The Bremen Port: 150 Years Ago--Hawel Family Migration

The popular movie, The Sound of Music occurred during the time of the German Anschluss with Austria. In the movie, Captain Vonn Trapp is ordered to report to Bremerhaven to take command of a submarine in the naval forces of the Third Reich.  The Anschluss occurred in March 1938.  The Anschluss event is 80 years distant from present, and 70 years after the year when my great great grandparents  Anna and Josef Hawel and their children migrated from Bohemia to the United States.  Bremerhaven is a sister city to Bremen Germany.  The Hawel family, according to ship records, departed from Bremen Germany.  Perhaps it actually sailed from Bremerhaven, but the original meticulous German records of who boarded ships, and where they boarded and other related information was destroyed, possibly in the 1920's as they thought there were just too many records.  Knowing the German penchant for exactness, perhaps the decision maker on the records had hailed from a different country.  This is the second in a series of stories on the Hawel family migration.  The first blog post, from March 31, may be found here.

German Kingdoms in 1868

The City of Bremen is old, established in the 9th century on the Weser River, just inland from the mouth of the Weser at the Wadden Sea (which we would probably know by the overarching name North Sea).  However, it is thought that human settlement in the area dates from as long ago as the 1,100's B.C.  Bremen is an industrial and port city, but over time, land use alterations upstream of the Weser River caused the river navigation near Bremen to be reduced due to siltation.  Land was then purchased slightly north at the river mouth and the sister city of Bremerhaven was established.  The port opened in 1830, and transatlantic service began in 1847.  Bremen's population doubled between 1850 and 1880, from about 55,100 to 111,800 persons.  Today, Bremen is about 548,600 persons.

European Emigration to the US, 1861-1879 (PBS)

One of the main buildings in Bremen is the Rathskeller which is said to contain some fine wines and beers.  Whether the Hawel family stopped for a beer or wine at the famous Rathskeller is not known.  However, given their Czech background I would mostly likely say beer was a favored beverage.  Although, I do not know for sure.  I am sure if the now millennial-aged ancestors of Josef and Anna were to visit Bremen, they would certainly stop at the Rathskeller.  Unless of course a micro-brew location was available.  Or, a distillery.

Bremen, perhaps c 1892.  Maggie Blanck collection

It is said that 38% of the immigrant ships that arrived on either on the Atlantic or Gulf Coast seaboards of North America originated from Bremen or Bremerhaven. The sister cities became the major port for German migrants to the United States.  In addition, Bremen would house and feed the migrants, even the low class riff-raff who were seeking better opportunities abroad, which was different from other German port cities, such as Hamburg.

Google Map walk route Dolni Chrastany to Bremen

Just as in ancient times and today, port cities in the 18th century were important locations for settlement and then industrialization.  Bremen became the Cathedral city in 848 A.D. which would presage its ability to receive a market permit from the king in 888 A.D.  In the middle ages, the ability to have a market city was the powerful economic engine of trade.  It was the current version of a high tech company.  Trade would spur production, and production would spur income, which would spur people.  Combined as a religious and market center, with a port and increasing, albeit slow, industrial improvements in the 9th and 10th century allowed the beginnings of a more defined place.  Economist Edward Glaeser has said as bad off as some see the urban poor in the world, they are better off than the rural poor. This may or may not have held true in the middle ages.

Portion of article on K Hawel Popp 50th Wedding Anniversary
T Hovel, via Jo Hofmeister Popp

I have found little information on the specific journey the Josef Hawel family undertook from southern Bohemia to Germany to embark on their transatlantic journey to the United States.  An article on the fiftieth wedding anniversary of Katherine Hawel and (Emil) Henry Popp provides some basic information.  From this short article we know that she was born in Germany (actually Bohemia) and left with her parents when she was five years old. It goes on to say "the long trip across the ocean took seventeen weeks."  It would be a journey of over four months, or one quarter of the year.  Some sources say that it would not be unusual for a family to board a barge and head downstream on the Weser River until they reached Bremen.   Google maps will tell us that from Dolni Chrastany, Bohemia to Bremen, Germany is a distance of about 500 miles. And, that is using today's quickest walking route. This is a long way by cart and horse, and even longer by foot.  Either way it was a long journey.

