Charlie Battery - Kleingartach
Scenes of Our Local Neighborhood - 1959 - 1969
Wrought Iron Work Detail
This is a detail of some nice Wrought Iron work taken from the image on the previous page. (First photo under the Kleingartach Heading.) The whole theme of this area is the sun (sonne). Gasthaus Sonne, Sun Lane (Sonnengasse), and so the wrought iron work tries to reflect that theme.
I have tried to present a detail as clear as possible, but because the contrast is so poor it's difficult to see all of the subtleties of the iron work. However, the primary design is there for all to enjoy.
Place your mouse over the image until it changes. The yellow embellishments are probably brass, which weathers well and be periodically polished.
It seems that Herr Keppler was quite an enterprising person. His business includes a Gasthaus, Bakery, and Post Office.
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Memorial In Kleingartach
The is a War Memorial, but it seems so formal and from a different period. Maybe it is from World War I. It struck me that for such a small village the formality and the classic nature of its presentation demonstrates that it means a great deal to them.
I would say there are least one hundred names listed that I could make out, and maybe more that I can't see.
What ever period it is it seems like a great loss for such a small village, and Kleingartach is a small village. It was thoughtfully cared for and all that I said above made an impression on a young impressionable lad such as myself.
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Memorial Park In Kleingartach
Side view of the Memorial.
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Memorial Park In Kleingartach
Front view of The Memorial Park, it sure looks different from when I took the above photo in 1960.
The Park has been changed several times over the years due to some vandalism. The Eagle sitting on top of the stone tablet was stolen and had to be replaced by a stone mason from Kleingartach.
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Overview Of The Memorial
These Memorials are very common in most places (cemeteries preferred). Imagine how many names of such a small place - especially in world war II, each family was somehow touched ....
Further: when you watch the memorials of world war you will realize most fallen and missed people are dated in the period between summer 1944 -end of the war 5/8}1945.
There were more fallen and missed people than during the time from September 1939(beginning) till summer 1944. Also most destructions of towns etc. happened in this time - it shows very impressive how crazy they (Nazis) were by not finishing the war by capitulation when it was strategically lost already since a long time ...
by Uli Pfingstler Brackenheim/Lauffen
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Detail View Of The Memorial
The small village of Kleingartach remembers:
On the left side are the names of those killed (Gefallan) in World War II.
In the middle are the names of those killed in World War I.
And on the right side are those who are missing (Vermißt) in action.
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Overview Of Kleingartach 2012
An overview of Kleingartach taken from the hillside vineyards of The Heuchelberg Charlie Battery is behind this view up the hillside and up to the top farmlands.
Uwe Koch who lives in Kleingartach has contributed many photographs of contemporary Niederhofen and Kleingartach, and this image gives a wonderful view of the village and surrounding valley. Uwe has identified the following two photos below as of GI's relaxing at the other “Gasthaus In The Woods”, which was on the opposite hillside across the valley on The Leinberg
For a larger overview of the image above “Click Here”. And for best viewing, I suggest that you maximize your browser window once the PDF has opened. In this illustrated image the top label points to the Gasthaus Fur Leinberg. This is where the mediaeval Schloß Luneburg was, as well as where that “other” Gasthaus In The Woods was in the 60's. Later in the Seventies the Gasthaus Zur Leinberg was built and still is there today.
As Uwe stated: “It´s now a gasthaus which was build in the 70s. In the 60s where your photo is from, it was an older gasthaus like the gasthaus in the woods. The owner was Günther Heinz and his wife Elfriede Heinz who were friends of my parents. So I spent much time on this little mountain when my father drinks his beer on Sunday morning at that place”. Sounds great doesn't it guys?
Uwe goes on to explain the names to the towns Kleingartach and Niederhofen. “now I want to try to explain the word Kleingartach. The creek which flows through Kleingartach was called Gartach in former days. And on its way to the Neckar by Heilbronn there were the towns Niederhofen, Stetten am Heuchelberg, Schwaigern, Großgartach and Schluchtern ( now called in one town = Leingarten) Frankenbach, Neckargartach and at last Heilbronn. Perhaps Kleingartach was a little bit smaller than Großgartach, so they called it Little, or Kleingartach.
Now on the same place the where the Gasthaus Zur Leinberg is was an old castle. There are barely any ruins left now, but Neiderhofen's name is related to the Schloß Luneburg, and basically means down courtyard of the Luneburg. Hof or Hofen essentially means courtyard, and the word “Nieder”, meaning “Low”, as in Neiderland, or low land, and thus resulting in Neiderhofen.
And finally, for those who are not sure what the character “ß” means. It's basically a character used in a word that has a double S in it like strasse, schloss, etc. Now there are probably some rules and restrictions that pertain to it, but I don't know them yet. I bring this up because I was not sure myself, so I did some research on it. Please note: This bit of information will probably be on a pop quiz, so I advise you to take notes...!
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Hanging Out At The Gasthaus Zur Leinberg - 1966
Located on the slope of the Leinberg above Kleingartach, it gives a commanding view of the Leintal. It was not really with in walking distance, and in those early days not many of us had autos.
It sure looks like a great place to hang out on a warm sunny afternoon, although getting back to the barracks after getting ”tipsy” would be a challenge. You can see just where this place is is you “Click Here”, and you will see its relationship to Kleingartach and the barracks. Looking at the photo the barracks is behind and up the hill.
I need some names for the guys in this and the next photo. C’mon you can do it....!
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A Relaxing Sunny Sunday Afternoon - 1966
C’mon Tom help me out with some names please.
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Entering Niederhofen From Kleingartach
This how we got around... by walking... Everywhere...!
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