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Author: Arne Nagengast |
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A VISIT TO ELBING/ ELBLAG, August 2002 Preliminary remarks: ”Wiehlers welcome in Elbing” On a trip to Masuren, Poland, in August 2001, Ulrike and I with son Jan visited the city of Elbing and some Mennonite cemeteries in the region. This area has for centuries (until 1945) been the
centre of the Wiehler Family. As many of you will recall, on the last Wiehler-Tag in Abbotsford, BC, it was decided that in 2005, after the meetings at Thomashof by Karlsruhe, a tour to Elbing would follow.
Hence I made an appointment for us to see the mayor of Elbing and he agreed to meet with us. Also present was Henryk Milosz (4 2 11 1 2) son of Gerda Milosz, nee Wiehler. Henryk lives in Elbing and is Dean of the local ‘Technische
Hochschule’. When asked if he would greet the Family in 2005 at City Hall, the mayor said: ”All Wiehlers are welcome in Elbing. We are looking forward to
greeting former Elbing residents”. We showed him the Wiehler Chronik and he studied it with great interest. He asked many questions about the Family
history, former Family properties and present global distribution of the Family. Finally he called in the Press for an interview, with Henryk being the
interpreter. Next day there appeared a lengthy article (with photo) on the front page of ‘Glos Elblaga’, the local paper. Henryk Milosz led us on a tour of the villages and on the trails of our forefathers we stopped at the cemeteries of Ellerwald, Thörichthof and Markushof, which have been partially restored. Gravestones of direct ancestors are not be found. On a tour of the old part of Elbing, we were impressed with the re-construction in the historical style. Many building were actually restored using old photos and thus remaining faithful to the character of the times. We also visited the ‘Stadtmuseum’, in which attention was drawn to the Mennonite history in this area. Much has changed since the ‘wall’ came down. Henryk also showed us the brand new student residences at the ‘Technische Hochschule’, Elbing. He indicated that
the Family could stay there when we come in 2005. It is very modern and comfortable accommodation. I would like to thank Henryk for his hospitality and for his guidance through Elbing and the Lowlands. Frank Wiehler (7 1 1 4), Luxemburg
From Luxembourg to Elblag – Back to the Roots During their sentimental trip to their home town Elblag, Frank and Ulrike Wiehler from Luxembourg found time to meet
with Elblag’s mayor Andrzej Kempinski (first on the right) at city hall. They were accompanied during this visit by their distant relative Henryk Milosz.
There is a book, an extensive chronicle of a family with many traditions, that contains a lot of information about their
forefathers as well as the living descendants spread throughout the world. Pictured therein are great grandmothers
wearing modest caps set upon pulled back hair, grandfathers wearing traditional outfits looking formal in front of the
camera, and homes built in the beautiful traditional Vistula Lowlands style. Their life, which was spent working the
fields, was demanding and made especially difficult by the constant battle with the elements – in this case with water.
This battle was fought generation after generation, for over 400 years, and mainly involved the reclaiming of land that was underwater, by draining and cultivating it for the glory of God and His people. This book, called ”Wiehler Chronik”,
is the chronicle of the Wiehler family which has been connected to the Vistula Lowlands for centuries. On the old maps, towns such as Markusy, Kepiny, Fiszewo, Zwierzno, Dobre Pole, Stalewo, Jasna, Raczki
Elblaskie and Elblag have different names. They are, however, the same towns which are close to the hearts of Frank Wiehler and his relatives – close and distant – from the USA,
Europe, Canada and even Fiji. Here are their roots. Here, in the XVII century, their Mennonite forefathers came from Holland and Switzerland. Frank Wiehler was born in 1941 in
Elblag. He returned to his birthplace for this first time in 1977. Since then, he has visited Elblag six times. ”It is wonderful”, he says, ”to watch how Elblag is dynamically growing and
developing. For me and my relatives, this city is a live bridge connecting the past with the present.” This opinion is
shared by his wife Ulrike. Both are professionally involved with the European Union. Frank Wiehler is a member of
the European Parliament, responsible specifically for the areas of regional politics, transport and tourism. His offices
are found in Luxembourg, where he lives with his family, and in Strasbourg and Brussels. He focuses on establishing
new contacts and introducing European politics in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Ulrike also works at the European Parliament, where she teaches German to EU diplomats.
The Wiehler’s were accompanied by Henryk Milosz, the chancellor of the Professional Training School in Elblag. It
turns out that his deceased mother was also a Wiehler, and was born in Karczowiska Gorne in the Lowlands. His mother’s cousin is still living in Elblag and carries the family name Wiehler.
”This is the first time we’ve met Frank”, says Henryk, ”but I hoped that further contact with him and his family will
continue. I am glad that in 2005 there is a plan for the entire Wiehler family to gather in Elblag. It will be a wonderful
experience to meet so many relatives.” And many there are – 450 coming from eleven countries. The last family
meeting took place last year in Canada, and the first in Gronowo Elblaskie in 1921. You can see the 170 participants of that meeting on the photograph in the Wiehler Chronik. The Wiehler’s visited the villages in the Vistula Lowlands including
Kleczewo, where the 300 year old house of Frank Wiehler’s grandfather, still stands. They also visited the old town of Elblag and the museum collections. Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Wiehler
were the guests of the mayor of Elblag, Andrzej Kempiniski. ”Mr. Frank Wiehler, with the help of the Polish mission in Brussels, found the Internet site of Elblag. There he received information which allowed
him to contact me”, said Andrzej Kempiniski to the GLOS (”The Voice”) newspaper reporter. ”I have invited this former Elblag resident to visit our city.” The mayor presented the
Wiehler’s with a beautiful colour book entitled ”Elblag on the edge of the new millennium”.
As it turns out, Frank Wiehler is acquainted with another former Elblag resident born the same year and in the same
hospital on Zeromski street. His name is Otwin Runde and he is the former mayor of Hamburg, and the founder of the clock of Market Gate in the Old Town of Elblag.
”I am very happy that this former Elblag resident still remembers us. We will turn to his help in making our way to the
European Union. I dream about a day when I can invite all former Elblag residents spread throughout the world. We
would create an Elblag lobby in the European Union, and this way perhaps Elblag would find itself into the Union faster than the rest of Poland”, jokes the mayor.
Translation from Polish by Anna Lemke (1 6 7 3 3 E), Vancouver |
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