ArtTraveler revisits old friends in Bavaria, discovering cemetary art

After not seeing Lothar Heppner and his wife, Mitschi for 26 years, I decided to visit them in Bavaria, about 40 kms outside Munich, and go back to our future, to enjoy the fellowship that never died from our days living and working in Tripoli, Libya, especially our intense times playing music together as the Green Book Band, named after Kadaffi's "green books," (think Mao and Red) detailing the madness of his political thought, which at the time (1977 - 1980) was more than a little influenced by his habit of popping speed. Another story.

Lothar and Mitschi Heppner

As I managed to take the last train to Mammendorf from Munich, arriving at 1 a.m. plus or minus, where Lothar and family live, I thought about war, the world wars, about my deceased father, Robert, having fought the Nazis for three and one-half years, in North Africa, up Italy's boot, into France, across France to Germany, and thought about the madness of war.

I talked to Lothar and Mitschi--dear friends--realizing how our fathers considered each other enemies and how we killed and maimed each other. The futility of war.

While there a week, I took time to visit a small church cemetery near my hotel. I walked among the stone reminders and images and noted how many families, series of brothers and others, were killed in WWI and WWII. I share some of these images with you:

Thanks to our reunion, Lothar and I are collaborating on his production of a CD which may include a yet to be written song (my lyrics and his music): "The Last Train to Mammendorf." Here's a foto Lothar took of me at the Mammendorf train station.

ArtTraveler recreates arrival on the last train to Mammendorf.

Rock on and practice peace.And check out ArtTraveler's videos: http://bit.ly/h1vruw

Stefan, the ArtTraveler (TM)