Bremen Rathskeller
Looks like a place Rick Steves would visit

The lifestyle the Hawel family had in the small farming hamlet of Southern Bohemia was far from the lifestyle the Von Trapp's enjoyed (before they lost most of their money in a bank collapse in 1935).  Captain Von Trapp left Austria to avoid going to Bremerhaven; the Anna and Josef Hawel family, with eight children  aged 21 to months old, traveled hundreds of miles over several weeks to get to Bremen to journey to the United States.  Given that this is the last week of June, and the ship departed from Bremen on July 1, I like to think if the Josef and Anna, if they were like me, they would already be in Bremen getting tickets and other items necessary for the journey.  Or, taking time to visit the Rathskeller.  On the other hand, they may be like some others in the family who always tend to run late, and may have caught the ship just before it disembarked. It is from Bremen that the Hawel family would board ship for the United States, a journey, for good or bad, set the stages for their descendants in this nation. Watch for the next post on the Hawel family migration.

Exterior of Bremen Rathskeller

Unless otherwise noted, images from Google Images.

DMV

It is a chore every auto driving American needs to do.  Go to the DMV.  an acronym for Division of Motor Vehicles.  One takes their driving test at the DMV, you renew your driver license, vehicle registration, and other items associated with everyday life.  If you live in Wisconsin but don't drive,  you can go to the DMV to get your required photo ID to vote. I think some people may rather go to the dentist than to the DMV.

I went with my wife today as she had to renew he driver license.  DMV's contain a panoply of Americans of every color, size, and persuasion.  In a sense, it may well be a small portrait of the demographic set for the area in which you live.  Besides adults, you see babies, young children with a parent, a Dad anxiously awaits the news as a child takes their driver's test.  Possibly some new arrivals to Wisconsin, or even the nation. Donor posters come in two different languages, English and Spanish.  It made me wonder how many of the DMV workers speak Spanish.

A standard DMV

When entering the DMV today, I saw a middle aged man in the chairs for driver test.  Just before we departed, I could hear the instructor give points to him and his son on what the young driver did wrong. I did not hear many compliments.  She ended by saying "Better luck next time."  The disappointed young man left with his father, with his choice of head wear foreshadowing a budding hipster.  I wonder if the dad was upset, or had some measure of schadenfreude as the young man would be delayed on the household auto insurance policy.  Another dad arrived with a nervous daughter to take the driver exam.  I did not notice any mom's with children to take the driver test.  Is it because dad's are the primary driver, or have greater ability to get time off?  Is it because the wife app would be in overtime with a young driver?

Times have changed, they do not always parallel park anymore.  An automated voice calls over the PA system, "Number D223 to counter 9, please, D223 to counter 9".  Also, the driver license is now mailed, rather than produced and laminated on the spot and provided to you, that is if you pass the test.  Last week my wife commented to me when she biked most of the way with me to my MMSD meeting that it was like taking a child to kindergarten.  Today, I was able to repay, by saying that going with her to the DMV was like taking a child to get their driver license.  Luckily she passed her eye exam.  The husband app, which I believe is more forgiving than the wife app, did not go off as she drove to and from the DMV.

Massachusetts member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Pastafarian 

With the growing penchant for individuality in the nation, DMV's have been under fire as to what is acceptable head wear.  It was not too long ago when a women wanted to wear a colander, claiming he religious belief was that of a Pastafarian, and she is required to wear the colander.  A court fight ended up allowing her to wear the food strainer. I wonder if she wore the colander in her car and at other places in public.

DMV's would not be any idea of a fun time, but we were in and out in about 20-25 minutes.  What used to be ten years is now eight years for renewal for my wife, and probably for me come later this year.  I am not sure if the time frame is reduced due to aging and the need for eye tests, or if it is policy for everyone in the state.  My wife thinks the state just wants more money.  If you think about it, if going to eight years is state and age wide, that is a great deal more persons to accommodate at the DMV within the eight year time frame, 20% more.  I doubt they will increase their capacity by 20%.  I did not see any colanders.

