Herring, Dahl and Apple Crumble
Robert Nitsche, Grandpa, 1914
An autobiography by Meike Laurenson
This review of my book is provided by Jenny Towey of the Anglo-German Family History Society
The opening chapters of this autobiography provide an interesting account of the author's German forebears - especially her paternal grandfather, Robert Alfred Paul Nitsche, born 1872, who became mayor of Arys (then in East Prussia) in 1908 - by order of the Kaiser.
Arys then had a population of 3,000 and, in his 10 year tenure, Robert introduced a gas works, a railway line with station, a health resort by the lake and organised facilities for 30,000 military personnel. His five surviving letters to his wife, Emma, and their children - who were back home in Berlin during the Russian occupation in WWI - make fascinating reading.
The author's maternal line, named Hansen, dates back to 1746 in Broager - then in Denmark: another amazing tale.
Meike is to be commended on her remarkable recall of her own, intricate, life and is extremely fortunate to have many family photographs with which she has illustrated her book. Looking forward to her powerpoint presentation.
My dad, Ralf Nitsche as a student
Grandpa Jens Hansen
Ralf and Hilde 18 Sept 1937
