Excursion into the „Thirties” and „Forties”

The „Sunnawerd”

A well-known personality in old Herrieden: Georg Christ, from 1936 to 1965 he was the „Sunnawerd”. The „Sonne”, inn, for over 160 years in possession of the Christ family, until about 1911, also used to be the Posthalterei. And from 1925 to 1950, the Christs were also bakers.

Anyone already having a car in the 30ties and wishing to stop for a bite at the „Sonne” inn was still able to choose their parking spaces at liberty in the Vorderen Gasse. Nowadays, there is not quite as much space. The road paving has also changed. „Culture-lovers” would certainly fain exchange today's asphalt cover for the cobblestones stones of old since the latter just happens to become a medieval town much better. At the time of the Fronleichnam religious holiday, the people of Herrieden had always kept it that reed leaves (Schilfschluddn) were scattered along the path and, on the road side, birch and cottonwood tree branches were put into the soil. It was a nice custom.

When these children reach school age

It's September 1933 and the boys of this class have no way of knowing yet that they have chanced on an unfavorable age group. Whoever is aged 7 now is going to be 19 in 12 years and, hence, old enough for one of the cruellest battlefields of that time.
When this photograph was taken, the NSDAP had just seized power. Soon, the Berlin Reichstag will be up in flames. In many cities, books are burnt. At Dachau, they are building the first concentration camp. In Herrieden, life is at usual. Opposite the Fronveste eager threshing is going on.

When putting up the May tree was still part of a military activity

In 1933, Herrieden got SA barracks that were installed in the former cigar factory. From then on, people in uniform were part of the daily sights around town, and that for two years: Complete with SA boots and the corresponding harsh tones. When SA division head Lutze came to Herrieden, the stronghold of the SA had already been broken. SA chief Röhm was already dead. On Hitler's orders, the most important SA leaders had been arrested and executed.
When the Austrian infantry came to us to recover from the French campaign

Relaxation in the midst of the war. Vacation in Herrieden: for the Austrian soldiers, these were the most pleasant months during their deployment in World War II. This can be claimed with certainty if one know what these men had to go through before and after their stay at Herrieden.
First, they were involved in the France campaign. Back then, the war was still new and everything went smoothly. But in 1941, shortly after these pictures were taken, they were to get to know another, much worse site of war: Russia! There, their unit is shattered. Most of the men lose their lives in Russia.

This was the size of Herrieden at the time when Germany wanted to conquer the world

Herrieden in the 30ties. During that time, our little Altmühl town must have still be known to literally everyone. In some centuries, Herrieden is going to grow beyond its walls and residential estates will be created that are larger than its town center. We have gone up by airplane – maybe in one of these new slow machines that hit the market in 1937 and became known as „Fieseler Storch”. We are looking down at the Altmühl and the stork tower.

The staff of the hay press and a soldier on home leave

Much has been speculated about the story of the „hay press”. It is correct that it was hit by a rocket flare and went up in flames. The plan from which the rocket was fired, supposedly, had been a German machine. Whether it was also a Herrieden pilot, drawing a few loops over his hometown and firing the flare in the process, which then sets the hay aflame is speculation just as much. The same goes for the question whether it was fired on purpose with intent to spy. At the „hay press” farmers from Herrieden and the surrounding villages in those days used to deliver feed for the warhorses that „did military service”.
The feed collection is organized by the so-called „Reichsnährstand”. The only man in uniform on this photograph is the „paymaster”.

Frequently, one runs into Wehrmacht soldiers on home leave in Herrieden in 1943. Often, it later turns out that this had been their last visit. The young German mountain trooper who had himself photographed here at the sheep barn in the city of his birth is among those to never come home again. He is only 20 years old when, the days after this photograph was taken, he goes to war again. For a long time, his relatives will be hearing nothing from him. He goes „missing”. In 1955, the Red Cross provides clarification: he died in captivity in Yugoslavia.

City folk now enjoy visiting their relatives

Well, not only the war years but also the post-war years were quite something. Germany is now divided into four occupied zones. Until the currency reform of 1948, illicit trade is abloom. One term keeps being heard over and over again: The „pusher”. But let's leave that aside. Life in normal and proper middle-class families is dictated by material need. Barter deals are the rule. The German Mark is not „hard” yet nor round; it is only on operation from 21st June 1948. Anyone living in the city craves for elementary things like, for instance, lard.

Fugitives arrive and bring along new customs

Following the war upheaval, they had arrived in Herrieden. None of them had voluntarily left their homes, which is the reason why they did not really like hearing the word „fugitive” ” for they themselves have always called themselves displaced people. The emergency shelters they found with us were not exactly comfortable. Yet, to many people, the barracks, like those at the railway line of Herrieden, were a new beginning. A short time later, new customs sprang up in Herrieden that originated from totally different regions.