Entry #34

My maternal great-grandfather was Emil Max Heinrich Lindner, who was the son of Emil Heinrich Max Lindner and Charlotte Püschel. He was born in Dresden on 8 February 1858.

I have always been fascinated that Max Lindner left his home in Dresden, Germany, and WALKED through Central Europe in 1884. His journey included Southern Germany, Austria, Italy, and Croatia. I believe that this photo was taken of Max during his travels, since Regensburg was one of the places visited during this time period.

Emil Max Heinrich Lindner, ca. 1884.

At the completion of his long trek, he made his way to Bremerhaven, where he embarked on the Steamship Fulda, headed for New York. I located the ship’s passenger list and Max was identified as a “tourist.”

Max later returned to Germany and married his sweetheart, Anna Marie Kessler, who I mentioned in an earlier post. In the 1890s, Max wanted to join his parents in the United States, but Marie was afraid to sail, so they stayed in Dresden for the remainder of their lives. My grandfather, Richard Otto Lindner, was born in Dresden, but emigrated to the U.S. in April 1912 to join his grandmother shortly after his grandfather died.  Otto and his wife, Effie, visited Dresden in 1937 to celebrate Max and Marie’s 50th wedding anniversary.

Handed down through the family is a map that Max Lindner drew to memorialize his travels. I wish I knew more about his adventures, but the map is still a precious heirloom in our family.

Supposedly, Max Lindner built the building where the family lived on Glashütter Strasse.

An aerial detail of Dresden with notes from my Grandfather about the location of the Glashütter Grotto.

I am not sure exactly what that means. Did he hire someone to build it, or was he more actively involved in its construction? Later he operated a small restaurant (rathskeller) and bar from the basement. Known as the Glasshütter Grotto, the back wall was decorated with a mural depicting gnomes.  I am including a wonderful photo that shows Max (standing) and some patrons taken in the rathskeller.

Taken in the Glashütter Grotto – a classic German rathskeller.

The building on Glashütter Strasse was leveled during the Allied firebombing of Dresden during World War II.  Max was already deceased by this time. He died on 1 Jul 1944, but his wife, Marie, perished in the attack.