When:

24th July 2015 - 26th July 2015

Where:

Ev. Jugend-, Freizeit- und Bildungsstätte Koppelsberg, Plön

Team:

Margarete von Rhein (1.8.5.3.1), Kirsten Back (1.4.5.7.1), Brigitte Dochhan (1.8.7.3.1), Horst Dochhan (1.8.7.3.1*), Johanna Wiehler (4.1.6.1.1*), Manfred Wiehler (1.8.5.2.1), Frank Wiehler (7.1.1.4), Marianne Ullrich (1.4.5.9), Susanne Erling (4.1.6.3.2)

Five years after 6th Wiehler Family Meeting in Harrison Hot Spring near Vancouver the 7th Wiehlertag in Plön took place in July 2015.

The location directly at the shore of Schleswig Holstein`s largest lake (Grosser Plöner See) was ideally suited to host our great family event and the excellent management of the Wiehlertag organization team around Margarete von Rhein (W.C. 1.8.5.3.1) allowed an easy and uncomplicated stay.

211 Participants instantly experienced a very connected and warm atmosphere, shared stories about the past and made plans for the future.

The characteristic recognition feature was the Wiehler Code (W.C.) placed on the name plate, distibuted to any participant at the very beginning of the meeting. The Wiehler Code explains your position on the genealogical tree and in the Wiehler Chronik. Based on the W.C. any member oft he family was able to join in a conversation about our common roots.

The descendants of Nicolaus Wiehler (*1802) and his wife Catharina Wiehler (*1801) who started a family with eleven children in West Prussia, came from Germany, Canada, USA and the Netherlands, the youngest was Lukas von Rhein, two years old, (W.C. 1.8.5.3.1.2.1), the eldest Ruth Elisabeth Wiechers geb. Wiehler (W.C.1.6.6.1) 94 years old, who joined the 1st Wiehlertag in Grunau a baby.

Frank Wiehler (W.C.7.1.1.4) from Freiburg, Wiehler genealogist, reminded in his Festival Lecture at the opening evening the eventful history of the Wiehler Family, beeing persecuted because of their mennonite belief from the 17th century until they found a new home in the delta oft the river Vistula. After the end of World War II a new period of escape and expulsion followed and spread the Wiehler Family all over the world. Our own or our parents` experience of escape and expulsion reminds us to develop special responsibility to all refugees of today, - remarkable words of Frank Wiehler.

In many years of researches he found more sufferer and followers of the Nazi dictatorship, but no resistance fighters, same as most oft he Germans.

70 years after the end oft he war the drastic experiences of those days built impotant topics of discussion and exchange.

A very popular feature of Wiehlertag 2015 was the workshop and posters of Gerhard Wiehler (W.C.4.2.11.7), who researched, collected and collated data for the genealogic tree and the Wiehler Chronik for many years. Presentig them Gerhard was an excellent expert of answering any question about the common roots.

Especially common activities, workshops, making music together, playing theatre, dancing line dance, singing songs, olympic competitions Wiehler ́s kind, crafting, meditation made the way from one to the other.

Shipping on the lakes of Plön (few disturbed by a little cloudburst), sightseeing in the city of Plön, visitting the castle, strolling through the town by ourselves,... anyone enjoyed Wiehlertag in a good mood.

Climax of Wiehlertag 2015 was the coloured evening (saturday) , a cheerful family show with joyful and contemplative performances, anyone was involved and felt the thrill singing the uncomparable Wiehler-Calypso: “Sing with us cause we are the Wiehlers...“

The Sunday service was held in the chapel of Koppelsberg and closed the Wiehlertag 2015. Pastor Frank Wiehler (W.C.1.6.6.9.1) from Weidenthal preached about the Word of Apostle Paul (Romans.15,7) „Receive one another, as Christ received you, for the glory of God.“ (Bible verse of the year 2015), a message, that connects all human beings to one family.

So after a wonderful family meeting the next questions arise: When will we meet again? And where will the next Wiehlertag take place? Maybe in 2020, in USA or Canada? We are sure, the next organization team will be as engaged and excellent as the group of Plön 2015. We will be happy to support the next team by giving advice and sharing our experiences from Wiehlertag 2015 - and we can assure you that the joy of the encounter pays off the work of the preparation.

Stephan Wiehler (1.4.1.1.1)

Tranlation:M.v.Rhein (1.8.5.3.1)