Lankow, the Town that Once Was

Today we experienced some history from the Cold War...

Maja, Stella, Jeremy, David and me at Lankow.

©Bonnie J. Schupp

Jeremy and Maja took us to see Maja's family's old homestead, Lankow, a town that was bulldozed flat because it was too close to the East German border.

Maja's uncles took it upon themselves to put up this sign along the country road into town so that Lankow, and what happened there, would not be forgotten.  

©Bonnie J. Schupp

This used to be the center of Lankow until it was demolished in 1976.  
©Bonnie J. Schupp

Maja's father's family had to leave their home around the end of the 1960's.  
©Bonnie J. Schupp

This is a picture of Maja's grandmother's home, destroyed along with the entire village. 
©Bonnie J. Schupp

Before we left the site where Lankow used to exist, another car appeared and Maja talked with a man who had been part of the border police who were responsible for keeping East Germans contained. He came to the spot to remember. Even though his job was to police the area, he grew to care about the people who lived there. Before the village was destroyed, he left his post to continue advancing his career.

It is interesting to me that, years ago, these were times I read about in the news... events far away from my life. My high school history teacher talked about the politics of this time and I day-dreamed about my weekend date. These were places far away and people I didn't know. It was remote history.

But it is remote no more. I've walked on these places and met people who are part of this history.