61. Flooding in Europe, June 10, 2013

Recent unusually heavy rains have caused historic flooding of rivers in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Switzerland.     Besides the extreme flooding there have been rockslides, mudslides and land subsidence, creating the need to close highways and rail traffic in some places.  

 
"The same storm that hit parts of Switzerland struck several countries in Eastern and Central Europe, leading to the evacuation of 8,000 people in Prague, and claiming the lives of 11 people across the region.  In neighbouring Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged 100 million euros ($130 million) in flood aid on Tuesday while touring hard-hit southern areas of the country.  In Hungary, a state of emergency was declared along some areas of the Danube River, where water continues to rise."

from The Local, an English language newspaper in Switzerland, June 10, 2013. 

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come

Our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home;

Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; 

Sufficient is Thine arm alone, and our defense is sure. 

Time, like an ever-rolling stream, soon bears us all away,

We fly forgotten as a dream dies as the op'ning day. 

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,

Be Thou our guard while troubles last and our eternal home!

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) 

from Lutheran Service Book, #733

60. Charles Dickens, on his approach to Lausanne and the Lake of Geneva

Charles Dickens recorded in his book, The Uncommercial Traveler, a journey he took.   He arrived at the capital of the Canton of Vaud, Lausanne, having approached it from Strasbourg, which is on the French side of Switzerland.  Dickens described similar climates, vistas and spectacles as our ancestor Jakob II Treuthardt would have encountered on his journey coming from the opposite direction.

"...[I] went up a thousand rugged ways, and looked down at a thousand woods of fir and pine..."

"[The mule] brought me safely, in his own wise way, among the passes of the Alps, and here I enjoyed a dozen climates a day, being now in the region of wind, now in the region of fire, now in the region of unmelting ice and snow.  Here, I passed over trembling domes of ice, beneath which the cataract was roaring; and here was received under arches of icicles, of unspeakable beauty; and here the sweet air was so bracing and so light, that at halting-times I rolled in the snow when I saw my mule do it, thinking that he must know best.   At this part of the journey we would come, at mid-day, into half an hour's thaw; when the rough mountain inn would be found on an island of deep mud in a sea of snow...

"I slept at religious houses, and bleak refuges of many kinds, on this journey, and by the stove at night heard stories of travelers who had perished within call, in wreaths and drifts of snow.

"Commend me to the beautiful waters among these mountains!   Though I was not of their mind:  they, being inveterately bent on getting down into the level country, and I ardently desiring to linger where I was.   What desperate leaps they took, what dark abysses they plunged into, what rocks they wore away, what echoes they invoked!  In one part where I went, they were pressed into the service carrying wood down, to be burnt next winter, as costly fuel, in Italy.   But, their fierce savage nature was not to be easily constrained, and they fought with every limb of the wood; whirling it round and round, stripping its bark away, dashing it against pointed corners, driving it out of the course, and roaring and flying at the peasants who steered it back again from the bank with long stout poles.

"Alas, concurrent streams of time and water carried me down fast, and I came, on an exquisitely clear day, to the Lausanne shore of the Lake of Geneva, where I stood looking at the bright blue water, the flushed white mountains opposite, and the boats at my feet with their furled Mediterranean sails, showing like enormous magnifications of this goose-quill pen that is now in my hand."

--This excerpt is taken from Charles Dickens'  The Uncommercial Traveler. Chapter VII, "Traveling Abroad."    This collection of Dickens' stories was first published in 1875, after his death.
In America, this is copyright-free, as the copyright has expired.   I copied this from the Kindle book.

59. Jakob II Treuthardt moves to the Canton of Vaud (1813-1820's??)

"Something" caused Jakob II to leave Thun and and move to Echandens in the Canton of Vaud.   A couple of scenarios can be imagined.   (This part is not certain.)  Was it an opportunity for an apprenticeship at a younger age, say, about age 12 to 14 (years 1813 to 1815), when he went to live with (perhaps?) a relative or family friend in Vaud Canton?   Or did he apprentice in Thun in the profession of his choice, and later move to Echandens when a job opportunity came available?   [This is a subject to be researched by a future family historian.]  

And speaking of routes, since we love the challenges of transportation so much, how did he get there?

In ca. 1813-1820 (whatever year Jakob II moved to Echandens) this was not merely a relatively easy 135-kilometer (83 miles) jaunt by car of 1 hour 23 minutes by today's directions (Google maps, Sunday, June 2, 2013).    Echandens is virtually due west of Thun, but west from Thun, formidable mountains stand in the way.  (That part is certain.)  

Jakob II had two basic choices for his itinerary.   If he truly wanted to take a direct short cut, and if he were undaunted by a convoluted path through the mountains, and/or if he were accompanied by a guide familiar with the route, he would have been capable of navigating the torturous mountainous route -- the one not recommended in any shape or form, on June 2, 2013 by Google maps.  This was a hazardous journey by coach or cart or horse or mule, complete with poor paths, boulders and rockslides, stormy weather, raging rivers and toll booths.    Is that not a precarious forecast?   (This came from my imagining a raw mountain ride.  I have personally seen an [Italian] raging toll collector.)  

