After 84 years: Roßbacher friendship is revived

After 84 years: Roßbacher friendship is revived

An extraordinary encounter touched hearts in Roßbach. Josef Gottfried, an 84-year-old former carpenter, experienced a miraculous reunion with his childhood friend Josef Schecks, who emigrated to Germany over seven decades ago. According to Gottfried, he would never have thought something like this was possible. The encounter took place a few days ago, and emotions ran high when Schecks suddenly showed up at his door. “It was unbelievable,” recalls Gottfried.

In the last years of his life, Gottfried often looked back on the time he spent with checks, which began right after the Second World War. After the end of the war, many German-speaking displaced persons fled to Austria, and Gottfried's family temporarily took in one of these families, the Schecks. “As we had a relative staying with us at the time, we found another home for the checks at short notice, but they were with us regularly.” They attended school together, but the joy was short-lived because the family soon moved to Germany. All that remained of the beautiful was the memory.

A reunion after decades

This long separation ended recently when a neighbor visited Gottfried in his workshop and reported an unexpected visitor. When the two strangers rang Gottfried's doorbell, it was a huge surprise. One of them introduced himself: “It’s me, Checks Pepi.” The joy was overwhelming, and after an initial shock, tears flowed. “We talked for more than five hours as if no time had passed,” says Gottfried. It was an emotional reunion that moved both men enormously and brought back memories of a carefree childhood.

Schecks told Gottfried about his life in the USA, where his family emigrated shortly after moving to Germany. He is now retired and came back specifically to visit the place of his childhood. “Unfortunately, many of my friends are no longer there, and it was even nicer to see Pepi again after all this time,” explains Gottfried. The connection to his friend has remained strong, even though there have been decades of separation between them.

Friendships that never end

“There are people you never forget,” smiles Gottfried. These words express the heartfelt joy of the unexpected reunion and the everlasting friendship. Schecks and Gottfried are now in touch again and plan to use the time together to make up for the years they missed. “Life sometimes brings unexpected things, and this meeting was a true gift,” summarizes Gottfried. It shows that friendships remain even in old age and that the joy of reunion can touch hearts.

The story of Josef Gottfried and Josef Schecks is not just a personal story; it also reflects the turbulent times of the post-war years and how people, despite all odds, find ways to stay connected to one another. More details about this heartbreaking story are can be found here.