Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-08-23
FINE LETTER
FROM GERMANY

| se
Continued from first page)
part in the play that this Passion
Play is given for the following rea-
sons: Many years ago this village was
stricken with terrible disease from
which many people died. Doctors
could do nothing to cure them. What
few people were left gave an omen
and promised faithfully to give a
Passion Play every ten years, in
order to be spared and to serve God.
This play was to be given in their
own little village by residents there
and not for any purpose to receive
money. The money shall be used
only for the play, and to improve the
same, if possible every ten years.
The people here are very religious
and faithful. We happened to get
quarters and board with a private
family, as We could not get hotel
rooms. The play started at 500
a. M, and taking out the dinner
hour it lasted until 900 p. m. It
surely was very interesting.
| l must tell you of a joke on the
police in Munchen. Our dear friend,
| Will Kern, registered at the hotel,
as usual, but with the signature
Wilhelm Kern who killed Rathenau:
out and they thought they had the
Wilhelm Kern who killed Ratenau.
at 800 a. m. they raped at his door,
and poor Will did not want to get
up, but after great disturbance
! you are under arrest" Of course
opened the door, and the police said
Will wanted to know for what, and
now, just believe me we had some
time to get him out of it. Had
I not have been awakened at the time
Will Kern would have been under
arrest today. Of course what helped
Will out was that the fellow who
murdered Rathenau weighed 145
/ pounds, while Kern weighs 215, some
difference. He was surrounded by
force of police most all the time, and
then a few days later came the news
that the real murderer of Rathenau
had committed suicide and Kern was
again left alone.
Now going back to our trip again
we went to Strausburg. This city
was full of Americans, all coming
mostly to see the wonderful clock
! there. We then left for France and
visited some battlefelds, and then
went to Paris. We took a trip
around Paris, which was great and
which / will never forget.
The French people were very ac-
commodating to us Americans, and
the people who could understand
American language helped us out
wherever they could, and we got
along fine. We will never re-
greet this time we spent in Paris.
From Paris we went to Cologne,
which for the coming fifteen years
! in under French control. Here we
visited what is known to be the
most wonderful church in all Europe.
i EsSqq. Cologne W. Went J hack to Be-
I'm. which at the present time is
crowded with Americans. We could
not even find a room in hotel
Just think of it-a city of over two
million inhabitants, so you can I'M
agine the great number OF tourists
there. We got rooms at a private
family, and under the circumstances
were we'll pleased. :,
Here in Berlin we had family
reunion again and then bid them all
goodbye, and left for Hamburg, and
then to AuNhavein, where we board
ed the steamer. We were soon leav-
ing port and we bid Europe good
bye, and were glad we were sailing
to the good old U. S. A. -,
Hoping to see you soon and TO
find all our friends well and in the
best of health, | rem aim,
Your friend,
Fred J. Rosenthal.
P. s. We regret very much that
we could not be home for Hon1e-
coming, but circumstances did not
hermit us. as we could not. get pas
sage on any steamer at that time.
Honing YOU had all kinds of success.
It happened while in Berlin that
brother Emil and Will Kern, through
the kind assistance of our nephew,
were fortunate enough to buy three
police dogs. These dogs are all
,fhoroughbreds, less than one year
| old, and were entered to appear IN
tbe yearly dog show at Berlin the
following Sunday. Naturally, IN or;
der to get these dogs the boys nae
70 mart with a great sum OF marks
and everybody thinks these animals
real beauties.