Renate Neeman

It was a perfect day today. First, the sun shone and that is so welcome after all the snow and gloom we've had. Next it was a quilt club day and that's always a wonderfully inspiring day. Then I met Renate and last ... I picked up my wedding ring. I took it off to knead my stollen and had a difficult time getting it off. It seems I have arthritis in the ring finger knuckle & then when I finished the kneading, I couldn't get it back on. So off to the jeweler to get it enlarged ... and they found that I needed the prongs repaired, too. Since it was Christmas, it took longer. It looks like a shiny new ring.



Here I am with Renate Neeman. Thanks, Ulla, for putting us together. It was such a pleasant visit ... about 2.5 hours. We did not run out of stories to tell each other. We both came upon our history recently so it was interesting to compare notes. Renate, also, was not as aware of all the historical drama as she was shielded. Renate is older than I am, but she was in Germany during the war so her story is different than mine but she felt she was sheltered with family & then a family that nurtured her when she went to Amsterdam, she did not feel like she had a difficult life.

Renate gave me a copy of the manuscript translation that her mother wrote shortly after they arrived in the states and I will read that tonight. I understand a Weinberg is mentioned, but after talking to Renate, I'm not sure it's a relative. The English version is scheduled to be published in the spring by Ulla. Renate had the German version of the book that has the memoirs in it and showed it to me. It seems Renate's cousin met Ulla because the cousin is in the book where I'm mentioned. After the book was published former school mates contacted Renate, just like our press conference. I love the connections!

It was wonderful to meet Renate today. I'm sure we will meet again.