THE OVALS OF HISTORY
History is "Happy History" when it is written by one who tries to sweep various things and certain facts or fancies about individuals or organizations under the rug of time, often covering up valuable lessons to be learned by what really might have involved "Unhappy History" -- or, viceversa. Only a totally perverse person would tell just Unhappy History. History sings its own anthems and dirges in special periods of time, called paradigms, about persons or events, reflecting the good, the bad, the ugly or the beautiful: "Ye shall be as gods"; "The Pursuit of Happiness"; "Don't Tread on Me!"; "Come and Get It!"; "Remember the Alamo!"; "Texas Forever!"; "Viva Zapata!"; "Grapes of Wrath"; "Heil Hitler!"; "A Date Which Will Live In Infamy"; "The Only Thing to Fear Is Fear Itself"; "The Pause that Refreshes"; "Don't Fence Me In"; "Ask What You Can do for Your Country"; and, "Ich bin ein Berliner". Also, "I Have a Dream"; "Agent Orange"; "In Cold Blood"; "The Eagle Has Landed"; "Benign Neglect"; "Helter Skelter"; "Watergate"; "The Evil Empire"; "Deregulation"; "Deficit"; "Don't Mess with Texas"; "Just Say No"; "Habitat for Humanity"; "Choose Life"; "Have a Good Day"; and, “Enjoy!”. Friedrichsburg, Texas, is all of the above and none of the above. Its own story is its own special anthem, about a special place, of special people--good, bad, ugly, beautiful.
In 1975, while visiting a distinguished library in a major city in Germany, I discovered with great
exhilaration and amazement that the chief librarian knew all about Friedrichsburg, Texas. He used
a term that shocked me: something he called the “Adelsverein Scheme.” He invited me to sit down
and to chat with him. Other people, years earlier, from Friedrichsburg had been there also.
Suddenly he asked, "Is it for Happy History or Real History that you are here?" I tilted my head like
a puzzled cocker spaniel. He proceeded to explain the difference and agreed to point me in
certain directions if I would promise never to use his name or the location of the library. According
to him, the history of the Adelsverein had been purged or “cleansed” repeatedly through the years.
The approach of this book was based on the eye-opening clues he and others provided at some
risk to their livelihoods.
Born in Fredericksburg, Texas in 1934, I started much too late in life, in the 1950’s, writing down
some of the stories that would suddenly surface. Truth, they say, eventually emerges; even if in
disparate bits. The Bible assures us that our sins, too, have a curious way of finding us out.
Undoubtedly, much truth has been effectively submerged and weighed down with layers of coverup.
For example, a German kills another German in pioneer times in the Friedrichsburg area and
scalps the other German to make it appear the dastardly deed was done by “savage” Indians.
Actually, the only dastard was that German Texan! The stories of “history” must always be taken
with a grain of salt, “cum grano salis”. By the same token, these stories are not to be brushed
aside too hastily.
Documentation is, of course, the constant goal but, it is done only to share the blame in the
relaying of gossip in the “The Ovals of History”. If you remember your penmanship ovals, no two
were ever quite alike. But when the same story comes around again and again, there just may be
a mite of truth in it. In addition, I have always been amazed that in most communities of America
and Europe the court house has been burned down at least once. Friedrichsburg in Gillespie
County, Texas, is no exception. Arson was and is a way of doing away with the real evidence.
If I have inadvertently passed on a mistruth, or overlooked a truth, I challenge and already
congratulate you or the next researcher for discovering other facets or facts to help set it straight. I
cannot tell you how satisfying it is when that happens. For example, when I browsed the Internet
attempting to find out more about the artist who designed, penned and produced the historic
Friedrichsburg-Indian Peace Treaty document, Swiss-born Conrad Caspar Rordorf, I was able to
make contact with an art institute in Zuerich, Switzerland. They faxed a very short biography of his
life and works which stated that Rordorf had come to Texas in 1847 and was killed in Mexico
helping the U.S. Army keep Texas a part of the USA. Because of information already researched
in Texas by others, I was able to inform the institute that Friedrichsburg resident, Rordorf, actually
lost his life in 1847 between LaGrange and Brenham on a cotton plantation called Nassau Hof.
Rordorf was a member of a posse of good citizens of Friedrichsburg who finally had their fill of the
impostor doctor and provocateur, Dr. Schubert, Friedrichsburg’s first city director, whose
shenanigans were causing great unrest and turmoil. Rordorf was killed at Nassau Hof and was
probably shot by Schubert himself. Schubert was to be given the Nassau Hof deed in exchange
for being the first city director of Friedrichsburg. But Meusebach, the Immigration Commissioner,
decided Schubert had not earned the deed. Schubert survived the Nassau Hof confrontation
unscathed, but never returned to Friedrichsburg, eventually making his way back to Germany.
There he became a successful writer about America’s Wild West and its Indians. Rordorf was one
of Friedrichsburg’s first heroes for giving his life in helping get rid the city of the hated and feared
Dr. Schubert. Instinctively the journalist should not and more often than not, just cannot, “leave
well enough alone.” “How we betray our past when we forget its most disquieting realities.” --
attributed to Blanche H. Gelfant’s discourse on Willa Cather’s novel, My Antonia, by professor Eric
Heyne of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks in his masterpiece, Desert, Garden, Margin, Range:
Literature on the American Frontier, Twayne-Macmillan Publishers, New York, NY, 1992, p. 169

