Peter ......stayed at the White House??
Yes, Peter Singelmann lived at the White House.....but in Germany it is known as the WeissenHaus. It is located around 80 miles north of Hamburg, Peter's birthplace.
Peter's story is probably similar to many other stories that took place during the war. But it is the Singelmann history which I got to be a part of this October when we went to visit the WeissenHaus.
Peter (known as Buerschi to his German family) was born during the wartime in 1942. His father, Peter Sr., and mother, Irmgard, had divorced a short while later and were sharing custody. In 1944 the shared parental visits continued with Buerschi visiting his mother on weekends. Although this particular weekend belonged to his mother, his father decided to keep him because Irmgard was suffering from a cold. It was a decision of consequence: Buerschi's mother and baby brother died in the devastating bombings that almost flattened Hamburg's city core.
So Peter Sr. became a single parent taking care of Buerschi. Peter Sr. survived the war years connecting people who needed supplies with those who could provide supplies. Because of his frequent traveling, Peter Sr. had to entrust Buerschi to a grandmother and aunt. Although the young boy was being taken care of by family, Peter Sr. still felt uneasy because Hamburg continued to be a bombing target. He was concerned for his son's safety.
One day when Peter Sr. was travelling by train to do business, he shared a compartment with a lady and he spoke of his worries about taking care of his son. It was at this point that Peter Singelmann of KC again had his life turned around. The lady's name was Analiese (later to be known to all of us as our wonderful beloved Tante Annex). She was at the time earning her living by being a nanny to an Earl's two children and being a nurse to soldiers at the WeissenHaus.
What was the WeissenHaus at this time? It was considered and called a "schloss" (roughly translated as a castle) because it was a large estate owned by an Earl Von Platen. The manor had been originally constructed in the 18th century,and been passed down for generations. Because of the surge of English, American, and Russian troops, Hitler's men had been driven out of this area of northern Germany, and it was considered a safe place. Responding to wartime needs, the "White House" became a place for wounded soldiers to be cared for and a place to heal. So Tante Annex had her hands full: nursing wounded soldiers and mothering Buerschi, Erik(son to the Earl) and Erik's sister. Peter stayed here until nearly 1945 when the war ended and his father Peter Sr. could again bring him back to Hamburg.
So the "White House" for me was an emotional visit and a time for Peter, along with his sister Claudia, to visit an old friend: Erik Von Platen. Erik, as you can see from the picture, still lives in a part of his estate. But the major portion has been sold to a German man who made his fortune in the States and who now is transforming the WeissenHaus into the Great Resort and Spa.
Erik Von Platen and Peter
But we were still able to walk between the linden trees and admire the straw roofs and gaze at the White House. The day we visited was a very windy day as we walked along the beach.
So... yes, Peter Singelmann of KC really did stay at The White House!!
