Artzheim, Germany

We rolled into Artzheim with an hour to spare on the way to the Frankfurt airport in a quest for some photographs to share with Ann of her father’s home village. And a small village at that. The current population is roughly 1200, and we can see that the historic core is a very small portion of the community. Again we find a historic village which clearly has been rebuilt.

Jack’s grandfather Stefan left here 103 years ago on a journey to New York. He was one of 10 siblings. We head for the village church and then to the local cemetery in hopes that we’ll find some evidence of the family name Kranz. As I dash among headstones searching for possible relatives, Jack strikes up a conversation with the groundskeeper. There is one tombstone with the Kranz name, and as I take a photo of it, the groundskeeper tells Jack that he knows this man’s wife, and he can take us to meet her. He’s so enthusiastic that we can’t refuse him. We jump into the car and follow him.


We drive right back near the church we just left where our guide pops out of the car and knocks on a door. There is no answer, but our new friend is not discouraged, he knows where the son lives as well. Back in the car, we wind through the tiny streets of the old village and pass into a newer neighborhood. Before we know it, the groundskeeper is once again knocking on a door, and this time meets success. As we sheepishly get out of our rental car, our friend is telling the man in the doorway that someone named Kranz is here from America looking for his family. Jack starts to explain in his halting German that his grandfather lived here in Arzheim. The surprised man in the doorway knows exactly who Jack is talking about, “Stefan,” he confirms. Stefan was this man’s great uncle. It appears that Jack and this man, Claus Kranz, are some degree of cousins.

Claus and his surprised but gracious wife invite us in for a cool drink. Claus excuses himself, only to reappear with a yellowing family document listing his great grandfather and all his children – including Jack’s grandfather Stefan and Claus’ grandfather Robert. Claus has already made a copy of the document for Jack.

And then, we are on our way.

Stefan left this tiny village at the beginning of the last century and over a hundred years later his grandson returns. A long wait for news of the lost son.