Oktoberfest in Effelsberg and Lethert

So we said goodbye to Delft after four days and walked to the train station, first taking a train to Rotterdam and then to Koln (Cologne) on Deutche Bahn. German trains have been very pleasant to ride. It was good to be in the Koln train station where we could actually understand many of the announcements and figure out the schedules and signs better...

For those who don't know, I have 4th cousins in Effelsberg Germany. My great granfather, Anton Lethert, was born in Effelsberg. The two small towns that are right next to each other - Effelsberg and Lethert have a festival for Oktoberfest and it just happened to be the weekend we were in Germany!

Train to Koln


Koln station



We say several people dressed in costume presumably for Oktoberfest celebrations



In Koln we got on the Eifelbahn train for Euskirchen



where we were picked up by my cousin's husband, Johannes Backes. After some time catching up on the years since we had seen each other, and seeing changes in the house like Renate's beautiful new kitchen....





I was bundled up in daughter Christina's warm coat and we went to the Oktoberfest celebration.









I wanted one of these shirts that the workers had!



Another cousin Hans Egon Lethert. So Minnesota Letherts, do you see a family resemblance here to a couple of Minnesota Lethert? I do!



Egon's daughter Anne-Catherine and wife Eva






Kristina Backes and me



Live music - I did recognize "Im himmel gibt's kein bier"


So the next morning, Oktoberfest was still on - all day Sunday. First Bill got a few radio telescope pictures...



And of the church in Lethert




Started with breakfast at home and went to the hall created out of an old barn


then Reibekuchen mit Apfelmus (potato pancakes) being cooked by Renate and daughter Petra.


There was also live music on Sunday





And just incredible homemade kuchen! We wanted them all - no, we are not eating light here either... :)


No grocery store or bakery boxes...


Renate, Petra, Kristina and me



There was a bird show with some gorgeous eagles and hawks. Unfortunately something had been set wrong on the camera and Bill did not notice the auto-focus was not working...







Also a wagon ride through Lethert






Am Hang - this area is where our surname Lethert got it's origins - the German name for the street is Am Hang but in one of the times it was under French hands, it had a French name and two brother who lived here in the 1500s took that surname - one was Wilhelm so Wilhelm (von) LeTarte (or similar) - am hang means on the hill or incline and (according to a man who did much research on the town history) the French name had the same or similar meaning but I can't find a current French word that is similar and has the right meaning.


Petra and Kristina Backes


Saying goodbye - hopefully not for so many years this time!

Location:Lethert, Germany