First Monday

Hearing the term "First Monday", someone involved in the legal profession will likely think of the Supreme Court term, which begins on the first Monday in October.  This week, I was not thinking of that or the first Monday in June,  but rather, this past Monday was my first day of "retirement."  Officially, I am still employed, but my last anticipated day in the office was Friday, June 8.  Hence, I thought of Monday, June 12 as my first day of retirement.

My wife at camp fire, covered not due to cold,
but for mosquitoes

From a summer weather standpoint, Monday was rather uneventful.  It was mostly cloudy and humid.  It certainly was not the type of beautiful summer day (as was last week Wednesday) that makes summer so enjoyable.  But, the weather does not make a day.  My wife and I went camping at Lake Kegonsa State Park from Sunday to Wednesday late morning.  My wife's walking partner and her friend were camping at Lake Kegonsa and invited us out for dinner.  We too decided a short camping trip would be a good way to begin our new adventures. 

Chicken dinner on the grill

Our Monday began with each taking a long walk, although my wife took a much longer walk, with her walking partner than I.  I think she had 9100 steps in by the time she got back to camp. I guess we did sleep in, as we got up about 6 am.   A nice breakfast of bacon and eggs provided sustenance for most of the day until dinner.  Monday, is the day we went over to my wife's walking partners campsite for dinner.  It was a good dinner and fine companionship.  I learned a great deal about curling, and the make up of the US high performance, (i.e. Olympic) team.  Curling was one of the few bright spots for the United States in this past February winter Olympics. The companion of my spouse's walking partner retired just a couple years ago as a curling coach.  He coached a few U.S. Olympic teams some years ago, and is very familiar with US Curling.  Interestingly, he is originally from Canada, and arrived in the United States in 1980.  

In between the late (for us) breakfast and dinner, we spent time at the beach, where I did some swimming, and my wife read and relaxed.  Yes, dear readers, my wife actually spent some time relaxing.  I know that is hard for some to believe, but I even have some photographic evidence of her relaxing.

My wife relaxing, with sweatshirt to protect her from the bugs

Actually, while this was our first week of retirement, it seems more like a week of vacation.  We got back from our camping trip on Wednesday and had to clean and store the camping gear.  Fairly standard practice for when we would get back from vacation in the past.  Taking down our tent we found that small ants were building a nest within the top tent poles, so I used some diatomaceous earth to help stem the problem.  First time we have had that problem in all our years of using the tent.

One of my roses

Thursday morning I had a meeting of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.  With the opening late last August of the Lower Yahara River Trail and longest bike bridge in the nation, I realized, when I retired, the trip to MMSD was now bike-able.  So, this morning I decided to bike the distance, which using Google Maps is about 5.6 miles one way.  Not a highly trained, much less a regular bicyclist, the ride in took about 35 minutes.  I left the house about 7:10 am, and my wife joined me on the trip as far as the Lussier Heritage Center, which is about 1.3 miles from MMSD,  As we were leaving my wife, showing either that she misses her children, or she thinks of me as one of them, said "I (her) feel like I am biking with one of the kids on the first day of school." 

Corpse flower

After returning home from "school" on Thursday, we made a trip to Sun Prairie so I could hoe and roto-till the garden.  Wet and warm weather grow weeds better than many plants.  We also racked up some grass and spread it on part of the garden to use as mulch. Thursday evening saw a quick trip to see the Corpse Flower at Olbrich Gardens.  This rare flower blooms about once every 7-10 years which bloom lasts only 24-48 hours.  The appropriate description is arrived from the smell of decay--I likened it to a dead animal. 

Corpse Flower

Friday, we spent all day looking at new vehicles.  Besides the price on new vehicles, the infotainment centers are packed full of applications that they function as a small computer.  If one has the version satellite link (e.g. GM's On-Star), you can access a great deal of information from weather to travel.  While the new safety devices may make the wife-app obsolete, I think that position could well morph into the person in command of the infotainment centers. The array of complexity is such one would not want to drive and try to find something on the infotainment center.  Honda, thought they were being cute by removing the volume switches or buttons for the radio to make persons use the touch screen on their infotainment center.  One problem arose, not anticipated by the esteemed Honda Engineers and designers:  touch screens do not work with a gloved hand.

