade for people working on tunnels during a head count and the remaining evidence for the tunnels that were dug. Especially intriguing was an attempt to construct a glider behind a false wall in an attic. It was actually completed with an original photo noted below. They had provided for a small portable runway that would have been run out along a roof line at night, made from the tables in their rooms, and then launched by dropping a big can of cement over the edge to catapult it over an adjacent river and hence to freedom. Though never actually used, the castle being liberated prior to the attempt, a man was granted permission to construct a duplicate and it was successfully launched in a demonstration just a few years ago. There are several interesting videos on YouTube about the whole thing that we found quite interesting. Search for Colditz Glider and try the hour-long version from the BBC.

Here is the castle and me standing next to one of the dummy examples.They apparently only counted heads and not feet. A tunnel dug underneath the floor of the castle church and the only known photo of the original glider that was built behind a false wall. Below is also a photo of their homemade sewing machine.We took about 70 pictures so you’re seeing only a fraction of them. Don’t miss the slide show when we get home!

Mom: We had a pretty good week in spite of the record heat. At least the German members are saying it’s record heat, because no has ever needed air-conditioning, well, I could probably debate that one. I guess I’ve made too much of a point of my not wanting to be in the sun as the other senior missionaries now try to find me shaded places or the place with the least amount of sun. Still I hate hot cars. Anyway, after enjoying a visit at the prison camp castle in and out of the very hot sun we went down into the city to find some ice cream. Sure enough, I spotted one place right away and we all gathered under the large umbrellas covering the tables. Some wanted lunch, but I wanted ice cream relief, so I ordered a large strawberry delight, as you can see, and it tasted as good as it looks. I need to find another one somewhere in Freiberg.

         On the more serious side, it was great to see all the members from Vienna and some of my dear friends. It was a joy to work side by side with those who were temple workers and also to have the privilege of taking one of our past young adults through some of the ordinances. Its fun to see them all mature, either going on missions or getting married and having cute little babies and children. One of them had the cutest little, red-haired girl, chattering and running up and down the hallways in the housing. I could have kept that one for sure. Too bad, we don’t carry cell phones to take pictures. It was harder to say good-bye to a few who don’t expect to return until next year a month or so after we’ll be gone. But some are, truly, soul friends and I expect to see them again, if not now, in the eternal life to come at the feet of the Savior.

The kids, here, are starting back to school tomorrow. All excited. I guess most of our kids don’t start until next week, so enjoy those last few days.

    Love ya, forever, hugs and prayers,

Grammy, Grampa, Mom, Dad, Elder and Sister Parker