Journey to Kadow
by
Melvin Kobernusz
October 1985

"After renting a trusty Hertz rental car I entered East Germany at Helmstedt. At the "Control Zone" my passport was checked at least four times, for who knows what. I sat in long lines of traffic, paid 5 Marks (approximately $2.00) and then with a search of my luggage/or car, was granted a transit visa to West Berlin. A transit visa simply means you don't leave the road except to purchase gas or use the rest stop, as along our freeway system. The speed limit was 100 kilometers (62 mph) which was strictly enforced; military behind every bush, bridge, etc., to catch offenders. I really wasn't harassed, but felt the military would fine and severely reprimand me for the least infraction.  The military at the control zones spoke enough English to make me understand what they wanted.

Once I got to West Berlin (approximately 3 hours) I went through the same long lines, with the usual passport checks. West Berlin is a very modern city, like kansas City Minneapolis, etc., with beautiful parts that I really enjoyed running in. I felt completely safe but I suppose they have their areas of crime as we do.

Early the next morning I crossed "Checkpoint Charley" into East Berlin. Again, the usual checks of my passport, payment of 5 marks and only questioned as to the contents of my luggage. I was then issued a visa for three days to New Brandenburg (the closest city to Kadow with a hotel). I found driving in East Berlin very confusing and stopped to ask directions from the military. They could not speak any English but would point in the general direction. In about three hours I found my hotel in Newbrandenburg. The only hotel within 100 miles (I'm sure!) and only meeting the bare necessities of a hotel.  I was expecting an interpreter to meet me at the hotel, or at least a message from one, but no such luck. I went to my room and waited for a call but without success. After a while I decided I could sit forever and went down to the desk to inquire as to the possibility of hiring an interpreter. They did not comprehend "interpreter" so I was asked to talk to the "social director" of the hotel. Luck was with me as she spoke English and said she would take a "holiday" and help me with my mission.

Early the next morning we drove to Volchow to meet the mayor. Kadow and Volchow share the same Mayor and his office is in Volchow. The mayor was aware that I would be visiting and had already talked with the elders of Kadow, but no one knew anyone named Kobernusz. We drove to the Lutheran church to find the register but was told it was in Gramzow, 5 Kilometers (2 to 3 miles) away. The Lutheran minister in Gramzow said he gave the register to a retired minister in Anklam, nearby. Sure enough, in a small office off an alley was the church register for Kadow.

It was very rewarding not only to find record of Wilhelm (William) Carl Theodor Kobernuss born October 28, 1859, but of other Kobernusses as well. I've enclosed their equivalent of a certified copy of Wilhelm's baptismal certificate as well as the English translation of the same. [Ed Note: shown below this narrative]

Also enclosed is information on the birth of Friederich Christoph Kobernuss born September 24, 1816, which is very interesting, as well as a brother and sister of William and a brother and sister of Friederich.  Friederich and his brother and sister were born in Jagetzow a small town near Kadow or Cadow. I have not researched the relationship between Wilhelm and Friederich, possibly his grandfather.  The church register goes back to the 15th century, so with the help of the retired minister I hope to trace further.

Johann Fritz (Fred) Kobernuss (father of the family that came to the U.S. in 1871) had no listing in the register of his birth, confirmation or marriage; so hopefully, additional research will provide this information.

I've enclosed a picture of the church in Gramzow where everyone was baptized, confirmed and married.  The church was built in the 13th century and is still used regularly. My picture inside the church isn't very clear. I did not find any marker in the cemetery or our family but many were too old to read. However, the church register did not list the deaths of any family except the dead child. I hope I can eventually learn where they moved besides the U.S. The family apparently was very, very small. [Ed. note In Germany the custom is to lease burial sites for 30 years, the headstones are then removed and the plot reused. Other visitors to Germany have mentioned piles of discarded and broken headstones in the cemeteries they visited]

Kadow is a very small town of 80 people; only one general store (see enclosed picture), no post office, bank, etc. Another photo is the road to Kadow; no sign with the town name. A very nondescript town, so small I can't compare it with any town I've every been in.

Just a little more on the communist life. It is truly one class of people and not really poor. The [Communist] party is smart enough to avoid revolts. Their education, medical, housing, etc. are either very inexpensive or free. They do not realize what life is like outside their country; no magazines, newspapers, movies or television. They do have local newspapers and radio which gives only local news. Alcoholism is a tremendous problem, probably because of boredom. There is virtually no crime as every man at 18 must serve in the military which has created an over abundance of military everywhere!!!  At any hour of the night you are completely safe to walk wherever as the military with dogs are obvious.

When families go shopping they leave their babies in carriages outside the store without fear of kidnapping. There is no unemployment in East Germany, in fact a shortage of workers. To encourage population growth the government pays a couple 5000 Marks when they marry. If they have one child they only have to repay 3500 Marks, two children 2500 and if they have 3 children no repayment.

There are very, very few cars, mostly bicycles and small motorcycles. They have very few freeways, mostly two lane paved roads between larger cities and buried rocks [cobble stone] between smaller cities that are so rough you can't drive fast enough to even register on the speedometer.

Farming appears to be almost everyone's livelihood; very large turnip and sugar beet fields and large herds of dairy cattle. Farming is still done to a great extent with horse and wagon ...very few tractors.

The last day I spent visiting East Berlin and the Fabulous museum of Pergamon, which contains the rebuilt ruins of Pergamon, a city which was destroyed in about 100 B.C. May of the ruins were 50 to 75 feet high in the museum.

Leaving East Berlin was more of an experience than entering.  They didn't search my luggage but checked under the hood, in the trunk and underneath the car with mirrors for escapees. the would not let me take any East German money back to West Berlin; I donated it to the Red Cross, I hope.

A very successful and rewarding trip, but I don't know if I'll ever want to do it again."

Friederich Christoph
Date of birth: 24 of September, 1816 (in Jagetzow)
Date of baptism: 6 of October, 1816

Father: --
Mother: Catharina Everts (wife of the soldier Heinrich Kobernuss born in the absence of three years in France (Married in 1807)

Additional dates of births:
1808    Johann Friederich Kobernuss                in Jagetzow
1812    dead child                                                 in Jagetzow
1813    Catarina Sophia Kobernuss                   in Jagetzow
1816    Friederska Sophia Joh. Kobernuss       in Cadow
1859    Wilhelm Carl Theodore Kobernuss        in Cadow
1867    Bertha Marie Caroline Kobernuss          in Cadow

Extract of the Register of the church (baptism) Gramzow 1859

Name of father:             Johann Fritz (Fred) Kobernuss, farm hand in Cadow
Name of Mother:           Fried. Carol. by birth Holz
Name of Child:              Wilhelm (William) Carl Theodor
date of birth:                  twenty-eighth (28) of October, in the afternoon 3 o'clock conjugal
date of baptism            sixth (6) of November
grandfathers:                1. tailor Martens from Volchow
                                       2. girl Beier from Jarmen
                                       3. Carol. Krauel from Kunzow

a word deleted for correctness of extract

Anklam, the 30 of October, 1985

Here are listed a few pages that discuss the German unification and problems and success associated with reuniting the two countries in 1989. There are many, many more.
 

http://www.duke.edu/~hhayes/reunification.html
http://www.reformed.org/webfiles/antithesis/v2n3/ant_v2n3_curr3.html
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V110/N5/drees.05o.html
http://www.hochschuldebatten.de/papduerk.htm