Family Reunion at Lake Ammer

Biene writes:

Our family, including my uncle and aunt, spent the summer of 1963 at Lake Ammer in Bavaria, Southern Germany.  Lake Ammer is the sixth-largest lake in Germany.  Since sailing is a popular sport there, our father equipped our fold boat with sails. Our vessel resembled a lightweight canoe which could be folded up.

From left to right: Uncle Rudi, Walter jr, Aunt Johanna, Mutti and Papa Panknin

My twin brother was excited by the prospect of easy sailing instead of strenuous paddling. Boats of any kind were his passion.  And he was already a very skilled model boat builder. He loved sailboats in particular.  The previous summer, he had learned to sail with a friend on the island of Corsica.

The weather was beautiful that summer at Lake Ammer.   The lake was still and calm, like a mirror under a cloudless sky, for the first few days of our stay.  I enjoyed the wonderful sandy beach. When I was not swimming or sunbathing, I would sit under a shade tree and read the gripping biographical novel  “Lust for Life” by Irving Stone.  A great read which is based on Vincent Van Gogh’s turbulent life. Vincent Van Gogh was and still is my favourite painter.