5 Cents to Spare - Potatoes, Potatoes, More Potatoes -Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Potatoes, Potatoes, More Potatoes

May 20, 1936.  I left Mannheim for Heidelberg by train with my bicycle in the baggage car.  This was my first adventure alone.  After spending a few hours inspecting the old town and castle, I took to the mountain trails, pushing my bicycle up and riding down.  I wanted to go to Dielsberg but somehow got mixed up.  Instead I ended up going through several small villages evidently off the beaten track as I was the subject for many eyes and conversations.

The Southeast tower of the old castle at Heidelberg.  As a result of the French Bombardment, the whole section has slid off showing an interesting crossection. May 20. 1936. (E5-38)

Finally I came to a town a little larger then the others.  Stopping at a Gasthaus (Inn) I asked, in my best German, for a room for the night.  To register for my room I had to answer a questionnaire.  Not having my dictionary handy I puzzled and fretted over it.  Finally I guessed on what lines to put the information and then left for a walk around the town.  Upon returning, the innkeeper's wife was waiting for me with the questionnaire.  I got my dictio­nary and went to work complet­ing it to her satisfac­tion.  Up until then I didn't have the slightest idea what town I was in until she said "Wiesloch," which was almost in the opposite direction I thought I was headed! 

It was about time for supper.  I asked for a menu using the German word "Karte," but Frau Innkeeper was thinking I wanted something to eat by the name of "kart" or karte."  Much later I learned that "karte" is a card or a map;  I should have said "Speisekarte."  This Inn didn't have a menu.  In desperation I asked for "kartoffel und salat" (potatoes and salad), the only two words I could remember at the time.  But that didn't satisfy Frau Innkeeper.  She thought surely I wanted meat and wine to go with it.  I assured her that was all I wanted.  I was afraid they would serve me tongue, brains, pigs feet or some other part of the animal to which I had a definite aversion.

Everyone at the Inn was very inquisitive about where I came from, where I was going, how long I was staying in Germany and so forth.  With my very limited vocabulary I couldn't converse with them so went upstairs to my room to sleep.  The room was old fashioned with old style furnishings and no running water.  It faced on the street and with the window open it sounded like a celebration was going on outside.  Indeed it was; the next day, the 21st of May, was called "Himmelfahrt Christi," the "Ascension of Christ."

On May 21 it was raining.  After breakfast of coffee and bread I decided to go on to Heilbronn by way of Hoffingheim, Sinsheim and Wimpfen.  It rained every bit of the way.  When I arrived in Heilbronn about noon it stopped raining and the sun shown once in a while.

Finally at a short distance from the rathaus (town hall), I stopped at a place called Gasthause zur Glocke where I secured a room.  Pictured is the town hall where patterns in the clock were done in gold and other colors. Heilbronn, Germany.  May 21. 1936. (E5-35)

I rode slowly around the town looking at the public buildings and churches with an eye open for a place to stay overnight.  The town was very old.  It had narrow crooked streets and half timbered and stepped-out buildings.  Finally at a short distance from the Rathaus (town hall) and St Kilians Church I stopped at a placed called "Gasthaus zur Glocke"  where I secured a room.  Then I went into town to buy a little bread or something else to eat.  But everything was closed; today  was  "Himmelf­ahrt Christi."   It was too cloudy to take pictures, but here I must stay.  In the evening I took my supper at the inn.  People were very inquisitive and literally spent hours interrogating me on this and that (in German, of course).  My German was so limited that I'm sure they didn't find out all they wanted too.

May 22, 1936.  I had dinner at the Deutscher Hof.  I had no idea what I had ordered from the menu.  When it came I was not certain whether it was fish or meat but I had a suspicion that it was brains.  If it were brains, I tried not to think about it... it was very tasty.

Across the alcove was a very peculiar individual.  He had on an unpressed suit of dark cloths, the pockets of which were more or less extended by miscellaneous articles, and a stiff white dress shirt and collar.  He was a lean man, wrinkled face and small mustache, around forty years old.  He had ordered fried potatoes.  When I arrived he had already finished one order of fried potatoes... and one is enough to fill an ordinary man.  Another order was waiting on the table for him and still another was on the chair beside him.  And, while I was there he got another order!  He must have had a passion for fried potatoes or a tape worm!

