Local Newspapaer Ampfing, 2010

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A Visit from the United States

Searching the Archives for Traces


Ampfing – The communal administration continuously receives inquiries regarding former Jewish and Polish forced-conscript laborers from the World War II era (by persons) attempting to obtain information or other communications about them, as well as trying to visit the town in obtain the same first hand.

The Richtman-Kaplan family of Detroit, together with their guide John Wetstone, visited Ampfing for this reason in order to obtain their personal documents from the town archive.

Anne Richtmann-Kaplan’s Jewish parents lived in the town in various locations after the Second World War from 1946 – 1948. Their son, her brother, was also born here before the family emigrated to Amerika in 1948, in the building on Schwepper-mannstraße 4, which now houses the Berghammer Butcher Shop.

At the initiative of Berta Heueisen an employee of the Ampfing
Community two former co-tenants  of the Building, Lisa Ammer and Herta Gross, who knew the family personally were located for the gathering. The elements of surprise and joy on both sides were indeed very great (when they did meet) and plentiful memories and photographs were exchanged at a shared meal.

Translation: Tom Lipton, Vistas&Visions