Dear members of the different lines of our family,

Dear relatives from other family lines,

Dear friends and others interested in our family history,

Efforts to bring together the descendants of the various branches of our family within the framework of a broader family reunion transcending the individual remaining contacts date back to the beginning of the now closing century. Two wars, the subsequent periods of distress and political pressures prevented the realization of these good intentions for three generations.

It was not until 1988 that the first of these family reunions could be held - despite the walls and borders that still traversed Europe at the time. Ten years have passed since then. This year we therefore look forward to a small (indeed for us, who can look back upon centuries, a very small) anniversary.

I nevertheless believe the anniversary to be sufficiently memorable to be worthy of note. Those of us who have participated in these reunions since the beginning will almost certainly have recognized the entirely new family consciousness that they have begun to build among us.

As this coming family reunion will also be the last in the present century, we have decided to begin it in a worthy and ceremonial manner.

The fact that we will spend this day moving through the landscape of the core area of the branches of our family originating from the Börde will give this reunion a particular substance and make it especially interesting.

At the same time, however, we will be constrained by the fact that the time at our disposal in this important region of our family history will be limited to a single day. Many other places in the Magdeburger Börde beyond the ones that we will be able to visit on this occasion have also been connected with descendants of the various major and minor branches of our family during the past 300 years. These will no doubt be the location of future reunions.

I have received more than 40 confirmations from participants to this year's reunion. To all of you I want to send herewith the programme of events. At the same time, I am also sending this programme to all of those who will unfortunately not be able to participate for health, professional or other reasons. May they accompany us in their thoughts on this Whitsunday 1998.

In anticipation of a richly rewarding and happy reunion.

Third Familiy Reunion, Whit Sunday, 31 May 1998.

Programme

From 8.45 hrs

Assembly of all participants in front of the romanic west gate of the abbey church of Mariental near Helmstedt.

9.00 hrs

Joint procession into the abbey church. Welcome statement read by Richard Hohbaum, Gerabronn. Family Whitsunday Service led by Rev. Ekkehard Hochbaum, Berlin. Commemoration of the family chroniclers of our century: Johannes Hoogenboom of Breda; Dr. Maximilian Hobohm of Quedlinburg; Franz Hohbaum of Berlin.

10.30 hrs

Depart Mariental Abbey.

Route: Join autobahn A2 towards Magdeburg - exit A2 at Uhrsleben - drive through Uhrsleben and Brumby to Nordgermersleben.

11.00 hrs

In Nordgermersleben, assemble at the war memorial of 1870/71 in front of the "Palais Hobohm" (Hauptstraße 17). Guided tour through the two Nordgermersleben estates of the Eilsleben Line of the family by Dr. Wolf Hobohm, Magdeburg.

11.30 hrs

Depart Nordgermersleben.

Route: Brumby - Erxleben.

11.50 hrs

In Erxleben, park on the village square in front of the palace. Small tour of the village and palace with a talk on "The Hobohms of Erxleben and the past Residence of the Hobohms of Alvensleben" by Richard Hohbaum.

12.45 hrs

Depart Erxleben.

Route: From Erxleben station to Uhrsleben and the Autobahn-underpass. Immediately thereafter. turn right into the "Raststätte Uhrsleben" (pub).

13.00 to 14.00 hrs

Lunch break in the Raststätte Uhrsleben. The club room has been reserved for us.

14.15 hrs

Depart Raststätte Uhrsleben

Route: Back under the autobahn. Joint drive through Uhrsleben with three stops and talk on "The different lines of the Hobohms from Uhrsleben" by Richard Hohbaum.

14.45 hrs

Third stop in Uhrsleben to the north of the church. Talk on "The church of Uhrsleben and the evidence it provides of our family history" by Richard Hohbaum.

15.00 hrs

Depart Uhrsleben.

Route: As before, through the autobahn-underpass again, but this time continue on the other side of the autobahn weiter to Hakenstedt. Park in Hakenstedt im near the church.

15.10 hrs

Assemble at the gate to the north of the church tower. Tour in and around the church with a talk on "A baroque jewel of the Börde that tells us our family history" by Richard Hohbaum. Followed by a short walk through the village to the estate of the Mariental abbey and the two estates of the Hakenstedt line of the Hobohm family.

16.00 hrs

Depart Hakenstedt

Route: Chaussee towards Eilsleben.

16.10 hrs

Stop at the turn off (to the right) towards Neu-Ummendorf with a talk on "The ‘Seelsche Bruch' as a geographic centre of the Hobohm villages in the Börde: Eilsleben, Ummendorf and Hakenstedt". Continue via Neu-Ummendorf to Ummendorf. In Ummendorf park between the church and the castle.

16.30 hrs

Assemble at the castle gate in Ummendorf. Tour of the castle with a talk on "The castle and its masters - the administrative centre of Ummendorf in the post-medieval period" by staff of the Ummendorf Castle section of the Börde Museum.

17.30 hrs

Depart Ummendorf.

Route: Chaussee to Eilsleben. Park in the centre of Eilsleben near the church.

17.45 hrs

Assemble in Eilsleben near the church at the crossroads between the Schulgasse and the Rudolf- Breitscheid-Straße. A walk through the Hobohm estates and their inscriptions with a talk on "Eilsleben - the centre of the Hobohms since the pre-reformation period" by Günter Wagner of Eilsleben.

After 19.00 hrs Conclusion of our third family reunion in the Restaurant "Zur Eisenbahn" in Eilsleben, Ernst- Thälmann-Str.18. Opportunity for an evening meal.

In case a change in one other item on the programme should become necessary due to changed circumstance despite the very careful preparations made for this reunion, participants will be informed during the course of the tour.

It was decided not to rent a coach for the joint transportation of the reunion participants, since most will be coming with their own cars. I would therefore like to request participants with cars to provide transport to the few participants who will be arriving by train.

As in the last reunion, each participant will cover his/her own personal costs.

The joint costs paid in advance by the organizer for such items as entrance fees and guided tours will be collected during the concluding session of the reunion in Eilsleben. (According to present indications, they are likely to amount to about DM 14.-- per person.)