Means “Guard the Mosel”. Old Roman transport way from Gaul flows to the Rhein and up stream south to Alps or down river to North Sea and the world . “Wacht am Rhein” was Code name for Bulge Battle by Hitler and old Franco Prussian hatred anthem from 1890’s. Was a ’43 Betty Davis TCM soapy tear jerker movie tonight BTW.
At 7:16 PM Monday, Oct 27th I picked my wife up off the kitchen area floor. ‘She’d screamed, “OH NO”!!! dropped the phone and collapsed I’d seen the Call ID “Phillips, Dana” on TV screen with Fox News just Bill ORiley started. Was ready to begin to serve stir fry day of a week’s leftovers. She refuses to do half a steak or half a pack of chicken beasts so I save leftovers, make a 6 cup rice maker day before set to chill in fridge for fried rice, this time ham and chicken with egg swirl wok fried first. All veggies on hand from crisper left over steak slices, other 1/2 chicken breasts sliced in ginger, garlic, lobster sauce. I became very proficient stir fryer during my EdD course work at Lubbock, Texas Tech U 1976-78. Keeping two residences at home, Clyde east of Abilene I-20 and M-F at Lubbock 3 hours distant NW took a bit of scrimpmng on retired half pay plus GI Bill. Cheap chuck beef, veggies in ginger oil.egg fried rice was 1/2 hour prep after day’s classes, study in Library stacks was once the way it had to be done. Readers Guide to Periodical Literature a must know how and fill out interlibrary book loan and wait a week. About now seems could do all research in about a week online and publish on line as well! Print out the EdD degree and frame it.
When Dorly screamed and swooned my first though was Tom had hit the dual turbo 2012 MB CLS 550 to see 150 MPH on the way home from a client and went off in a ditch. Thing was a wild screamer she nor I wished to bother with so let son take it over at a great discount 9 months in. Has lane and passing car alerts, seat shakers and tells you all you really do not need to know to drive well. She just went back to her ’11 STS and me the ’07 STS and Eclipse convert.
I pulled her up and she just said ” Helmut died”. He’s her oldest friend and has loved her about 30 years longer than me , had married her best friend Hilde and MIchael, son is her God Child . Both , first Helmut Moog then Mike came to live in San Antonio to be near her. Hilde just could never leave Germany. We interred her ashes her 3 years ago. Cycle’s near finished, Dorly has two lady cousins her age left in Germany Oh there’s 2 nieces father’s side, one a Countess . Her dad was the high society’s butcher ( Fleischer, upscale cuts and beef)) a block down Paulinstrasse from Porta Negra ( Black Gate ) Roman wall east city entrance . Helmut? Best Goddamn pork butcher ( Metzger) in history but on lower class area N side of the river saved from Patton artillery assault by the high ridge rise N above the Mosel tanks had a hard time passing and bombing was tough. Still was way he went east to Rhine and houses to live in remained. Helmut was 5, Dorly still just 4 , Jan ’45 as he wasted it all for hard resistance and rushed on to piss in the Rhine.
We learned Helmut’d called 9-1-1 last Wed with difficulty breathing. EMS gave oxygen and eased up. Doctor now feels was a heart attack and next attack with that damage he was unable to survive. Died at nearby Santa Rosa Hosp. Westover Hills. We were all unaware . Much as he loved being a Texan he never was much an english speaker and had he been in Trier under that socialized care system he may have lived some longer. Spent most of time with german speaking fellows in Bandera area. I’d answer the door bell and he’d have some junk mail offer to translate I’d just toss but real reason was to sit and talk with Dorly. Then he’d go out to latest junker got in some swap and drive away until next visit. Have over few times a year holiday family stuff. Sweet, generous with what he had but totally screwed up all his life. Remind me a lot of me without a bit of life success.
He once invited me to his Speisbratten Club meeting down town Trier. I was sort of guest of honor, USAF Captain hero flyer etc. but the group was ALL the high ranking gents of the city who’d meet to eat and drink beer once a month and Helmut did the meal. Long loin roast stuffed with spices and herbs and spit roasted. Usually pork but if a GI’d get a beef roast at Commissary he’d fix that up for a party. He’d rent out a medieval torture looking machine shot flames out the side from wood fire and turned the long roast to brown well hours time and slice in pieces. Germany has 2 cuisines , river stuff with beer and upland with wine. Speisbratten is pure beer.
My Community Relations advisor as 52nd Wing Public Information Officer was Curt Felten. He once explained it all as Angles, Saxons, and Jutes with Romans bringing grapes where they went. Tribes went and settled Britain and during Dark Ages Catholic Monks maintained the wine culture behind their walls built strong and up high. Renaissance enabled it to spread again along the high valleys above the rivers. Obvious today is grapes on the hills and grain and hops on the plains. 8