WenkUSA

THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN ABOUT 1923. IT SHOWS BUILDINGS ON THE LEFT THAT LOOKED LIKE THIS AT THE TIME JOHN WENK - BALDWIN WAS A CHILD IN RIEHEN. HIS FAMILY LIVED NOT VERY FAR FROM HERE. THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN FROM THE BASELSTRASSE WHERE IT INTERSECTS THE RÖSSLIGASSE.

THE SMALL BUILDING ON THE LEFT IS PART OF THE SMITHY PHILIPP WENK - KNÖPFLIN OWNED IN 1608 WHEN HE RECEIVED HIS CITIZENSHIP FROM RIEHEN. THE HOUSE HE LIVED IN IS BEHIND AND HIDDEN BY THE SMITHY. MY FATHER BOUGHT THE FARMHOUSE VISIBLE BETWEEN THE SMITHY AND THE LARGE SUPPORTING POST WHERE TWO WINDOWS CAN BE SEEN. THIS HOUSE, RÖSSLIGASSE 7, IS ONE OF THE OLDEST HOUSES IN RIEHEN AND IS UNDER PROTECTION. THE LARGE BARN WAS PART OF MY FATHER'S PURCHASE. MY FATHER REMODELED THE FARM HOUSE AND TORE DOWN THE BARN IN 1924 AND BUILT OUR NEW HOUSE ON IT'S PLACE INCLUDING STORE AND WORKSHOPS FOR HIS BUSINESS. THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE I GREW UP. SEE PHOTO IN THE ENCLOSED CHAPTER "DER AMERIKANISCHE TRAUM."

WHEN I ROAMED THE ALLEY WAYS AND STREETS OF OLD RIEHEN IN MY YOUTH MANY PLACES WERE THE SAME AS JOHN WENK - BALDWIN SAW THEM WHEN HE LIVED IN RIEHEN. BUT IN MY TIME GREAT CHANGES STARTED TO OCCUR WHEN MANY OLD NEIGHBORHOODS WERE TORN DOWN AND REPLACED BY MORE MODERN BUILDINGS. TODAY FEW OLD PLACES REMAIN. LUCKILY SOME OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS WERE PUT UNDER PROTECTION AND SUCCESSFULLY RENOVATED BY THE TOWN AND PRESERVED USING COMMUNITY FUNDS.