Nieland Visits Kin, Friends in Europe
The Carroll Herald, about 1971
Yes, it's true! There is a town names Breda in Holland.
If you don't believe it, just ask Mr. David Nieland, high school
instructor, (a native of Breda, Iowa) who spent two months touring
Europe this summer. Among the thirteen countries he visited were
Ireland, England, France, Germany, Holland and Austria.
In Germany Mr. Nieland visited relative whom he
had never met before, except through correspondence. At Ramsdorf
[Germany] he was a guest of cousins in the home in which his grandfather
had lived at a young man. The home and the farm are still in the
possession of the family. While at Ramsdorf also, he witnessed
a colorful festival, called a Schnetzenfest. In Luxembourg, he
traced records, pertaining to his mother's side of the family.
Five members of that family, everyone except the parents, emigrated
to America.
Mr. Nieland said that he was impressed by the fact
that the high school students of Germany, including his younger
cousins, could understand and converse easily in English, as a
result of their studies in class.
Having an audience with Pope Paul VI in his summer
home at Castel Gandolfo, seeing the President of Austria, and
meeting with Ria Hansen, a former exchange student at Kuemper,
contributed to a memorable trip for Mr. Nieland.
An avid collector of fine china, crystal, silver,
and antiques, Mr. Nieland returned with a number of choice items
to add to his treasures, and an impressive collection of catalogues
and contacts for future reference.
David Nieland Gives Program on European Trip
The Carroll Herald, about 1971
David Nieland of Breda, Carroll school teacher,
review highlights of a trip to Europe at a meeting of the Carroll
Rotary Club at Tony's Restaurant Monday night.
Nieland was introduced by Dr. John Dermody. He showed
slides of various places he had visited.
Nieland visited a number of relatives in Germany.
He also was a guest of Ria Hansen, former foreign exchange student
in Carroll, at her father's restaurant. Other former local residents
with whom he visited include John Werner of Dedham, who at that
time was serving in the U.S. armed forces in Germany and Mark
Schwarzkopf, who is married to a German Woman.
He crossed the border in East Germany and found
it to be a depressing place, he said. In the communist territory
he said he saw large posters saying "Free Angela Davis"
and "Buy Cuban Sugar."
Among other points of interest visited were
West Berlin, Bavaria, Oberammergau, the Nazi crematoriums at Dachau
and Anne Frank's home in Amsterdam
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