Rose bush at Olbrich Gardens

Saturday was spent on the shores of Lake Poygan with a boat ride and conversation and dinner with relatives.  It was interesting watching a thunderstorm move southwest to northeast just to our west.  Summer rain events are always interesting and variable.  Saturday morning, we had over 4" of rain, and sad to say some leaked into the basement.

What will this Monday bring?  What will next week have in store for me as I move into the second week of retirement?  I think it will seem more like a retirement week than what I had last week, which felt like a vacation week.  Time will tell.

Departing Words

On Thursday, I had my retirement celebration.  The celebration began at the Fitchburg Community Center, I managed the Community Center construction for the city back in the 1980's.  Co-workers were kind to provide some treats and refreshments, and the city, as is customary, provided a cake.  My Co-workers also provided me a retirement gift, which was a pot of varied herbs with small sticks each holding the a letter for the word RETIRE.  Below each letter was a one word description with a relevant gift certificate:
R--Relax--Jung Seed (gardening)

E--Eat--Food Fight Group
T--Travel--REI (camping)
I--Indulge--Culver's
R--Read--Amazon
E--Enjoy--Wine and Hop Shop (Beer brewing)

After the presentation of the gift, I was prepared to make some remarks.  It became evident to me that people would want me to say something, as I had a few ask during the day, and Susan, my co-worker told me to be prepared.  While the actual remarks varied, the following is an account of those remarks:

I wish to thank you for taking the time out of your day to provide good wishes to me as I move on to other adventures, or as Jack Pearson refers to it, my personal renaissance.  As I do so, I think back 150 years to my great great grandfather, Josef Hawel, who was the same age then as I am now.  Joined by his wife and children he was on a journey, emigrating to the United States to first settle in Wisconsin before most moved on to Iowa.  At this point in time, 150 years ago, he was somewhere between their small hamlet in South Bohemia and Bremen Germany where they would board ship.   I have a different journey.  

Add caption

For 32 years I have worked for this Wisconsin city.  I have worked for the city longer than I have been married, but not as long as I have had a mustache.  In 1986 there was no city engineering department, no economic development director, and no city administrator.  The library was a bookmobile.  The community room at the old city hall was used during the day for senior activities, and meetings at night. Patricia Delker (my co-worker) and I would reset the room up for the twice a month plan commission meetings, with the sticky floor, and among the odors of cooked cabbage.  We would then take it down at the conclusion of the meeting.    Fewer positions in the city meant work opportunities in a variety of fields which allowed expansion of my knowledge base, whether it be city administration, or engineering.   I look back with some amusement that it took 3 years before the city purchased me a desk.  

Providing my remarks at the Community Center

When I take a look back in time I find many successes: bike trails and facilities, the open spaces interwoven through developments, sidewalks in subdivisions built after the mid 1990’s, the Jamestown storm water project, public facilities such as McKee Farms Park, Community Center, City Hall and the fire stations.  Jim Christoph and I, with our city attorney, negotiated the acquisition of the golf course until 10:00 pm on the night before Thanksgiving.  A time when most have arrived at their destination for a long holiday weekend.  The varied plans adopted and implemented. Our resource based planning efforts for both the future urban growth boundary of the Comprehensive Plan, and at the neighborhood plan level.  Our Future Urban Growth Boundary methodology would be adopted by Capital Area Regional Planning Commission for use with other communities.  I look back to less than ten years ago and find that we had a high level of production in a two years’ time:  2009 was the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, a significant, lengthy process with over 130 public meetings; but, 2009 also saw the completion and adoption of the McGaw Neighborhood Plan, and the Southdale Neighborhood Plan.  2010 saw the adoption of the Northeast Neighborhood Plan, and a full and complete rewrite of the zoning and land division codes; Jason, Susan, Mark Sewell and I would gather a couple times a week to go through the codes page by page, line by line.  This rewrite included the adoption of the integrated SmartCode District, the only such ordinance in the state of Wisconsin.  Every Fitchburg plan involved significant public outreach.  There was more than just a select committee. 

