Danube-Networkers
Interview about "Life at the Danube"
Text: Marlene Faul and Hannelore Bürgers
Pictures: Marlene Faul
This is a summary of our interview with Mr. and Mrs. Seif, who own a wonderful house situated very, very close to the bank of the river Danube.
They are nearly enthusiastic in telling us how clean and fresh the air comes into their rooms when thy open the windows in the morning. They like to sit in the garden watching the people who are jogging or walking or running nearby the water. Or what is happening with all the ships, sporting boats and sometimes swimmers.
As they live in New-Ulm they are able to look to the old town wall of Ulm, also seeing the historic buildings which have been not destroyed in the World War II. In one of them resided in the year of 1180 the emperor Friedrich Barbarossa.
The day of December 17th, 1944 was a black day for the city Ulm/New-Ulm. 75 % of the city was bombed and was burning. So people were running to the Danube's banks to escape the flames.
The buildings were restored and the town became nearly the same sight. The old customs can take place in the squares again.
Special kind of ships -made of wood- where built here and brought goods and people down the river till Vienna (about these happenings we made another interview, please read that). These ships are often to be seen from the house of the Seifs, especially at one big festival, when the people of Ulm/New Ulm make a water-procession.
Mr. and Mrs. Seif remember the extremely cold winter of 1962/63. It was the first and the last time for them to see the river Danube totally frozen over. They could walk on it from the Bavarian to the Swabian bank.
In springtime it is particularly exciting for Mrs. Seif how the water swells up and brings a lot of tree trunks -often with their roots- and other things. The speed of the water is alarming.
If you are interested please read our detailed interview with many more explanations from Mr. and Mrs. Seif.
