Sprenger 50th Switzerland Reunion
Chapter 2
"A Day in the Mountains"A work in Progress - Robert Frazee, (c)2014
[A note to the reader: One purpose of this page is to place names on the Sprenger family whom we met.
There were so many people in such a short time I wanted to find a way for everyone to refesh their
recollection of who was with us on this day's expedition.]
On Sunday, 14 September 2014,The Sprenger Family's 50th Reunion took place.
 At Winery Frohhof The Americans Meet Their Swiss Cousins.3. Gary Roberson, son of Alberta Roberson Schultz (deceased) - grandson of Evalina Schultz-Sprenger; 4. Becky Siems Roberson, wife of Gary Roberson; 5. Mary Gwin-Lenth - daughter of Frances Lenth Sprenger; 6. Ron Isaacson, husband of Muriel Isaacson; 7. Jere Gwin-Lenth, husband of Mary Gwin-Lenth; 8. Susan Lenth, wife of Charlie Lenth; 9. Charlie Lenth - son of Frances Lenth-Sprenger; 10. Fran Lenth Frazee - daughter of Frances Lenth-Sprenger; 11. Bob Frazee, husband of Fran Lenth Frazee; 12. Muriel Isaacson - Daughter of Evalina Schultz-Sprenger; 13. Jay Sprenger; 14. Hansueli Sprenger ; 15. Maya Sprenger; 16. Iris Sprenger; and 17. Paul Sprenger; |
We are Greeted in Erlenbach and Travel to Wattwil
 Photo 27 : We were picked up by Paul and his daughter and son at Hotel Erlibacherhof to start our day's journey. First we were wisked away in a small tourist bus. 1. Gary Roberson, (son of Alberta Roberson Schultz (deceased) - grandson of Evalina Schultz-Sprenger) 2. Fran Frazee Lenth-Sprenger 3. Anja Sprenger (Paul's daughter) 4. Paul Sprenger 5. Jan Sprenger (Paul's son) |
 Photo 0752: As we drive along Zurichsee the hills are covered with vineyards. The vines are heavy with grapes ready to be picked |
 Photo 2860m: We took a small bus to Meilen, where we picked up the rest of Paul's family and then headed toward Rapperswill, where Schloss Rapperswil is located, to Wattwil. |
 Photo 28 : At the Wattwil Bahnhof we join more of the Sprenger clan who had traveled by "big bus" from Neftenbach and Winterthur. We transfer to the larger bus in which we will spend the rest of the day touring the Valley Toggenburg. 1. Jere Gwin-Lenth (husband of Mary Gwin-Lenth-Sprenger) 2. Christian Weisflog (friend of Anja Sprenger) 3. Anneliese Gut 4. Glen Sprenger 5. Anja Sprenger (daughter of Paul and Iris Sprenger) |
Coffee and Rolls at "Gasthaus zum Schafli" in the Toggenburg Valley
 Photo 824: We stopped at "Gasthaus zum Schafli" in Alt St. Johann for "coffee and croissants". |
 Photo 844: Paul Sprenger and his son,Jan, and daughter, Anja, are kids again as they play on the teeter totter. What a wonderful day this is going to be. |
 Photo 809 : 1. Mathias Gasser-Heid (husband of Eliane, father of Davide and Mattia) 2. Daniela Walder-Durst (the wife of Erich Walder. They have 4 children: Robin, Luca, Loris and Silias 3. Mirjam Sprenger-Spengler (wife of Armin Sprenger, mother of Janek and Sarina) |
 Photo 25 : 1. Hansueli Sprenger 2. Fran Frazee (Lenth-Sprenger) |
 Photo 1: 1. Jonas Gebendinger (son of Walter and Marianne Gebendinger > Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger; 2. Becky Siems (Wife of Gary Roberson, son of Alberta Roberson Schultz (deceased) - grandson of Evalina Schultz-Sprenger) |
> Photo 2: 1. Sonja Walder-Sprenger (daughter of Adolf Sprenger (Frohhof), sister of Hansueli Sprenger 2. Marlies Held-Sprenger (twin sister of Sonja Walder-Sprenger) 3. Marc Hohl (partner of Marlies Heid-Sprenger) 4. Eliane Gasser-Heid (daughter of Marlies Heid-Sprenger) |