These plans provide the vision, direction, and guidance for growth of this community.  Fitchburg is diverse in land use, its population, its socio-economic status, and its opinions.  Land use wise it sees the challenges that arise at the boundary of its varied landscape types.  The fluid edges of an ever changing landscape add to scrutiny and discord, but also provide opportunity.  An opportunity to hear a different idea and a different voice.

Me, with former Transportation Engineer, Ahna Concrete

Every day, I have to say, I think I learned something new.  There were a few times, maybe more than a few, when I may not have liked what I learned, but I learned something.  I leave knowing that not only have I given the prime years of my life to the city, I gave my best.  In many cases, I realize, that doing my best was not enough, but I had no more to offer.  History will judge my contribution; I just hope it not too harsh. 

I want to thank the many committee/commission members and elected officials who I have been allowed to serve.  A thanks to those co-workers who have assisted and supported me.   Of course, gratitude to the planning staff who have worked under me--Wade, Susan, Jason, Patricia, Eric, Stacy, but without their assistance successes would have been less.   

I also wish to thank my children and my wife.  My children, who many times did not have their Dad at a school or other activity.  I missed swim and track meets, and yes, even some freshman or JV  football games.  There have been days and weeks that my wife was a Fitchburg widow.  Yet she would be awake even when I arrived home even if in the early hours of the next day, to ask how the meeting went.   One of her favorite phrases to me is “take it easy” and there is the new one: “Let it Go.”       

My last day with my employees
Lisa, me, Susan and Wade

As I let go, I know some are looking to the benefits of my not being present, not the least would be those persons on the third floor of City Hall who will now have more treats to eat among themselves.  

With the three Building Inspectors on my last day.
The one and only day I wore shorts to work in my 32 years

When my great great grandfather and his wife and family emigrated to the US 150 years ago, he had a much longer and more trying journey than what I have to travel.  I suspect, he found some difficulty in letting go of the ancestral homeland.  I too wonder whether I will find some difficulty in leaving behind those co-workers, colleagues, and friends who have been supportive of me during the last 32 years.  To those people, I owe a sincere…

…Thank you!
                               ***********************************************

City Hall on Friday, June 8, 2018

Upon conclusion of the remarks, we socialized for a short while, before moving to a local restaurant for beverages, food, conversation and good will.

With two former co-workers who retired several years ago

As I leave behind a place for which I have worked for 32 years, Susan and Wade (full time employees under me), and our 2018 intern, Lisa, provided me, in a frame, a land use plan map for the city in 1984 (two years before my employment began) and the one for 2017.  Wade, as part of his comments on the back, wrote:  "Not many people in our profession have the privilege of saying they 'built a city'...I think you can truly claim that privilege."  Compare the two maps, and one can clearly see what Wade means.  As a long time Plan Commission member wrote to me:  "It's not even possible to measure the impact you've had on the City of Fitchburg.  Certainly it would be a very different place if it had not been for you and I strongly believe we are far better for it.  I am certain that you have had a greater impact on what Fitchburg is today than any other individual, and I don't think any comparison would even be close." 

With my name plate used at public meetings

 Am I different now that I am retired?  Well, on my last day, Friday, June 8, we had the pre-construction meeting for the East Fire Station project.  At the conclusion of the meeting, we went around the room to see if anyone had any additional comments.  The concluding remark by someone in the room noted to the effect, "you can tell Tom is about to retire since I never saw him so subdued at any construction meetings on the West Fire Station" (completed in June 2017). Will that hold true into retirement?  I don't know.  As I left work today, many of my co-workers had gathered outside the door I exit and gave me a round of applause.  A warm send off to a long career.

Thank you to all who have supported me and came to provide me good wishes as I enter into new adventures.

Hydrants and Posts

Every now and then something comes along to alter your day.  Using the word "alter" as I did, may make one think the day was altered, but not in a good way.  But, yet a day can be altered in good, bad or I suppose indifferent; although if indifferent, was your day altered?  My day was altered Saturday, and in a good way.  What I did not know until Friday night is that my two sons and their girlfriends were planning a bike ride on Saturday.  My day was altered as the bikers left from our house in McFarland, and went over the new bike bridge and head to near downtown Madison, for what Millennial's do, get a beer at a craft brewery on Park Street.  My wife offered that we watch Hudson, the dog owned by our youngest son and his girlfriend.  Or, as she refers to Hudson, our grand-dog.

