by Koni Ulrich

If in the future Americans with the family name of Glattfelder walk the footsteps of their ancestors, they will not find residents by that name in Glattfelden any longer. Liesel and Reini Meier–Glattfelder have moved out of Glattfelden. As so often in recent years, at the end of June, an illustrious group of seven Americans visited our village tracing the footsteps of their ancestor Casper Glattfelder. In 1743, with his family, he crossed the Atlantic and settled in Pennsylvania where the Glattfelders thrived. The large family group led by Lois and Larry Gladfelter spent two days in the lowlands accompanied by Henry and Myrtha Glattfelder, Mayor Pier-Luigi Quattropani and Koni Ulrich.

A perennial stop on such tours has been a visit to Liesel and Reini Meier-Glattfelder. Her parents were farmers who found much of their land sacrificed for the construction of the new highway system. Liesel was considered the last Villager in Glattfelden with that family name. This was to be the last such Glattfelder visit, as the two found it necessary to leave their home in Glattfelden to live in Bülach. This was the last time a group of visitors were to leave the garden porch having had two of the children spoiled with homemade ice cream.

Translated from the 2010 Issue of the Glattfelder, a yearly chronicle of village happenings. For the complete 25th Anniversary Edition Issue (which is in German/Swiss German) please click the link.