 Photo 3: 1. Kurt Gut 2. Anneliese Gut 3. Laura Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) 4. Hansueli Sprenger |
 Photo 4: 1. Sarina Sprenger (daughter of Armin (brother of Hansueli, Sonja and Marlies) and Mirjam Sprenger 2. Peter (friend of Sarina Sprenger) 3. Kerstin Link (friend of Janek Sprenger - brother of Sarina) |
 Photo 26 : 1. Paul Sprenger 2. Donna Sprenger (wife of Robert Sprenger, deceased) 3. Glen Sprenger (son of Robert Sprenger) |
 Photo 24 : 1. Anja Sprenger (daughter of Paul and Iris Sprenger) 2. Christian Weisflog (friend of Anja Sprenger) |
 Photo 29 : 1. Muriel Isaacson Schultz-Sprenger 2. Susan Lenth (wife of Charles Lenth-Sprenger) 3. Heiner Opplinger (husband of Rosemarie Opplinger-Gebendinger serving as Missionaries in the Congo) 4. Marianne Gebendinger (wife of Walter Gebendinger) 5. Isabelle Walder (daughter of Sonja and Hannes Walder-Sprenger, sister of Erich Walder (dairy farmer) |
 Photo 30 : 1. Christian Weisflog (friend of Anja Sprenger) 2. Anja Sprenger (daughter of Paul and Iris Sprenger) 3. Iris Sprenger 4. Jan Sprenger (son of Paul and Iris Sprenger) |
 Photo 31 : 1. Muriel Isaacson Schultz-Sprenger 2. Susan Lenth (wife of Charles Lenth-Sprenger) 3. Ron Isaacson 4. Charles Lenth-Sprenger |
 Photo 5: 1. Ramona Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli and Maya Sprenger) 2. Erich Walder, dairy farmer (son of Soja & Hannes Walder-Sprenger) 3. Hansueli Sprenger |
A Walk To The Klangschmiede
 Photo 847: The village of Alt St. Johann is located in the valley of Toggenburg. After our morning coffee we walk through the Alpine village Alt St. Johann to visit the Kangschmiede |
 Photo 853: |
 Photo 856: |
 Photo 862: |
 Photo 888: |  Photo 893 : |
 Photo 882 : |  Photo 896 : |
 Photo 854 : |  Photo 851 : |
 Photo 861 : |  Photo 863 : The "Klangschmiede" is a museum/workshop for natural sounds, singing bowls, bells, etc. A local guide taught us about local music, the mathematics of sounds and how a tone can be made visible. We were shown that everyone's voice, like a fingerprint, is unique to that person and a "voice print" can accurately identify every person. |
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 Photo 884 : At Alt St. Johann there are 13 pure streams, such as this one, which emerges from the mountain. |
 Photo 867 : The streams are used to produce power. This one runs to the water wheel which provides power to the Klangschmiede. |
 Photo 873 : |
 Photo 33 : 1. Erich Walder, dairy farmer (son of Soja & Hannes Walder-Sprenger) 2. Hansueli Sprenger 3. Gary Roberson Schultz-Sprenger 4. Muffel (Hans) Gaberthuel |
 Photo 34 : 1. Becky Roberson (wife of Gary Roberson-Schultz-Sprenger) 2. Donna Sprenger (wife of Robert Sprenger (deceased)) 3. Glen Sprenger (son of Robert Sprenger (deceased) 4. Sarina Sprenger (daughter of Armin (brother of Hansueli, Sonja and Marlies) and Mirjam Sprenger 5. Peter (friend of Sarina Sprenger) 6. Heiner Opplinger (husband of Rosemarie Opplinger-Gebendinger serving as Missionaries in the Congo) |  Photo 35 : 1. Marc Hohl (partner of Marlies Heid-Sprenger) 2. Marlies Heid-Sprenger (twin sister of Sonja Walder-Sprenger) 3. Jonas Gebendinger (son of Walter and Marianne Gebendinger > Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger; 4. Silja Gebendinger (sister of Jonas Gebendinger) 5. Sonja Walder-Sprenger (daughter of Adolf Sprenger (Frohhof), sister of Hansueli and Armin Sprenger and Marjam Sprenger) |