RESPECT FOR FOREIGN WORDS
To rename names on the part of a foreign nation has always seemed to me to be the height of
egoistic treachery. For Koeln to be “designated” Cologne, Muenchen “Munich”, Jakob “James” or
Friedrichsburg “Fredericksburg” is a serious affront, perhaps even amounting to linguistic cleansing
or genocide! Words are the precious gems of creation intrinsically tied to life’s spirit and soul.
Throughout this work at least some attempt has been made to retain the spelling of the native
word.
Also, because of the gross stupidity and neglect of the learning of languages other than English
that begins in the elementary grades in the United States, German words and idioms have often
been accompanied by their closest possible meaning in English, or vice-versa. Perhaps this will
help a reader or two to continue taking up the learning of another language, since our schools are
inordinately preoccupied with baby-sitting, pacifying time, football, pep squad, and marching band
drills... and the teaching of tests, even to the point of reclassifying students into special education
categories to make sure they play football or stay in the band. None of these activities are bad in
and of themselves. But they should not be more important than reading, writing, arithmetic and
being fluent in another language. I wish to thank my wiser and older, and only brother, Jacob L.
“Skip” Knopp, for taking the time to critique and edit this work and for the kind way in which he
never failed to caution or correct me. I did listen, sometimes. An apology is due my mother,
Wilhelmina, for some neglect of her needs by being gone so often doing research. Then there are
those whose words of encouragement or their own professional example through the years meant
more than they ever knew: Norman J. Dietel, Erna Dietel Heinen, Janet Harris, Francis &
Josephine Weingartner, Howard Rogers, Sam Lanham, Jack Maguire, and William “Bill” and
Modena Marschall von Bieberstein.
Thanks also to the friendship of Kurt & Elke Ditges whose knowledge of German idioms and
expressions was most helpful. My gratitude to Prof. Dr. Meredith McClain of the German Studies
Archives of Texas Tech University for inviting me to present the chapter in this book on Friedrich
Strubberg, aka Armand, precursor of Karl May, at the International Karl May Symposium held the
fall of 2000 in Lubbock. It was there that the president of the Karl May Gesellschaft, Prof. Dr.
Reinhold Wolff of the University of Bielefeld, Germany, informed me that the paper had been
selected to be included in their book, Karl May im Llano Estacado, Hansa Verlag Publishers,
Husum, Germany, 2004. Also, much thanks is due Dr. med. Peter Engel of the University of
Marburg, Germany, now retired, and Frau Traute Seeliger of Kassel, Germany, who took the time
to open many doors to rooms of fascinating archives...and doors of thought, too. I especially
thank, and wish to honor, the late Sister Julie McDougall, also known as Sister Mary Alphonsine of
the Sisters of Divine Providence in San Antonio. Her order of erudite nuns originally came to
Texas from Lothringen (Lorraine, France). Sister Julie was my journalism-communications teacher
at St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Fredericksburg, who challenged me to seek and speak the
truth -- and be ready to suffer its exquisite consequences. Never again would I be graced by a
teacher of her equal -- that was way back in 1950-52.
I have tried to express deep appreciation in the notes or within the stories to the many exegetes
and enabling persons who wished to remain nameless who went out of their way to point me to
archives with substantive evidences and corroborating sources. Finally, “I cannot say how the
truth may be; I say the tale as told to me.” Scott - Lay of the Last Minstrel

Notes are found on the last story of this series, http://texas-hill-country.com/issue/texas-hill-country/article/twentieth-century-the-lure-continues 

By Kenn Knopp

 Knopp, Kenn  http://www.kennknopp.com/
  Since 1956 this is a synergistic journalism and  public relations collective midrash of families, genealogy, and actual history encompassing Germany, Texas, and United States experiences.. It was begun at the University of Texas at Austin, M.A. degree program in strategic public relations in 1958 under the tutelage of Dr. Alan Scott of precious memory and has been ongoing ever since. Entitled: Protecting & Enchancing the German Heritage of Fredericksburg, Texas. The research has been bequeathed to the Special Collections Archives of Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg for the benefit and the use of all researchers. 
   This series of stories will become a regular feature of www.Texas-Hill-Country.com Online magazine with permission and all rights from Kenn Knopp, from the beginnings of the research to the end, check back regularly for the "rest of the story".

ger Manuskripte
Volume III
self-published,
Director- www.germanheritagefoundation.com
(Public Relations and Communications industry)
September 1982 — Present

Research about the Germans of the Texas Hill Country, their origins and
homeplaces, their life, times, and contribution to the United States.
Research and collections primarily at Texas Tech University at
Fredericksburg and at the author's home office at 407 Cora Street,
Fredericksburg TX 78624. email: alterstolz@gmail.com


Kenn Knopp’s Education
The University of Texas at Austin
1952 — 1956

Additional Information
Kenn Knopp’s Websites:
My Website http://www.kennknopp.com/
Kenn Knopp’s Interests:
German heritage, music and history, genealogy, spiritual retreats,
culinaria adventures, Stammtisch discussions, meditation, etc..

Kenn Knopp’s Groups:
Fredericksburg German Singers, Democratic Party, Catholic Permanent
Deacons of San Antonio Archdiocese, Old German Bakery/Restaurant Stammtisch