Day 7 - Wednesday June 15 - Pickliessem, Germany - Visit with Carol`s Zender relatives

Met with Mrs. Frankie Kann an American who has lived in Trier for the last 35 years. She was our driver and translator for two of our three days in the Trier area. Our first stop was north of Trier in the town of Pickliessem where Carol`s mother`s family (the Zenders) originated. The small village is about 35 km north of Trier. We were met by Werner and Anges Weber along with two of their daughters and their families. During the course of the day I think we must have also met a significant number of the people who also live in the village. It happens that the Weber family is related to the Zenders. The original Zender house still stands, though it is no longer owned by anyone related to the Zenders. The Webers operate a dairy farm of 110 to 120 milk cows. It was through their grand-daughter, Veronica Meyer, that we managed to trace the Zender family to them. One of the Weber daughters (Maria Franzen) lives right next to the grand-parents, and it is that family who actually does most of the work on the farm. Werner and Agnes are retired --- both are in their 70`s. Maria Frazen and her husband live in a very large and relatively new house. She and Anges prepared a very good German meal at lunch. Later in the day another Weber daughter and her husband showed up and joined us. The second daughter`s name is Marlen Meyer and she is the mother of Veronica. Veronica was not at the farm because she attends the univeristy in Mainz where she studies English and geography. It turned out that she was to be back home on Friday and hence Marlen asked us to return on that day to their home to meet Veronica. Everyone was extremely cordial and friendly, and because they live within sight of the American air base at Spangdahlem, they have a certain amount of contact with Americans and hence speak just enough English that we were able to converse without the necessary help of Frankie Kann. However, Agnes did have to rely on Frankie to convey her thoughts. There are still two Zenders (by name) who still reside in Pickliessem. They are both cousins to Agnes Weber,and they are both retired employees of the brewery in Bitburg which is only a short distance away.