Finding Reiner

Finding Reiner #8: Trail’s End?

  I’m reluctant to say goodbye to Łukasz and his family because now I want to buy my own metal detector and continue digging in Poland. But, Paweł and I have a long drive ahead to Świeradów Zdrój , a Polish spa town in the…

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Finding Reiner #7: Shrapnel & Bones

    Paweł and I are back in his little red car on one-lane Polish roads behind tractors. Google Maps underestimates our driving time, and we’re going nowhere fast. Nothing fazes Paweł though, and he’s ready with cameras for any kind of…

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Finding Reiner #6: Frozen Grave

” To be honest, I no longer try to calculate how things are going to turn out in this war. No one is going to escape unscathed. One must not be miserly with the little life that we have. Those who are anxious and fearful, they will be struck first….

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Finding Reiner #5: Behind the Veil of Time

Reiner’s grave in Poland used to be unmarked, but I’ve made three trips to this beautiful country to fix that one error of war. My upcoming posts will highlight the progression of my research here to learn Reiner’s fate.   In…

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Finding Reiner 4: Who Was He?

After a brief holiday, I am back to Finding Reiner. I am writing this family mystery as a travelogue ( and as a graphic book illustrated by the fabulous Maria Lebedeva whose illustrations I include here ) for two reasons. First, war stories mean…

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Finding Reiner #3: Inside Old Shadows

My “Finding Reiner” blog continues to be a challenge in crossing historical time zones. Reiner’s old letters describe his school and neighborhood, and I search 1940s maps and the Internet to find my route to his past. If I had…

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Finding Reiner #2: Chasing Ghosts

I’m deep into last-minute research for my “Finding Reiner” adventure. My suitcase is  packed with device chargers, plug adaptors, Swiss Army knives, bandaids, spare batteries,

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Finding Reiner #2: Chasing Ghosts

I’m deep into last-minute research for my “Finding Reiner” adventure. My suitcase is  packed with device chargers, plug adaptors, Swiss Army knives, bandaids, spare batteries, and clip-on, flat water flasks for the trail. But, my desk is covered…

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Finding Reiner: Disaster to Discovery

On Monday August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. My son, my elderly German mother-in-law, Lütte, and I were hunkered down in my husband’s office at Tulane Medical School. Our decision to stay seemed smart at the time. My…

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Finding Reiner #8: Trail’s End?

  I’m reluctant to say goodbye to Łukasz and his family because now I want to buy my own metal detector and continue digging in Poland. But, Paweł and I have a long drive ahead to Świeradów Zdrój , a Polish spa town in the…

Read More

Finding Reiner #7: Shrapnel & Bones

    Paweł and I are back in his little red car on one-lane Polish roads behind tractors. Google Maps underestimates our driving time, and we’re going nowhere fast. Nothing fazes Paweł though, and he’s ready with cameras for any kind of…

Read More

Finding Reiner #6: Frozen Grave

” To be honest, I no longer try to calculate how things are going to turn out in this war. No one is going to escape unscathed. One must not be miserly with the little life that we have. Those who are anxious and fearful, they will be struck first….

Read More

Finding Reiner #5: Behind the Veil of Time

Reiner’s grave in Poland used to be unmarked, but I’ve made three trips to this beautiful country to fix that one error of war. My upcoming posts will highlight the progression of my research here to learn Reiner’s fate.   In…

Read More

Finding Reiner 4: Who Was He?

After a brief holiday, I am back to Finding Reiner. I am writing this family mystery as a travelogue ( and as a graphic book illustrated by the fabulous Maria Lebedeva whose illustrations I include here ) for two reasons. First, war stories mean…

Read More

Finding Reiner #3: Inside Old Shadows

My “Finding Reiner” blog continues to be a challenge in crossing historical time zones. Reiner’s old letters describe his school and neighborhood, and I search 1940s maps and the Internet to find my route to his past. If I had…

Read More

Finding Reiner #2: Chasing Ghosts

I’m deep into last-minute research for my “Finding Reiner” adventure. My suitcase is  packed with device chargers, plug adaptors, Swiss Army knives, bandaids, spare batteries, and clip-on, flat water flasks for the trail. But, my desk is covered…

Read More

Finding Reiner: Disaster to Discovery

On Monday August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. My son, my elderly German mother-in-law, Lütte, and I were hunkered down in my husband’s office at Tulane Medical School. Our decision to stay seemed smart at the time. My…

Read More