Ostpreussenlied

Ostpreussenlied: Its a well known song from my father's homeland, East Prussia, now divided between Russia and Poland since 1945. The song is very haunting and brings up emotions deep from within. You'd get a better grasp of it if you understood the German language. I've heard at least two different renditions of the song. The maker of this video has chosen an excellent rendition. Enjoy! - Volker

Masuren - Wasser, Waelder, Weites Land

Masuren: Wasser, Waelder, Weites Land. This is video trailor for a bike tour of north-eastern Poland and a favourite destination for those that were born in the region when it was a part of Germany before the end of the Second World War in 1945. My father came from this region as did relatives on my mother's maternal line. I can see why they fell in love with their homeland and feel the need to return for a visit showing their children and grandchildren the land of their birth. The region is indeed a land of a thousand lakes, not to mention forests and wide open land. - Volker

Fritz Wunderlich sings "Aennchen von Tharau"

Fritz Wunderlich sings "Aennchen von Tharau" in this video clip. The words to the song were originally written by poet Simon Dach (Memel, 1605-1659) in Low German (Plattdeutsch) and later translated into High German (Hochdeutsch) by Johann Gottfried Herder in 1778. In 1636, a 17 year old named Anna Neander was getting married to a minster, Johannes Partatius. Simpn Dach had been invited to the wedding, fell in love with the girl and was inspired to write the poem. A statue was erected in Memel (now Klaipeda, Lithuania) in 1912 but was lost during the First World War. Exciled Germans and Lithuanians from the region erected a new statue of Aennchen von Tharau in 1989. This is the statue you see in the video clip. I chose this clip because it also has an English translation. - Volker