Note: I am breaking my November to November Blog Silence to repost these pictures from my closed family blog. Inquiring minds might want to know about these places. Here you go.
So on August 8, 2014 Mom and Dad and I headed south on a family history trip. About six hours from my home in Germany are the towns that the Kohlers originated from. We stopped at a chocolate factory and cheese factory so that Mom would come too.
First stop was the chocolate factory. Turns out there was a Kohler involved in the Cailler Chocolate factory as well. He "brought to light" the idea of mixing chocolate and hazelnut. So we took a picture or two. Just because.
We stayed the night in Signau which I have no pictures of. Dad says some family came from there too. But the next morning we drove to Lauperswil.
Super beautiful, no?
Mom standing by the Lauperswil coat of arms on the town hall.
Mom and Dad looking for the name Kohler in the church cemetery.
Church cemetery.
The church.
Inside.
From inside the church:
Edificiation of the church 1518
Introduction of the reformation 1528
Renovations, 1776, 1866, 1908, 1937, 1990
Although apparently the church was first mentioned in history in 1275--it was just somehow estroyed and rebuilt in 1518 (according to Wikipedia).
Not sure exactly what's going on here but it's always cool when a bear fights a peacock. I know the bear represents Bern, the state where Lauperswil is situated. Not sure about the peacock.
Cool bear on a shield. These are some of the stained glass windows in the church.
This is the bottom of the altar.
The whole altar.
The we walked around the town. Everything was so charming. I almost died of all the charming-ness. All the houses looked like this.
Pretty sure Lauperswil should use this picture for their Wikipedia entry. Just sayin'
Dad wanted this picture of the carved bears and rabbit hutch.
This was a (charming) driveway to a garage.
Oh look. Just an old-timey charming wagon in the charming garage./
Coat of arms again.
Then we headed to Eggiwil. Here's the church.
On the church grounds.
Mom and Dad looking for family tombstones. They found a bunch.
Being romantic in a graveyard. Creepy. :)
