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We warmly invite you to the family meeting 2008 from May 23rd to May 25th in Limburg an der Lahn and hope
for many guests.
We, that is Manfred Hammes and Gabriele Schreiner born Luyken, daughter of
Gerhhard Luyken and his wife
Margret born Beck - Gabriele kept her name after
marrying .-
We are both now retired. Manfred was regional director of the Nassauischen Sparkasse (bank), Gabriele was teacher in a
grammar school in the Rheingau and in the Taunus, with 6 years experience also in the primary sector. As
"young retirees" we have more free time and therefore assumed the organization of the 24th family meeting.
We live in a cute house outside the gates of Limburg and think that the old city downtown with its cathedral
(that once decorated the 1.000-Mark-banknotes) is very well suited for our family meeting.
Limburg is first mentioned 910 a.D. as "Lintburk", though it didn't attain city rights until 1230. Because of its
strategic location between the cities of Cologne and Frankfurt it became an important trading center early. Even
nowadays it plays a preeminent role as several routes converge here. It has a connection of the motor route A3 and since
2002 an ICE train station. So one can reach Cologne in 50 minutes and Frankfurt airport in 20 minutes.
The city of Limburg has today 36.000 inhabitants and is the economical and cultural hub of roughly
200.000 people from the Lahn area, the Taunus and the Westerwald.
The historical downtown is the gem of the city. It almost was demolished after WW II, where it not for
Mayor Kohlmaier in the seventies who held a visionary fight for its keeping and restauration. Thanks to him
a jewel was kept that is a magnet for several thousand visitors every year.
Because of the River Lahn Limburg is a very attractive stop-over for boat tours (rowers, paddlers and canoes) as well
as for campers, cyclists and other short term visitors.
Limburg enjoys the fame of holding many choirs as well as several European leading choirs which mainly recruit former
boy singers from the cathedral.
About 25 km up the Lahn is the baroque residence city of Weilburg
at a sharp bending of the River Lahn. The baroque castle looms over the old center of town. Every year concerts with
world-renowned soloists are held here. In 2003 the Hessentag was held in Weilburg.
We want to show you Limburg, Weilburg and a part of the Westerwald
during this family meeting.
We would be very happy if some of you would contribute to the success of the gala dinner by contributing with e.g.
instrumental inlays, short poems, prose or short sketches. There are so many things to please all present generations.
Costs for meals and drinks during the 3 days of the meeting are not provided for. Other expenses such as bus rides,
guided tours and also the champagne reception during the gala dinner will be born by the family cash box.
We are looking forward to meeting you again in Limburg an der Lahn.
Gabriele and Manfred
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