Discover childhood memories in Saxony

For my brother Michael (1987-2022).

Plauen is celebrating its 900th anniversary this year. And the lace town has changed in recent decades. Fortunately, many places from my childhood still exist as they were in my memories at the end of the 1980s and in the 1990s and 2000s. Of course, there is a lot of local color and childhood memories in every single place of my childhood and the places have changed today. But they have not been destroyed.

Today I'm taking you to the places of my childhood, which I happily explored together with my brother Michael, who is three years younger than me.

Unnere rustic Miehl

How we loved the huge chestnut trees. And the little playground behind the parking lot. Or the Trabi lift, which hasn't been used for repairs for a long time. And the little toboggan slope in winter. And the huge model train exhibition, which was only open in the winter months.

A hike to the Pfaffenmühle always seemed like an endlessly long excursion to us, even though the way from home past the Waldhaus and down into the valley of the Kaltenbach was less than two kilometers. Together with our grandparents and the Jößnitzern We occasionally went "in de Miehl" to have a good time together and enjoy a hearty meal. On the way home, it was sometimes a little dark and the path past the Pfaffenmühlen pond was a little spooky. We were told that the robbers lived over there in the hut by the pond. Probably so that we could walk home quickly and not dawdle any further...

An dor Talsperr'

Mini golf at the dam. Take a boat trip or simply cool off. Climbing the Mosenturm from time to time (reluctantly, because the path there is steep), or walking over the dam wall and looking down into the Triebtal valley. The dam was always a small excursion destination for us, as it offered a lot of leisure activities. A barbecue evening on the grounds of the TC Nemo diving club near Gansgrün is also etched in my memory. As a very good fin swimmer, you achieved top places in youth championships (including in my current home town of Dresden) and were able to celebrate your successes with your club mates here on the club grounds.

Unner klannes Naddel

On hot summer days, we would go to the "Naddel" - the small outdoor pool on Chrieschwitzer Straße - at 5 in the evening in Preißelpöhl. Why at 5? The entrance fee was reduced and we could splash around for less. Given the size of the pool and the number of visitors, it wasn't usually possible to do more than splash around. But for me, that was enough to cool off, as - unlike my brother - I was never a water rat and never will be. Ass bombs, starting block jumps and endless dives were yours.

When the fun in the water got bigger, they went to the stadium together.

Driehm in our stadium

In spring, we watched VFC Plauen soccer matches, in summer we jumped into the cool waters of the Haselbrunn outdoor pool at the stadium and in fall we collected sacks of chestnuts - this was our Vogtlandstadion. Again, it was only about two kilometers away, so we spent the odd weekend or afternoon here after school. In the fall, on good hunting and gathering days, our dad had to load heaps of 25 and 50-kilo sacks of chestnuts in his Trabi or Seat Ibiza, which we then took to the Pfaffengut to supplement our pocket money. That's right. There used to be money for chestnuts. And not even in short supply.

Unner city park

I can't really remember any summer visits. But I do remember snowy winter days all the more. Because on Saturdays, the three of us would go tobogganing in the city park with Dad (while Mum cooked). Starting from the Stadtparkring and making daring jumps across the intersecting footpaths, the toboggan run led to the frozen Stadtparkteich pond and was a popular destination for many Plauen residents. Including for us. With two sledges in the trunk, we regularly went to the wintry city park. And the pond withstood every tobogganing session. We never collapsed.

Our beloved garden

We loved our garden so much. Two kilometers away from home, at the end of a small path and with a view of the hilly Vogtland region, our parents built themselves a little idyll in the 1980s. The self-built bungalow with its morning and evening terrace, the much too narrow and small kitchen, the creaky double bunk bed and the discarded furniture from home was often a weekend home for us. The countless cherry harvests we missed out on because we and our friends misused the sweet cherry trees as posts to play soccer have long since been made up for. Today, footballs no longer land in the cherry blossom. In summer, the shade of the large cherry tree also provided enough shade for a table tennis table and its skillful players. Here, we would smash for all we were worth or play Chinese (or round robin as it is called elsewhere). Badminton was another leisure activity we could play in the huge garden. We were also both quite good at darts.

