Birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm II

Twelve years ago, Manfred had travelled this route and I had visited him many times. I really liked the spirit of the school. The boys had to study hard, but they looked healthy because they did gymnastics diligently (Manfred's strong side). When he was still a toddler, it was no trouble at all for him to shoot rumps from a standing position, and he never needed his hands to do so, but placed them tightly against the seam of the yard. He had a wonderfully skilful body by nature. Once, when he was eight years old, he had to take apples from an old, hard-to-reach fruit tree. He scrambled up like a little man of the woods and didn't come down the trunk afterwards, no, that way was too boring for him; instead he let himself down on the outside of the branches, swinging and grabbing from branch to branch with lightning-like speed. These gymnastic skills stood him in good stead at the cadet school. He was honoured several times. There was also a lot of fun for us adults here in Wahlstatt. Once I went along to an imperial birthday party. Beforehand, Manfred had explained the following to me with a serious face: ‘You know, Mum, the cadets like to dance with every lady who still looks a bit young and pretty...only with the old and ugly mothers - the officers dance with them.’ Intimidated by these unsuccessful but life-knowledgeable openings, I asked my cadet son what I should wear to make myself desirable. ‘Well, a really light-coloured dress with a pretty flower on the belt.’ I took this to heart and was curious to see whether the gentlemen cadets would also like me. But - I was lucky, they danced with me first and not the officers. As a thank you, we then let our young cavaliers indulge in pancakes. What were the giant snuffles of these fragrant bales back then? That was something for Manfred - his favourite pastry; he was very reluctant to eat meat, preferring bread and cake instead.