Robberies

On December 12, 2010, the Bank of Altenburg was robbed.  As of this writing, the criminals have not been found.  This episode is a reminder of another robbery in this area in days gone by.  On November 3, 1922, there was a train robbery in Wittenberg.  The criminals in that case are known - Jack Kennedy and Harvey Logan.  They were both shot and killed by postal inspectors and railroad special agents shortly after the robbery took place.  These agents had been tipped off and were waiting in the Wittenberg area where they knew the robbers were heading to their getaway car after the robbery.  They had $240,000 with them in a mail pouch.  This is believed to be the last train robbery in the state of Missouri. 
I would love to be able to share the details of the capture of the criminals involved in the latest robbery.  Maybe someday, I will.  So despite the relative calm which is usually the case around here, there have been some events which have destroyed that sense of peace and quiet.

New Altenburg Book

Mary Dillon has recently published a new book entitled, "Altenburg Beginnings".  I have spent numerous hours looking through this book and reading it.  It is a book which records the history of my new town of Altenburg, as well as other towns nearby.  I think this book would be fascinating for anyone who has their roots in this area.  It is packed with photographs from days gone by.  It also contains great historical information about many of the prominent families from this area.  In addition, many anecdotal stories are included which have been gleaned from the memories of several old-timers from around here.  This book is for sale at the Lutheran Heritage Center & Museum. 

The City of Altenburg

The way that Altenburg is situated is rather interesting.  It is a city built on a ridge.  When you drive down Main Street, the land slopes down on both sides of the road.  This geography is the reason that most of the homes in Altenburg are located on Main St.  There are very few side streets, and those only go for a block or two.  At the recent immigration conference here, we were told that this type of village arrangement is one that is fairly common in Germany.  On a more humorous note, it is very difficult to enter or leave this city without someone knowing about it.

Dad

Today would have been my dad's 98th birthday.  Dad was born and raised in Wittenberg, Missouri.  Dad was what I describe as a typical man from the Perry County.  He was soft-spoken, hard-working, and faithful.  He could join in the fun when he and his brothers and sisters would revert back to speaking German while telling their stories.  Dad fought in WWII, and from the few accounts that I know, he had to face some incredibly difficult situations in North Africa and Italy.  I don't think he ever missed church unless his health kept him away, and that did not happen often until late in life. I am very thankful for what my father did for me.  I'd like to think that I have taken on some of my his traits. 

New Year's Eve 1838

The first shipload of German immigrants landed in the city of New Orleans on New Year's Eve in 1838.  They were looking forward to seeing what their new homeland would be like.  What they saw, however, were the wild celebrations that a group of people were having as they welcomed in a New Year.  The conservative group was not impressed with what they saw.  They were all the more repulsed when they viewed the slavery which was common there.  These people were happy to leave that area to travel up the Mighty Mississippi to what would become their new home.  This experience in New Orleans may well have contributed to these people desiring to stick to their Biblical values in the years to come.