It was amusing to watch him eat.  He was quite methodical. He kept his plate full by replenishing it from the extra order.  He never allowed too much grease to get on the rim of the plate and carefully cleaned it off with a piece of bread.  He always ate his potatoes around the edges so as to maintain a neat pile in the center of the plate.  At the same time he cleaned off the grease (which he seemed to enjoy) down to the potato line.  In fact his plate always looked as if it had just been brought from the kitchen.

When the serving plate had no potatoes left, he laid aside the plate he was eating from and carefully cleaned off every last vestige of potato from the serving plate with a piece of bread.  I'll swear he didn't leave a smell on the plate so clean did he make it.  This done, he placed the plate of potatoes over the empty plate.  I saw the waitress take out four empty plates at one time and still he had another plate on the chair beside him.  This one was evidently one plate full more than he could eat so he got another plate to put over it to keep it warm.  Then he walked out of the room with the plates.  What a man!  The German habitu­ally cleans his plate pretty thoroughly but not like this fellow!

Gateway to the old fortress at Wimpfen,  Germany.  May 23, 1936. (E5-32)

There must have been a big party next door with all the music and laughter, and no doubt drinking.  Every once in a while in the dark alley below my window it sounded like rain.  Heilbronn is a factory town with many workers.  This explains in part the gaiety this Friday night in the "weinstuben" (wine room) next door.

My next stop, on May 23, was Wimpfen which I had gone through on the way to Heilbronn.  It lies high above the Neckar River and affords a magnificent view into the valley below.  I was delighted with the old town and if it were better weather I would have stayed longer.

The late afternoon found me in Mosbach... at the entrance to the country of the Franks.  This was a beautiful old town with old timbered and gaily painted houses.  It will be 1200 years old on May 31.  What an age for any town!  When I think of our American towns, there is no comparison whatsoever.

Mosbach is chiefly a manufacturing town and employs some 600 men in its railroad shops manufacturing coaches and engines.  There was some farming but not to any great extent.  The people were very friendly.  It was noticeable that the National Socialist Party and Hitler were stronger here then in other places.

I stayed at the Gasthaus Zum Schwan.  From the first moment I was received cordially and even enthusiastically.  People plied me with questions concerning America, cost of living in America, Chicago gangsters, Hitler and so on.  I made the acquaintance of a young fellow around 32 years old by the name of W. Rose.  He knew a little English and had quite a bit of liquor... it was chiefly for this reason that he was more friendly than he would otherwise have been, I'm sure.

He told me he was second in command of the National Socialist Party police in Mosbach.  When I expressed an interest in learning more about the party he offered to give me a note of introduction to the great Nationalist's celebration in Nurnberg on September 9.  We walked to the police headquarters where he wrote the note.

"Wilhelm Rose                 Mosbach, den 23 Mai 1936

Dem Alfred Kramm wolle während des Parteitages 1936 in Nürnberg Gelegenheit geboten werden sich mit Kamerden des SS-Stumes 6/81 in Verbindung zu setzen.

Aufzufinden sind Rose und Rieger bei der Absperrmanschaft des SS-Abschnittes X 81.SS-Standarte, Sturm 6."

 At the same time he showed me some guns and hiking equipment.  To demonstrate one of the guns he opened the window and shot into the outside darkness.  Then we strolled back to the hotel where we joined a very pleasant group of people drinking beer - all very sociable - I enjoyed them.

Old houses in Mosbach, Germany.  May 24, 1936. (E5-30)

The next morning, May 24, I had a long conversation with Gerhard Rapp, whom I had met the night before.  He was about 23, intelli­gent, and I believe somewhat conceited about his knowledge of world affairs.  He spoke English.  It did not take many questions to get him talking about world affairs and the political situation.  Some of his commentary probably was taken from Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kamph."  Other parts seemed to be the current agenda of the Party and a startling assessment of the past, present and future.  I briefly jotted down Rapp's commentary so that I could verify at another time when I meet someone else who is willing to talk.