 Photo 36 : 1. Jay Sprenger (John Jakob Sprenger - Hans Jakob Sprenger) 2. Fran Frazee Lenth-Sprenger 3. Walter Gebendinger (son of Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger) 4. Jonas Gebendinger (son of Walter & Marianne Gebendinger > Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger) 5. Silja Gebendinger (sister of Jonas Gebendinger) |  Photo 37 : 1. Muriel Isaacson Schultz-Sprenger 2. Jere Gwin-Lenth 3. Becky Roberson 4. Donna Sprenger (wife of Robert Sprenger son of Herbert "Hubby" Sprenger 5 Charlie Lenth-Sprenger 6. Fran Frazee (Lenth-Sprenger) 7. Jay Sprenger (John Jakob Sprenger - Hans Jakob Sprenger) |
 Photo 39 : 1, Hansueli Sprenger with his two daughers, 2. Romona Sprenger 3. Laura Sprenger |
 Photo 38 : 1. Jere Gwin-Lenth 2. Walter Gebendinger (son of Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger) 3. Romona Sprenger 4. Hansueli Sprenger 5. Muffel (Hans) Geberthuel 6. Laura Sprenger 7. Susan Lenth |
 Photo 23: 1. Ramona Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) 2. Laura Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) 3. Becky Roberson (wife of Gary Roberson - Schultz-Sprenger) |
 Photo 2338: We learned the science of forging cow bells. |
This Video created using EasyWebVideo.com
A Ride up the Mountain in the Toggenburg Valley
 Photo 898 : |  Photo 923 : |
 Photo 913 : I know Heidi lives out there somewhere. |  Photo 920 : The Restaurant Gade (stable) at 3,800 feet where we are to have a luncheon. |
Aperitiif and Luncheon
 Photo 41 : 1. Marc Hohl (partner of Marlies Heid-Sprenger) 2. Jay Sprenger (John Jakob Sprenger - Hans Jakob Sprenger) 3. Sonja Walder-Sprenger (daughter of Adolf Sprenger (Frohhof), sister of Hansueli and Armin Sprenger and Marlies Heid-Sprenger) 4. Jonas Gebendinger (son of Walter & Marianne Gebendinger > Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger) 5. Walter Gebendinger (son of Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger) |  Photo 43 : 1. Mirjam Sprenger-Spengler - wife of Armin Sprenger, mother of Janek and Sarina 2. Janek Sprenger (son of Armin Sprenger, grandson of Adolf Sprenger) 3. Kerstin Link (friend of Janek Sprenger - son of Armin and Marjam Sprnger) 4. Erich Walder, dairy farmer (son of Soja & Hannes Walder-Sprenger) 5. Christian Weisflog (friend of Anja Sprenger) 6. Anja Sprenger (daughter of Paul and Iris Sprenger) 7. Laura Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) |
 Photo 930 : 1. Hansueli Sprenger, he knows how to taste wine. 2. Luca Walder (son of Erich and Daniela Walder (dairy farmer) 3. Daniela Walder-Durst is the wife of Erich Walder (dairy farmer). They have 4 children: Robin, Luca, Loris and Silias 4. Robin Walder (son of Erich and Daniela Walder (dairy farmer) 5. Heiner Opplinger (husband of Rosmarie Opplinger-Gebendinger, Missionary in the Congo 6. Jan Sprenger (son of Paul and Iris Sprenger) 7. Peter (friend of Sarina Sprenger) |
 Photo 927 : 1. Jay Sprenger (John Jakob Sprenger - Hans Jakob Sprenger) 2. Sonja Walder-Sprenger (daughter of Adolf Sprenger (Frohhof), sister of Hansueli and Armin Sprenger and Marjam Sprenger) 3. Silja Gebendinger (sister of Jonas Gebendinger) 4. Paul Sprenger 5. Marianne Gebendinger (wife of Walter Gebendinger) 6. Kurt Gut |
Paul welcomes everyone to the 50th Sprenger Reunion.
