Childhood Memories of the Schusterhäusl
The Memory Remains
It has been so long, and yet I remember my childhood at the Schusterhäusl as if it were yesterday. I love thinking back to that time. It was the time when we children were still allowed to ride scooters and bikes without helmets. A time without mobile phones, PlayStations, and Nintendo. Every free minute we were simply outside, somehow meeting at the village square without even making plans. I usually played with the boys from the neighborhood rather than with the girls. We played hide-and-seek a lot—in the cellar, in the attic, in the garden, at the village square, and even, against the rules, in the cemetery. We climbed trees and often simply lost track of time.
At that time, on the ground floor facing the village square, there was a hair salon on the left and a savings bank branch on the right. Both businesses consisted of just one room. The mailbox next to the front door still reminds us of the savings bank today. I have read that World Savings Day has existed since 1925. For me, it was always an exciting day. Long awaited, finally emptying the piggy bank (I only got the key on that day) and seeing what had accumulated over the year. As a reward, there were coloring books or other small items that were "wonderful" gifts for us children.
I experienced my first haircut in my life with Dora and Felix at the hair salon in the Schusterhäusl. I still remember exactly how my blonde ponytail was cut off.
Then came the day when my dad briefly had the idea of keeping pigeons under the roof of the Schusterhäusl. Besides the sweet daily cooing, the pigeons also did one thing: made far too much mess. And so they left faster than they had arrived. Good for me, because in the subsequently vacant pigeon loft I had a wonderful secret hiding place as a child, with a view over the village square. Exciting, what I could observe there as a child.
The highlight of the year for my siblings and me was Christmas Eve. An evening when Mom and Dad also had time and my grandmother and aunt came to visit. The wonderful scent of homemade cookies, gingerbread, and winter punch, and waiting together on the wooden stairs until the little bell finally rang. The Christ Child had arrived. We would then see the decorated, glowing Christmas tree for the first time that year, and I was overwhelmed every time. Back then, I truly believed that the Christ Child had brought the tree and the presents. My dad always reinforced this belief with his story of how he had seen the Christ Child flying with its golden wings. The presents could only be unwrapped after we had sung a few Christmas carols together. That's when it always became fun, with powerful voices and sometimes even accompanied by recorders. Finally, we were allowed to unwrap our presents. Then the evening was spent together.
The Beginning of My Love for Dogs
According to my father's stories, my grandfather bred Great Danes, but that was unfortunately before I was born. However, I was able to grow up with our boxer dog Billi. A handsome fellow whom I loved dearly. Once in his life, he was allowed to become a father. The female dog gave birth to her puppies at our place in the Schusterhäusl, and for me there was nothing more wonderful than sitting with her and the puppies. As I write these lines, the scent of the puppy babies comes to my nose and my heart opens.
A New Chapter Began
Later, when I was living in Wiesbaden with my husband, we usually spent our vacations "back home" at the Schusterhäusl with my parents and our two sons. At first, I was terribly homesick, even though I had already lived in Munich for several years before Wiesbaden. Hesse just felt very far away from the beautiful Samerberg. My heartfelt wish to awaken in my sons the "love for the Schusterhäusl" has, I believe, succeeded. They both enjoy being there very much.
I hope I was able to take you along with my childhood memories on a little journey into the past and let you feel how much the Schusterhäusl means to me.
Yours,