Hudson near his peanut butter kong

Hudson, is a rambunctious young dog whose behavior reminds me of Marley in "Marley and Me."  Not the most obedient dog, but I think that adds to his likability.  I think dogs, at least those of my family members, are probably the most spoiled animals on earth.  On the last weekend in May, there was the annual puppy party for those who have dogs, and humans with no dogs are invited too.  Hudson, unfortunately was unable to make the puppy party.  Last Wednesday we dog sat Hudson, so he could get some human interaction as our son and his girlfriend attended an event in Madison.  I think my wife wore Hudson out playing catch.

Playing catch

After Hudson arrived my wife filled up some toy he has with peanut butter which kept him occupied for a few minutes.  After the kids departed on the bike ride, I went for my daily walk, which in McFarland is about 50 minutes in length.  I decided to take Hudson thinking he may like the new sights and sounds.  What I forgot about with dogs, until we got to the first fire hydrant, is that they may not care for the sights and sounds as much as the smells.  Hudson, like other dogs, stopped to sniff around fire hydrants, telephone and sign posts.  Well, very little can keep me from my daily walk, which is more like a mission, or as people at work say, a march. Hudson would be in the lead and I holding tight to his leash lest he get away followed. It was often common for him to pull to the side and sniff, and I would continue to walk, he would get behind lollygagging at the new smells, until I tugged his leash.

He likes playing catch

This went on through the whole walk.  Walk, stop, sniff, and I would tug at which Hudson would move on ahead; walk, stop, sniff, tug.  I don't know what it is in the character of dogs that wants them to smell such things, (perhaps it is a territorial thing) but it is a common legend that dogs like to pee on fire hydrants (leaving their scent), making one wonder what they do when there is no hydrant.  I am just glad they do not pee on electrical transformers.  Needless to say the first part of the walk, in an older neighborhood with above ground electrical/telephone lines made for many more stops than the last part where electrical and communication lines are below ground.  Easier for me as less tugs, although maybe Hudson was disappointed.

Going for the ball 

I had thought a long walk would wear him out, but no.  After getting home we played fetch (or catch), and fetch some more and fetch some more.  Not to mention fetch again.  Knowing his not desiring to listen to me, which I found out the hard way in early April, I had him tied up to play fetch.  After a couple of times of getting a hard tug on the leash when the ball was knocked out of his reach, he realized where to stop--smart dog, just does not want to listen to me.  After a short break, which I thought he would want to lie down and rest, but no.  I wanted to relax, but seeing his little head and nod the strings of my heart were tugged and I would play fetch once again. Did I say we played a lot of fetch?

Who can say no to that face?

If I had left Hudson off the leash perhaps he would have tracked down the rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks that populate the yard and have, quite frankly become a nuisance.  But, alas, while they were present before Hudson arrived, once he arrived they were all of sudden no where to be seen.  Perhaps, as Hudson gets older I will be able to get him off leash in the yard, but right now, I would don't trust that to be the case. Hudson liked to sniff below the bird feeders in our yard.  This is a location where the critters, he would like to find, hang out when they are not digging in our planted pots, or eating our plants.  Hudson enjoyed eating food other than peanut butter.  There were carrots, Corn Chex and a few other treats.  He was a hungry dog.  I often let him get a pass on the part to make him sit and shake before giving him food, and a few times I simply gave him a handful of Chex. 

Time to go now

 My Saturday afternoon was taken up playing with Hudson, but it turned out to be a nice way to spend an otherwise cool and cloudy day.  Hudson, is the grand-dog, and like grand-kids to grand parents I think I spoiled him. It was difficult to not play and provide attention to Hudson with that cute, wondering look that he entrusts to my mind, and heart. Stopping at the hydrants and posts is a small break in my walking mission, but that walk was also engaging, as Hudson was well, being Hudson.  So, yes, the day was altered in a good way.