The German Population.  Germany has a population of 67 million people.  Four million of these belong to the Nazi party.  Four hundred thousand are Jews; at one time there were 700,000 Jews but 300,000 left the country because of nationwide persecution.  The Jews are not allowed to vote, hold public office or to be in control of newspapers, theaters or banks.  They are not allowed to practice a profession with one exception: if a Jew had served his country professionally in WW-I, he could serve Germany profession­ally now.  Furthermore, Jews are not allowed in public rooms or in coffee houses.  They may still own property but cannot control the national economy or bias the public through the news media.  Jews that have departed from Germany are trying to create a world-wide bias against Hitler.

Recent German elections have demonstrated that 99% of the Germany people are pro Hitler and his policies even though 3 or 4 million belong to the Nazi Party, which is closed to all new-comers.

National Socialism and Fascism.  The outside world confuses the Nazi movement of Hitler with Fascism of Mussolini.  Gerhard Rapp explained the differences.  In Germany all people, except Jews, vote and participate in government.  In Italy only the Fascist Party members may vote and participate in government, which is about one-quarter of Italy's population of 47 million.

In Germany, Hitler is not considered a dictator.  He is a leader, "Fuhrer", because 99% of the people are voting for him and with him on every issue.  He has great power and can appoint his ministers at will.  Hitler is working for the poor class...for the working class to improve their living and financial conditions.  Those Germans not belonging to the Party are enthusiastic about their government.

Mussolini, by contrast, is dictator since the party is a small minority of the population.  Those outside of the party are subjugated by fear and force.

Germany's Current and Future Plans.  Germany now (1936) considers herself equal in military power and resources to any single nation of Europe.  She claims better soldiers, more intelligent people, more physical scientists and inventors and more planners and thinkers than any other continental nation.

Germany claims an army of 300,000 men; however, in private circles it is know to be far greater.  The years of privation and suffering inflicted by the Treaty of Versailles (WW-I) has created a much stronger national unity than existed at the outset of WW-I in 1914.  The period between then and now has stimulated the resource­fulness and ingenuity of physicists, chemists and scientists and the people to utilize only the resources available in their homeland.  As an example, cloth is being made from wood by chemical means.

Germany is developing her people to be healthy as well as patriot­ic.  One example is the "Hitler Jugend" (Hitler Youth) for both boys and girls.  Since 1933 no other youth movements have been permitted and all functions of this group are under the leadership of the government.  Every day of the week one can see youth groups on the county roads and in the cities marching and singing.  They cannot have a good time unless they sing.  The government has provided "Jugend Herbergs" (wandering youth hostels), in almost every city.  Here the youth may go to stay overnight.  In this way a find, healthy and patriotic manhood and womanhood is developing.  "Sportsplaze" (gymnasiums) are being built especially in the larger cities where boys and girls may go for recreation and exercise.

Everywhere on the streets Hitler youth are selling badges to raise money for air defense against a Russian invasion or for some other military defense or for the Youth Hostels.

In these ways Germany hopes to be stronger than all Europe togeth­er.  At this point Germany will ask for the return of her colonial possessions.  If she doesn't get them, she will take possession of them, even as Italy is now taking possession of Ethiopia.  If any nation wishes to interfere, for instance France or Russia, they must start the warfare against Germany.  Germany will defend what she considers belonging to her.

In The Event of War.  France and Russia and probably Czechoslovakia will be against Germany.  Italy and England will remain neutral.  Japan will be neutral but will favor Germany.  The United States will remain neutral but will favor France because of the bond between the French and American Jews.  In 1933 England was more hostile toward Germany than she is now.  Churchill of England is the chief hater of Germany.

If there is a war and Germany wins, it is certain that France will be inflicted by a treaty similar to the 14 points of WW-I which Germany hates.  Germany dislikes U.S. President Wilson but likes President Roosevelt.

Every German hates France not only because of its nationalism but mostly because it is controlled by the Jews, Catholics and Communists.