 Photo 942 : 1. Paul Sprenger 2. Ramona Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) 3. Peter (friend of Sarina Sprenger) |  Photo 939 : 1. Tanja Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) 2. Susan Lenth (wife of Charlie Lenth-Sprenger 3. Charlie Lenth-Sprenger 4. Mathias Gasser Heid (husband of Eliane Gasser-Heid, father of Davide and Mattia) |
 Photo 937 : 1. Mirjam Sprenger-Spengler 2. Christian Weisfloy (friend of Anja Sprenger) 3. Jonas Gebendinger (son of Walter and Marianne Gebendinger > Walter & Hanni Gebendinger-Sprenger; 4. Rosmarie Oppliger-Gebendinger |
 Photo 936 : 1. Jay Sprenger (John Jakob Sprenger - Hans Jakob Sprenger) 2. Daniela Walder-Durst (the wife of Erich Walder. They have 4 children: Robin, Luca, Loris and Silias 3. Siljas Walder (son of Erich and Daniela Walder (dairy farmer) 4. Erich Walder, dairy farmer (son of Soja & Hannes Walder-Sprenger) 5. Luca Walder (son of Erich and Daniela Walder (dairy farmer) 6. Isabelle Walder (daughter of Sonja and Hannes Walder-Sprenger, sister of Erich Walder (dairy farmer) 7. Robin Walder (son of Erich and Daniela Walder (dairy farmer) |
 Photo 6: 1. Sonja Walder-Sprenger (daughter of Adolf Sprenger (Frohhof), sister of Hansueli and Armin Sprenger and Marjam Sprenger) 2. Iris Sprenger (wife of Paul Sprenger) 3. Tanja Sprenger (daughter of Hansueli & Maya Sprenger) |
 Photo 7: 1. Sarina Sprenger 2. Kerstin Link (friend of Janek Sprenger - son of Armin and Mirjam Sprnger) 3. Janek Sprenger (son of Armin Sprenger, grandson of Adolf Sprenger) |
 Photo 42 : 1. Jay Sprenger (John Jakob Sprenger - Hans Jakob Sprenger) 2. Daniela Walder-Durst is the wife of Erich Walder. |
 Photo 45 : 1. Muffel (Hans) Geberthuel 2. Bob Frazee (Husband of Fran Frazee Lenth-Sprenger) |
After Lunch we broke up into two groups, the hikers and the walkers.
 Photo 945m : |
 Photo 946 : |
 Photo 948 : This Gasthaus was hosting an antique classic car touring club. |
 Photo 981 : Wild Flowers graced our path. |
 Photo 955 : One of the scenes of Switzerland you would see on a calendar. |
 Photo 951: The view riding through the valley was spectacular. The skies were blue and the air was clear. It was hard not to take a thousand pictures and trying to decide which ones to post here was extremely difficult. |
Map of the mountains - the "Hikers" started near Oberdorf (1213 m) to and hiked to Iltios (1350 m);
The "Walkers" first rode the bus down from Oberdorf to Alt St. Johann (900 m), took the ski lift up to Sellamatt (1390 m)
and then walked to Iltios (1350 m). At Iltios everyone rode the cog train down to Unterwasser (910 meters).
 Photo 958 : You can guess what group I was in. |
 Photo 961 : The walkers took the easy route; they rode the ski lift up to Sellamatt at 4530 feet (1380 meters). |
 Photo 962 : |
 Photo 44 : At the top of the lift Muffel took our picture 1. Bob Frazee 2. Fran Frazee Lenth-Sprenger |
 Photo 967 : Hans Heire Haas was our tour guide on our trek. He was also our interpreter at the Klangschmiede in Alt St. Johann. He did a wonderful job of explaining the various musical instruments installed by various artist along our path. |
 Photo 970 : Hans Heiri Haas, our guide, played the xylophone which had been incorporated into the teeter-totter the children were playing on. |
 Photo 971 : |
 Photo 972 : One day a giant, carrying a sack filled with houses to build a city in Switzerland, left Bavaria and headed south out of Germany. As he crossed the Rhein River he tripped over an Alpine mountain and the sack of houses spilled out over the Toggenburg Valley. Dairy farmers immediately moved into the houses and they are there to this day. |
 Photo 978 : We walked through pastoral landscapes from Sellamatt (4,530 feet)to Iltios (4,430 feet). It was advertised as "mostly down hill" but when you are in the mountains nothing is "mostly down hill" because there are many creek ravines where we walked down to the creek bed and then up the opposite bank. |
 Photo 977 : Much of the path went through the dark forest where Hansel and Gretel got lost. |
 Photo 982 : The "Flugel Horn"? All along the path artisans/musicians have constructed musical/sound making instruments to mimic sounds in nature. Hans Heiri Haas demonstrated the correct way to blow on this instrument. The requirements of these instruments is that they must be sturdy enough to withstand the elements and function for 10 years with no maintenance. Each instrument is surrounded by a fence to keep the cows out. |
 Photo 984 : Each pipe on the "Flugel Horn" is a different length so it makes a different sound. They are also different heights from the ground so children of all sizes can try them out. I played the baritone in the band so naturally my sounds were "heavenly." |
 Photo 974 : As we hiked we commented that although we had often eaten pork we had not seen any swine. Well, here they were. |
 Photo 988 : We finally arrived at Iltios and met the hikers. |
 Photo 997 : Everyone rode the cog train down to Unterwassern |
 Photo 1002 : One last view of the valley Toggenburg as we descended from the mountain. |
A Sprenger Family 50th Reunion Photo
.Thanks to Paul Sprenger
This page was created by Bob "Belli" Frazee
If you have any questions, or corrections, just write to Belli
.