Special Day

A special day of remembrance.
Being married three times may require some explanation.
 
It was on May 6, 1961 when I went to the Bürgermeister (Mayor) office in Ramstein, Germany to be married.  My good friend, Steven I. Lonnquist was there to interpret and act as witness.  I had no idea what was being said and Steve would poke me in the ribs and say, “Sag Ja!   That was the official ceremony and a certificate was issued.  Shortly thereafter we proceeded to the Chapel on base where we had a church wedding.  All the members of my office were there with their wives.  Another marriage certificate.  When I returned to the States with my bride (that’s another story), there was a church wedding and one more certificate of marriage.  So, although married three times, it was to the same girl.
 
Today we celebrate 53 years of marriage.  We had our ups and downs during the past 53 years - financially and emotionally, for various reasons, but we were able to work out our differences and stayed together.   My wife was not keen on leaving her homeland and moving to America, however she said that she would go wherever I went, but when we retired, she requested that we return to her home of birth.  I promised to do that and kept that promise.  My wife became a naturalized American citizen and in the process had to give up her German citizenship.  When we returned to Germany, she applied to get her German citizenship back.  They said she would have to wait ten years to acclimate.  She said, “I was born here”.   At the same time, people were coming to Germany from the East – many from Russia and were granted immediate citizenship – no acclimation required.  What really pissed her off was when they asked her if she was Jewish.  She said “No, why do you ask?”  The man said, “Then you could have it immediately.”  She told the man that he could keep the citizenship.  
Both my wife and I are foreigners living in Germany speaking German with an American accent.  Times change and people change with the times.  The village where we live was the village where my wife and her parents came during the war for food and shelter.  My wife went to school in this village and many of her fellow students are still living.  Although there is no place on earth that is perfect, we enjoy our life here.  When my relatives in the US ask me if/when I plan to return, my reply is that I cannot afford to live in America.  Our health problems alone would have wiped us out.  In Germany we enjoy a good healthcare program that has saved our lives.  We are fortunate to be alive and growing old together.

Congratulations for this very special day.

Have a great day, Abe, and enjoy the sunshine! Congratulations to you both!   

A very cool story, Abe. Wishing you both the best of days.

In fact, I'm sure you have many stories yet to tell in writing.

Thank you all.  Yes, DK, there are stories that could be told, but some are best left untold.

5/6/2014

                          Abe..

                                   Congratulations to you and your wife. I admire what you did,
                          wish I could move to Germany but they wouldn't accept me, My
                          grandparents came to the USA in 1865, so I guess I'm 4th generation.
                          But you never know ?

                                                              Cheers... Joe

Thanks Joe.  As for moving to Germany, why would they not accept you?  You can live here without obtaining citizenship.  Should that be later desired, you can apply.  I have chosen not to apply since it would mean giving up my American citizenship and there is no advantage to that - at least at the moment.  Giving up your citizenship is not a German rule, but an American rule in that you can't be a citizen of more than one country.  There is an exception to that rule and I don't have to tell you who that is.

Congratulations and continued beat wishes, Abe.     

Thank you Alice.  Have you returned home?

By the way - may three marriages to the same person in a row is the secret to a long-term marriage :-)

Abe F. March wrote:

Thank you Alice.  Have you returned home?

No, Abe,
We are here with the kids until school ends. Their house is for sale and they are moving to Boulder,  CO. Inch by inch they are getting closer

So, as your kids are moving in, mine are moving out and coming back to Texas. They would only have been about 75 miles apart.

Hope you and your wife are having a wonderful day, Abe. I am in the Mountain time zone, USA, so right now your day is probably over.

I just wished my daughter-in-law Happy Birthday. It is today as well.

My youngest brother says he wants to live in Germany. He spent several years there while serving in the USAF. He is retired and living near Luke AFB in Arizona currently.

Best wishes my friend. God Bless.

This forum is like family.  Here when we need support and here to share in happiness.  Just as any family, there are squabbles, but in the end, we usually come together.

I don't agree.

Shelagh wrote:

I don't agree.

I do agree.  LOL.