At lunchtime, we usually took to the shade under the conifers to read either Bravo Sport or Mickey Mouse. In the evening, we would occasionally fire up the barbecue and spend fun times with our garden neighbors or friends and relatives. We laughed late into the night in large groups. And we were allowed to stay up late.

We also enjoyed spending time on the Hollywood swing, where we also enjoyed reading or doing puzzles or playing cards or chess. From the Hollywood swing, we could look into the distance, guess the figures in the clouds and simply let ourselves drift with the gentle rocking back and forth.

But of course we also had to help. Because gardening doesn't do itself. Of course, we never - under any circumstances - argued about who would mow the endless lawn next and who would take away the full baskets of grass cuttings. But in the end, everything was always mowed. After all, the pitch had to be perfect for playing soccer.

Unner Zehause - Reißig

When the old (smelly) pig farm was closed and demolished at the beginning of the nineties and an industrial estate was to be built on the site, our spirit of discovery was awakened. We often rode our bikes to the industrial estate and raced around the half-finished industrial estate. The traffic circles were also an invitation to beat the fastest lap time. The bike tours for two got bigger and took us to Jößnitz or Steinsdorf, later also to the Pöhl and once to Mechelgrün to the soccer pitch. On the way, we always snacked on delicious blackberries from the bushes.

But we also loved just going into the forest opposite, building caves and tents out of branches lying around or just walking in the forest strolling around. Don't ask me how, but in winter we even created our own toboggan runs in the forest, which we raced down to the foliage together with the neighbors' children. After more than 25 years, the old toboggan runs can only be guessed at.

The following summer, all the youngsters from Reißig (the village) met up to play football on the Ahornstraße / Reußenländer Straße meadow. We spent whole afternoons playing football with up to 12 other children on a field until it was dinnertime.

I also remember the old Gasthof Reißig, where my grandfather used to go "ze Tanz". A dilapidated ruin of a restaurant with a huge overgrown beer garden, which I entered together with my brother. In the large dining room, we had a quick look around the old, dusty furniture, opened the glass doors and walked across the creaking floorboards, only to walk quickly out into the open after a few minutes. Even though the inn would probably have stood for years to come, we somehow had the feeling that it could collapse at any moment. So let's get out.

In the fall, we diligently collected chestnuts and acorns. We used big sticks to shoot the brown chestnuts from the high treetops. I can still remember times when there was no maple road and we could shoot and collect chestnuts in peace in the huge meadow. We loved the sound of the chestnuts hitting the ground.

Our fantastic family celebrations

Family celebrations were another highlight. Even if - especially at Christmas with 3 birthday parties in 5 days - they were slightly inflationary. In a small circle with grandparents, uncles, aunts and our two cousins, we almost always celebrated in the same circle (with the exception of milestone birthdays). While the adults talked about gossip, politics, illnesses and the usual madness, it was always time for us children to play. City, name, country; Monopoly; Hotel; Game of life and many other board and knowledge games, as well as NES and Super Nintendo at some point, were a fun pastime between the sumptuous meals. In general, games were a popular pastime for both of us. Thanks to rummy, canasta, Uno, chess or skat, even rainy weekends were always saved.

Unnere strenuous hikes

Our relationship with hiking was divided. Mine a little less than yours. But sometimes neither of us were really enthusiastic when we were allowed (had to, could, wanted to) take part in Freie Presse Himmelfahrtswanderungen, Barthmühlen and Elster valley hikes, Lochbauertouren and whatever else was on the program. But somehow we both enjoyed it, which was probably mostly due to the family and relatives who joined us on the hikes. It's easier to hike together and with the right exciting intermediate destinations and goals, it was fun after all.

