DR. ALFONS GOPPEL, holding the key to the city (top left), acknowledges the welcome he received from New Ulm citizens at Hermann Park Monday. While at the park, the Bavarian minister took time to inspect the flag of the New Ulm Battery and talk to the people who came out to greet him (below). (Photos by Steve Woit)

Dr. Alfons Goppel, prime minister of Bavaria, got a celebrity taste of America Monday in New Ulm.

He went to a high school baseball game and threw out the first pitch. It was high and outside but New Ulm Catcher Larry Guggisberg made the catch.

Before the game started Dr. Goppel shook hands with the coach and team from New Ulm; then as he noticed the Gaylord team in the other dugout, paced over there to shake more hands.

Already running half an hour late when he arrived in New Ulm about 2:45 p.m., Dr. Goppel was still behind when he reached Johnson Field. But he was not be to hurried from his first sight of a baseball game and stayed through two or three outs.

Germans don’t play baseball, according to Dr. Goppel’s personal assistant, Horst Heinle; they favor soccer and handball.

DR. ALFONS GOPPEL, holding the key to the city (top left), acknowledges the welcome he received from New Ulm citizens at Hermann Park Monday. While at the park, the Bavarian minister took time to inspect the flag of the New Ulm Battery and talk to the people who came out to greet him (below). (Photos by Steve Woit)

IN MINNESOTA for a short visit as a Bicentennial representative of West Germany, Dr. Goppel flew to Southern Minnesota Monday morning with Governor Wendell Anderson and Russell Fridley, director of the Minnesota Historical Society.

Four men on Governor Anderson’s staff including photographer, interpreter and aides rounded out the party, along with Mrs. Goppel.

They landed at Redwood Falls at 9:30 a.m. and drove down the Minnesota River Valley, following the route taken by Sioux Indians in their attack of New Ulm in 1862.

Dr. Goppel said he was fascinated by the Lower Sioux Agency Interpretive Center near Morton and would have liked to spend four or five hours there. His interest kept him there long enough to fall 30 minutes behind schedule, which eventually meant the motor tour of Schell’s deer park had to be cut from the itinerary.

The party stopped at the Orchid Inn in Sleepy Eye for lunch, then drove on to New Ulm, accompanied by a highway patrol escort.

AS THE PARTY approached the New Ulm airport, a New Ulm Police car swung in front to lead the way. The officer set his red lights going to alert traffic but cut the rota beams when informed by the highway trooper that Governor Anderson didn’t want red lights going.

The four-car caravan traveled down Broadway at a stately 30 miles an hour, policemen at Seventh N. and Third N. and Center holding up traffic to let the officials through.

Mayor Carl Wyczawski had gone over the route with the police officer designated to drive the lead car, even down to preparation of a diagram showing where to park at Hermann Park, first stop in New Ulm.

MOTORING UP the Center Street hill, the party heard the boom of the New Ulm Battery echoing in the distance as a seven-volley salute began. The last deep-throated bellow came as the cars approached the park entrance.

About 150 people turned out at Hermann Park to hear Wyczawski note that many of the German immigrants who founded New Ulm came from Bavaria.

After receiving a key to the city, Dr. Goppel said, through an interpreter, “You have given me a key to your city but I don’t think I need a key, it seems to me you are open to us.”

“You are celebrating the Bicenntennial of the United States,” Dr. Goppel continued. “We in Germany will help you celebrate that. We consider you and us to be fellow citizens in the spirit of freedom and liberty, no matter what has happened in the past.”

Barney Uhlig, an aide to Governor Anderson and a native of Germany, translated Dr. Goppel’s message for the crowd.

New Ulm officials had rounded up three local interpreters who smoothed the way for the seven-hour visit – Otto Werner and Robert Bruckmeier, German teachers, and Horst Eisen, a native of Bavaria who now works in the city engineering department.

GOVERNOR ANDERSON started his short speech with,”Burgermeister Wyczawski, it really doesn’t have a familiar ring to it, does it?” This reference to New Ulm’s Polish leader got a laugh.

“The best way we can honor the Bicentennial is to re-establish our roots with the land we came from,” Anderson said.

The grounds at Hermann Park were leafless — city crews had spent all day Friday raking. Monument Street outside the park had been washed clean.

NEXT ON THE tour was a quick stop to see the newly carpeted and partially remodeled county courthouse. Gov. Anderson and Dr. Goppel shook the hands of many bemused county employees and people in the halls.

The Goppels were accompanied to Minnesota by their son, Michael, who works for the European Common Market in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Goppel had spent a week in Washington before coming to Minnesota, talking with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Vice President Rockefeller, Sen. Hubert Humphrey and others. Dr. Goppel’s post is similar to that of a state governor.

As Gov. Anderson went to enter the county historical museum Mayor Wyczawski did some quick lobbying, pointing out the post office down the street and noting that money for remodeling it into a museum will be needed.

After coffee and rolls in the library meeting room Dr. Goppel stopped on the way out to shake hands with three seventh grade boys who wanted to meet him. He asked their name and why they weren’t in school.

Since by then it was about 4 p.m., they could respond without a blush. A governor’s aide hurried Dr. Goppel along, noting they were still behind schedule. Dr. Goppel wished the boys a Happy Easter.

A stop at the Arlon Fristsche farm, Rt. 1, New Ulm, gave Dr. Goppel a close-up look at some prize-winning cows, then it was off for a 11/2-hour rest.

While Dr. Goppel was on his tour his wife was at the Robert Metzen home, 15 Hazelwood, drinking coffee with about a dozen women. Mrs. Metzen is from Munich.

Ursula Sandmann came down from Morgan to meet the Goppels and she was also at the coffee party. Mrs. Sandmann is from Neu-Ulm, Germany, which is in Bavaria, and came to the U.S. in 1970 with her husband, Sheldon.

A VISIT TO Turner Hall about 6:30 p.m. gave the Goppels a chance to see girl gymnasium perform, have some Schell’s beer, listen to the Concord Singers and sing along with the many German songs.

While younger souls were sagging after 10 hours on the go, the 70-year-old prime minister swung the mayor’s wife onto the dance floor for an energetic waltz. Mrs. Goppel danced with interpreter Eisen, then with her son.

Finally Dr. Goppel led Gov. Anderson up to the Concord Singers and both men joined the singers, linking arms and swaying, Dr. Goppel singing along lustily, Gov. Anderson smiling.

AT DINNER in the Kaiserhoff there was an exchange of gifts between the mayor and the Goppels.

Responding, Dr. Goppel said in a combination of English and German, “We go with a heavy heart. We thank you all for your hospitality. We wish you all the best in the future.”

The Goppels, Governor Anderson and aides left about 10 p.m. to fly back to the Twin Cities in two planes, one from the University and one property of the state.

Today, the Goppels are to view the Boundary University and St. Cloud, Thursday meet state Waters Canoe Area, Wednesday tour St. John’s officials then leave at noon for New York and Munich.

A governor’s aide said Dr. Goppel chose New Ulm, BWCA and St. John’s Abbey as places he wanted to see in Minnesota.

New Ulm Daily Journal

April 14, 1976