An Old Bakery

This bakery in Rosheim is celebrating its 400th anniversary.

Witz-Rohmer

where bread has been our passion for 15 generations

400th anniversary of the oldest bakery in France.

For a timeline of the bakery's history, check out http://rohmer-rosheim.fr/histoire.html.

Jewish Cemeteries in Alsace

We visited three cemeteries in Alsace during our visit. Each one was walled and the gates unlocked. The first, in Witzenheim, included both old and more recent graves of Jews who lived in nearby villages.

In this cemetery, there were many Picards, Blochs, and Dreyfus markers.

The Jungholtz cemetery was narrow and on a hillside.

The marker of an important member of the community of Guebwiller.

The village of Rosenwiller is home to the oldest Jewish cemetery in Alsace. With more than 6,000 graves, this cemetery, on the edge of a forest, was founded in the late 14th century. Its burial registry began in 1753.

Alsatian Synagogues

The Jewish community of Alsace is one of the oldest in Europe, dating from around 1000 CE. At its height in 1870, the community included over 35,000 people. Most of the remaining synagogues were built in the mid-19th century in similar styles. As we visited villages between Mulhouse and Selestat, we looked for synagogues among the half-timbered buildings. Few of these synagogues are used as intended; many are cultural centers or are just vacant.

The synagogue in Bergheim, which is now a cultural center.
The large synagogue in Colmar, home to the Jewish community of that city.

The synagogue in Witzenheim; the community buried its dead at a cemetery within the village.

What we think is a former synagogue in Hattstatt. On the left side of the building is a stairway that goes to an upstairs gallery. 

The synagogue in Guebwiller.

The synagogue in Dambach-la-Ville, now a cultural center. Its restoration is being supported by the descendants of Theophile Bader, one of the founders of Galeries Lafayette, a famous French department store, who was born in this village.

The synagogue in Rosheim.

Still Remembering

One of the most moving moments of our trip to Alsace was our visit to the Sigolsheim National Cemetery, where 1,684 soldiers from the First French Army who died in the Battle of the Colmar Pocket are buried. Many of these soldiers were from Morocco and died for France (mort pour la France)

The grave of Michel Senhoum

who died in January 1945.

The grave of Ahmed ben Abdesselem who died in November 1944.

Someone remembers Pierre Uhry, a staff sargeant aviator, born in Bischwiller, Alsace. He was shot down on February 4, 1945. 

Room with Many Views

Our hotel room in Alsace had fabulous views. This one looks towards Zellenberg.

And this looks at the three chateaus in the hills of the Vosges.

While this looks out over the valley of the Rhine towards Selestat.

Vive le French Healthcare System!

We were so excited about our little venture into the French healthcare system that we had to have a beer in the Place St. Jacques this afternoon!

David has had a respiratory problem for a week, and I came down with it yesterday. We decided to see a doctor and walked around the block to a doctor's office. After waiting for about ten minutes, a woman doctor came out and introduced herself and led us into her office. She asked our names and our health backgrounds, took our blood pressure, listened to our hearts, looked down our throats and told us we had colds. She wrote prescriptions for a nasal wash and cough syrup, and told us to take it easy for a few days.

The whole visit, including getting our prescriptions filled, took 20 minutes and cost 44 euros for the both of us - about the same amount we'd spend on a co-payment at home.

Alsatian Spring

On our trip to Alsace last weekend, we enjoyed seeing beautiful floral arrangements - in windows, wells, and wheelbarrows! Here are some of my favorites...