The reason: We visited memorials from WW1 and WW2, and the world should remember the Americans, who gave their lives for our freedom today:

In fact: Louise was the one we went to visit this summer! But .. in order not to take away all her spare time, we first went to Paris, where Mia and Mathias was eager to visit Euro Disney and Giverny (where Monet painted his beloved lilies). And we even got to see the Eifel Tower and an art museum, before we took off for Bourgogne 250 miles south of Paris. We stayed in a camping resort in a mobile home for a fair price, and since the weather was hot, it was really not a problem compared to rented apartments or the like.

Bourgogne is famous for its ‘grand cru’ wine fields, which are considered to be among the best in the world. At least the are the most expensive wines I have ever encountered. But – we stayed in the country side, where the cattle was raised in very beautiful surroundings – so we had some 6 wonderful and quiet days there without making the children suffer too much going around in the car visiting places.

You know – I recall from Bismarck once, where you took us with all the children for a day or two, and we spent most of the time in the pool. It was like that, relaxing – and I tried to help Mathias learn to swim (in 1963/64 I think it was David, that you tried to teach the same trick).

And then we went to Luxembourg, where we also stayed in a camping resort, since my oldest son Nikolas and his fiancée Jannie also came around and stayed in Louise small apartment. The first night we all met in Trier, which is an old German town built by the Romans – and I had my four children in front of me for the first time in 2 years. It really felt nice to be together in the middle of Europe – it was the same feeling, when I visited you in 1984!

We had some great days, I can tell you – but once thing strikes me particularly: During the 2nd World War Luxembourg was the center of the war and the last offensive from the German side: The Bulge of the Ardennes. It all happened where we stayed, so we visited places, and I once again remembered how much we Europeans have to thank you Americans for helping us out. We visited an American War Cemetery in Luxembourg, where more than 5.000 American soldiers are buried – and Anette felt solemn seeing all these white crosses, although she has no direct recollection to the war.

So I told stories from Dickinson, when a Japanese soldier delegation visited your home, and Mr. Baird told about his experiences in the Pacific. I think he was a colonel lieutenant or the like, but his father was a General, who was buried with the folded flag and so on – and everybody listened.

I like to listen to stories, and I like to tell them on the next generation, since these stories should be remembered.