Gerhard Rapp concluded with the statement, "Germans are confident of success and to a man they are for Germany and for Hitler."

I was sorry to leave Mosbach the next morning, May 24.  I had learned little about its architecture; however, my knowledge of German affairs from the viewpoint of Gerhard Rapp had vastly increased.  Down the Neckar River I went, stopping in Eberbach to get a picture.  I had intended stopping overnight there but did not find enough of interest to warrant a stay.

I came to Hirschhorn and was delighted with this little medieval town perched on the side of a hill surrounded by a crumbling wall and overlooking the valley of the Neckar.  Here, in a dozen places, were interesting stairs leading to the old fortress high up on the hill.  Picture was taken from a window in the castle.  May 25,1936 (E5-26)

I came to Hirschhorn and was delighted with this small medieval town perched on the side of a hill surrounded by a crumbling wall and overlooking the valley of the Neckar.  Here, in a dozen places, were interesting stairs leading to the old fortress high above.  I was excited by it all.  I obtained a room at the hotel Zum Naturalisten and immediately went out to wander about the old town and ruins of the castle before nightfall set in.

The next day, I made a sketch of the "Mittel-Tor."  This was a very curious tower.  In one view it appeared that the tower belonging to the church which was immediately below.  In reality the tower had nothing to do with the church.  From here I wandered to another church halfway up the hillside.  Then, I climbed the romantic old stairs that lead to the castle grounds.  In the castle museum I saw the stuffed cat that Mark Twain had something to do with when he was in Hirschhorn in 1873.  The woman who took me through did not know English and I knew little German so I did not get the whole story.  I did find out that Mark Twain stopped at the Naturalisten Hotel.

When I returned to the hotel, I asked to see Mark Twain's room, number 3.  It was a nice sunny room located on the west side of the house on the second floor facing the street.  It is used for a servant's room so that visitors may see it.  On the wall was a picture of Mark Twain and also a couple of letters dated 1873.  My room, number 10, was on the same floor but on the opposite end of the house.  I had hoped that I would have had Mark Twain's room but such was not the case.

On the first night at a Hirschhorn at a cafe I had the usual trouble.  I ordered a small glass of beer.  The waitress said something about not having such beer, only in a .7 liter bottle.  But, I did not understand.  So, I ordered "must" wine (wine made from grape juice), but here again something was wrong.  In despera­tion I ordered beer again, a whole bottle of it.  A young fellow at the same table smiled at me and afterwards explained in English that here they sold beer only by the bottle and not on draught.  It was from this we struck up an acquaintanceship.  He was Otto Weis, a 26 year old medical student at the University of Heidelberg.  We agreed to meet the next night at 10 PM at the Naturalisten hotel.

Around a very gay table we drank beer until one o'clock.  There is a lot of fun and good nature at these informal German gatherings.  I love them.  The fellows wanted my address and asked me to write them sometime, but I believe it was mostly the beer that prompted such friendliness.  The story of Mark Twain and the cat was also connected with a beer party.

It seems that Mark Twain had had a great deal to drink.  When he went to bed, one of the servants stuck a stuffed cat in the window. The light of the moon shown on the cat's glass eyes.  Mark Twain thought it was a lion.  Here the story is very hazy; no one remembered more of it.  And so I went to bed wondering what happened to that stuffed cat.  (For more on this story read Mark Twain's "Innocents Abroad".) 

Breakfast at the Naturalisten hotel was pleasant.  An elderly English couple, a professor and his wife, were delight­ful.  It was pleasant to speak in English to them.

I left Hirschhorn on May 26.  I am sorry to leave towns like this after becoming acquainted with a few people.  But, the fever to move on was greater than the desire to stay.  I left the main road to take the tortuous path that lead to Diels­berg.  The little village was very poor and dirty with chickens, goats, oxen, and rabbits everywhere; but, its location on the top of the hill was picturesque and afforded a beautiful view of the valley of the Neckar and of Neckargemund.  From here I went along the Neckar River back to Mannheim and the home of Ursula and her husband Gunther Saal.