However, that journey taken halfway (or thereabouts) would have been advantageous in one way.  If he did take that mountain route, halfway there he would have landed in Zweisimmen, his home village, happy surprise with rejoicing and welcomes at his arrival, a comfortable bed with blankets, rest and much food and supplies!    I think he should have stayed awhile before his departure to the stranger land.    The rest of the way riding out of the mountains would be harder.  Once he arrived safely down to the Lake of Geneva, though, he would have made his way around the countryside and towns, a little more directly and with beautiful vistas of the lake, to remind him of Thun and make him homesick.

However, if he had headed north from Thun to Berne -- a relatively straight and level highway which today is the A6;  from Berne he would have turned west and then south toward the Lake of Geneva, a longer but easier (and maybe more boring) journey on the A1.

I've made my choice.    In my 20's and 30's I might have taken a slight chance on the short cut with dramatic mountain scenery, if I were accompanied by a reliable guide and if I did not have to ride an animal who put one leg or two out over the cliff.   But now, in my 60's I would most definitely choose the longer and steadier ride with the less exciting views, by car.   We will "see" the Lake of Geneva soon enough.

Though this entire post is imaginary, and only theory, I will let my Swiss guides tell me whether there is any ounce of truth to it.   This much IS truth.   Jakob II was born in Zweisimmen, spent part of his life in Thun, and then moved to Echandens.   Even now, let's call this 1820, he is just a kid.

In the next posts I will introduce him and tell you more factual and imaginary things.   If there are corrections to be made, I'll let you know later.        

58. The next generation of Treuthardts -- which route would Jakob II take?

The last we heard of the Treuthardts (see posts #43, 44, 45), Jakob (the 1st) was working as a carpenter in Thun, and he died there in 1830, at the age of 50, prematurely, we should think.    Some of the five (minimum) children of Jakob I and Barbara (whose two oldest daughters were named Barbara, I and II), all of whom were born at Zweisimmen, were still living in the family home in Thun at the death of their father (if all the children were alive).  His widow Barbara moved back to Zweisimmen eventually.

If you think this is confusing, don't worry, you don't have to memorize another name just yet.   Their eldest son was naturally named Jakob.  To keep him clearly distinguished from his father, henceforth I will call him Jakob (the 2nd) or II.   Ha!  Yes, it is confusing, and I am constantly having to look at the sequence -- is this Jakob I or II?   Jakob II or I?  

So we go on to the next generation, Jakob II.    Jakob II's parents (you recall this -- but I had to go back to look it up) were married in 1800, a great, good, extremely round, even number that is enjoyable to remember.   Jakob was born in 1801.   Since he was named after his father (as well as probably several other ancestors and uncles), and he was born the year after his parents were married, you may believe (as I do) that he was indeed the eldest.

I am only telling you what I know for certain, to keep things clear.   I know less about Jakob I than Jakob II.   So will you!   

If you are an eldest son, you probably have the most responsibility of your siblings, but you are also privileged, as I believe Jakob II was.   Order in the family is important, in a variety of ways.   The parents of a firstborn son are energetic and interested in educating him to the best of their ability.   A relative or family friend may be in a position to give him an opportunity for training and a job.   From time immemorial parents have hoped to save money for the sending-off of their firstborn to a good and useful profession, so he can take care of his parents in their old age.   Look at Martin Luther of Wittenburg, Germany, for example.   His father worked hard and long in the coal mines to educate him to be a lawyer, but all Martin did was to avert a lightning stroke, become a monk and change the world.    By the time the next-in-line children get their turn, the parents are already wearing down, as we may be certain Hans Luther was pretty disappointed and upset at his son Martin for wasting his money. 

Jakob II, the eldest son of Jakob I and Barbara Treuthardt, is going to take a different life-route from his father and he will set the tone for the rest of the Treuthardt family in Switzerland.

57. From America to Switzerland, the good and the bad news

There were absolutely direct connections between the Swiss village Zweisimmen and the doomed North Carolina settlement of 1710.    The communications from the settlers were written for the benefit of anybody who cared to learn from their experiences.   But in particular the settlers were writing to their relatives and former neighbors, the Swiss people.   Their messages were not missed -- America was a place of promise and dreams, opportunity and freedom.  

One gets the feeling that many in Europe were already making their arrangements for overseas travel, and packing their bags with the intention of joining the North Carolina Swiss farmers.   Then they got the news that the settlement had been annihilated.

Did they continue to pack and to remain determined in their intentions to move to America?   Many did, for this North Carolina location eventually became distinctly Swiss and was named New Bern.

But for others, the time was not ripe for immigration to America.