I traveled to Germany in September to meet some long-lost Elmhorst relatives for the first time. My great-great grandparents Heinrich and Louisa emigrated from Germany to the United States with their six children in 1881. Almost all the Elmhorsts in America are their descendants. But there were Elmhorsts who never left Germany.
A decade ago, my brother, the news anchor, got interested in our family history and did some investigating, as he is prone to do.
He used the internet to look up the Elmhorsts living in Germany.
He stumbled across a big technology company in Hanover owned by Marc Elmhorst. He fired off an email, and Marc responded, and that began a long-distance relationship between our families. Over the years, we determined that, yes, we are related. Finally, in September, my three siblings, aunt and cousin, and I all made the trek to Germany to meet our relatives.
What we found was remarkable.
The patriarch is 82-year-old Dieter Elmhorst. He looks, acts, and walks exactly like my dad, Fritz. He spent a career as an executive for IBM. The German Elmhorsts we met have the same values, guiding principles, and work ethic that I inherited. Their hospitality made it seem as though we had not been separated for more than 140 years and several generations.
They are all successful in the ways we measure success, which is more than monetarily. Dieter’s son Dirk, who I now consider my cousin, was a surgeon until he started an IT company that deals with the medical field. Dieter’s other son, my other cousin, owns one of Germany’s foremost IT companies. They are leaders in the “Integration” of software. Dieter’s brother, my uncle Klaus, is a retired Physician. Others are involved in finance and philanthropy.
Heinrich and Louisa exited an unstable Germany.
They came to America for opportunity. During this time of thanksgiving, I am thankful they did that. Best we can tell, there are around 30 Elmhorsts in and around Hannover, Germany. In America, we think there are a few hundred. No one knows for sure why there are fewer Elmhorsts in Germany compared to America, but we assume that many of our German relatives were killed fighting useless wars. Sure, American Elmhorst men died in the wars. But likely many more in Germany. Had our branch not left, who knows if we would have survived. I’m thankful for America.
I hope and pray that generations from now, our future families will still spend a day together in thanks for the bounty that our God and country have provided.
I hope they are thankful for the freedom our troops have fought to protect. I hope they are thankful for the sacrifices that others before them have made. I pray they, too, have The Longview. As that turkey is placed on the table and everyone is seated, I hope they look at the glowing faces around the table, some with wrinkles and some far from it, and are thankful.
November 2024
