Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Grape Festival a success; fights Downtown

• Don Levy celebrated for his devotion to students and the performing arts

• Former German exchange students reunite in Lodi

• Public meetings for the week

• Regional Roundup

November 21st, 2009

• Logbook

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

• Regional Roundup

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

November 20th, 2009

• Acampo woman killed

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

• Regional Roundup

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

November 19th, 2009

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Chase ends in crash

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Corrections

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

November 17th, 2009

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Regional Roundup

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clarification

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Regional Roundup

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (170)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Public health care is a Christian option (80)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (73)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (52)
• The haves should help the have-nots (31)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (25)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (18)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (17)

ADVERTISEMENT

Former German exchange students reunite in Lodi

The Woodbridge Grange said hello to several former German exchange students that date back to 1950, during a weekend reunion that ended with a picnic Sunday afternoon at Micke Grove Park.

Guests came from all over the United States, including Wib and June Justi, coordinators of the Grange Germany/USA Friendship Program, who live in Ohio. Others included former exchange students who now live in New England.

Six people came from Germany for the reunion, and another half-dozen were Germans who later moved to the U.S., said Vangie Schumann of the Woodbridge Grange, who organized the reunion.

Grange member Tim Christensen entertained the crowd by singing such numbers as "Me and Bobbie McGee" and "Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian."

Jutta Klein, who lives in Marin County, grew up in Germany and visited the United States during the 1950-51 school year, the first year of the National Grange's exchange program with Germany. Her city, Kassel, was bombed by the U.S. during World War II. The children were evacuated and allowed to see their parents only once a month, Klein said.

Erwin Wolharn, a former German exchange student, plays the accordion and sings on Sunday afternoon at a reunion held for Woodbridge Grange members and former German exchange students. (Whitney Ramirez/News-Sentinel)

But Klein says that visiting Sacramento in the exchange program in 1950 was "the biggest gift in my life."

Klein didn't harbor any resentment over the Americans bombing her city.

"I don't feel German anymore," she said. "I feel like an American."

Maria Martens of Cotati was a German exchange student a year after Klein. Her father was killed during World War II, but she was excited to be able to visit America, learn something and see the world.

"Once I tasted the lifestyle, I liked it," Martens said.

Klein noticed a big difference among immigrants in the 1950s compared with today. Germans assimilated into American society, learned English and quickly became American citizens.

"We didn't just stick to ourselves like (immigrants) do today," Klein said.

Klein said she realized she was a true American in 1959, one year after moving to the U.S. permanently, when she had a dream in English.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.