Thursday, July 7, 2011

Germany - Day 12 Part III - Horbach and the Horbacher Mariengrotten Memorial

After visiting Lohr am Main, we drove to Horbach. Waltraut lived in this area years ago. Just outside the city, we walked to the Horbacher Mariengrotten memorial. Waltraut often walked to the memorial when she was living here so this was a nostalgic visit for her.






The memorial was built immediately after the end of World War II and is meant to give thanks for the fact that the area was spared damage from the war and to celebrate the return of the soldiers. Since then, many people have left notes and signs giving thanks for other events in their lives, so the memorial has grown in meaning and is referred to by some as the "Thank You Grotto". The memorial was constructed by the hands of the locals without the benefit of tools other than shovels and buckets. The materials all come from the surrounding area. Here is a photo of the original construction.






Waltraut pays her respects while Eckhart look on.




Sigrid straightened up the grotto and lit her own candle.




We took a nice walk through the woods.


Another part of the park area.


The tad poles darted around near the bank of the pond.






Later, we met with Waltraut's daughters for a nice dinner at a local restaurant.


Next up is Wachtersbach.

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