We were both particularly proud after hiking to the Plauener Hütte in the Zillertal Alps. After our first attempt ended in a snowfield just below the hut, we climbed the 2363m high alpine refuge of our home town in a seemingly endless hike.

Our wonderful vacations

The number one vacation region was the Alps. From the Bavarian Alps to the Zillertal to Schenna and Meran or the Dolomites - no (German-speaking) Alpine region was safe from us. But the Black Forest, the Lüneburg Heath and the Harz Mountains were also vacation destinations for us. Incidentally, our first vacation in 1990 took us in a Trabi to Kühlungsborn on the Baltic Sea and from there a day trip to Hamburg. It's unimaginable how such a trip could be managed with such a small car. People must have been smaller in the past and didn't need so much luggage or have so many toys. In any case, I remember a lot of rain from this vacation.

There was far less rain in the Alps (with the exception of a vacation in Inzell). We often visited our Bavarian relatives and explored the outdoor pools, mountain pastures and peaks around Benediktbeuern. The fortnightly annual vacations were always a very special highlight for both of us. Thanks to mines, amusement parks and outdoor pools, there was always enough variety between the hiking days.

What remains?

What remains are memories. Memories of a carefree, simpler childhood. What remains are roaring laughter and lots of sunshine. What remains are happy days with lots of lightness. After 16 years of an inseparable childhood, we grew apart a little. Our lives drifted apart. I sought and found happiness in Dresden at the age of 19, while you remained loyal to your homeland and only made a few trips to southern Germany for odd jobs and training. Dark, gray clouds loomed on your horizon, which would come ominously closer in the years to come.

However, we never completely lost sight of each other. Even if there were longer breaks and we sometimes only had loose contact in our early twenties. It was only in our late twenties that we gradually found each other again. With a new honesty. However, it was impossible to recapture the light-heartedness of our childhood days. Your illness weighed too heavily, the big, heavy rain clouds had become too dark for you in the meantime. Your inner pain was too heavy. We heard your cries for help, but were powerless to stop them. Only rarely did you open up to me. You always came to terms with yourself - as you probably have done since your youth.

And then cancer came along. After a difficult first phase, you were out of the woods. We spent an unforgettably beautiful vacation together as a family on Rügen in 2021. With full optimism that you had beaten the cancer, you visibly enjoyed the time with our parents, your niece, my wife, my mother-in-law and me. The light-heartedness of childhood was back up here in the north by your beloved water. You were happy, you threw yourself into the waves and were in your element.

The gray clouds disappeared. From then on, family celebrations and outings with us were your highlights. When playing skat, you had the most fun when some grand or a zero from Dad or me fell through. And you were always euphoric at rummy when you played "hand" again.

Here with us, your loved ones, you were able to enjoy carefree hours with little pain. Or endure it. We never knew exactly what your health was really like.

But the cancer came back. The countless chemotherapy sessions over the last nine months were incredibly exhausting for you. They were exhausting for your body and soul. Your strength dwindled. Visibly. A cure? Now ruled out by the doctors. So you accepted your fate. You knew it much earlier than anyone else, had premonitions but only confided them to a few people. Once again, you didn't want to be a burden on anyone and have dealt with many things yourself over the last two months. This attitude of yours deserves a lot of respect. Right up to the last day, you stood up to cancer and presented yourself to us as a fighter.

Until the very last day, you never gave up hope and wished for a life without cancer. A completely normal life with your wife and child. That was your fondest wish. But the gray clouds of the past have already destroyed a lot, and the cancer has destroyed even more. I really would have liked and wished you happiness. But it wasn't meant to be.

It fills me with incredible gratitude that we were able to say goodbye to each other in peace over the last few weeks and that we got to know each other again under the clarinet, trombone and triangle tree (I have no idea what the tree is called). Thank you, my brother Michael, that you waited for me on the day of your death until I was with you from Dresden. That way I was able to accompany you a little way over.

Save me a seat on our swing!

With love

Your little big brother.