Newsletter No. 52 - Lucerne - January 2026
www.stirnimann-stirnemann.ch verband.stirnimann.stirnemann@gmail.com
Dear relatives, friends, and members of our family association,
On behalf of the board, I wish you a blessed and happy new year. May it bring you joy and contentment.
Your President, Moritz Stirnimann
You are holding the 2026 newsletter in your hands. We will be covering two topics:
I am very grateful to all members for their suggestions regarding "family history" in the broadest sense.
The best way to reach me is by email: verband.stirnimann.stirnemann@gmail.com
Table of Contents
Greeting
Knut Stirnemann (Return)
Ursula Meyer-Stirnimann
Autumn Meeting in Burgrain
Stirnrüti, Horw / Imprint
From Leipzig to Horw
Knut Stirnemann, a returnee from the GDR
Knut's Story
My father, Günter Erich Stirnemann, born October 6, 1920, in Leipzig, was drafted into the Wehrmacht at the beginning of the war in 1939. He served in Russia until his capture in 1944. In 1949, he returned home from Soviet captivity, home to the Soviet-occupied Eastern Zone, where the GDR, the German Democratic Republic, the German workers' and peasants' state, was in the process of being founded. Ten years of his young life were wasted. He spoke little about those ten years. He had survived Russia. He survived with a shrapnel fragment in his neck, which could never be removed, and other injuries.
My mother, born in 1922, lost her first husband in 1944 in the war on the Western Front. As a master tailor, the young widow ran her own fashion salon, which wasn't easy in the GDR, but it made her very happy.
On to the Federal Republic of Germany
In civilian life, my father worked in the graphic arts industry. After returning from Russia, he applied to the authorities for permission to pursue further education at a technical college. The application was rejected because my grandfather, Friedrich August Stirnemann, was an independent paint and wallpaper dealer, and therefore belonged to the bourgeoisie*, who had no right to state support. The ambitious young man, then just over 30 years old, was thwarted by the authorities. This hit him all the harder because my mother was pregnant with me and gave birth to me in April 1952. Due to the lack of prospects, my parents' desire to leave the country and go west grew stronger. This idea was further fueled by the suppression of the popular uprisings of 1953. An invitation to a wedding served as the pretext for the journey to the West. We managed to escape with just one suitcase, a flight that no one was supposed to know about: our emigration to West Germany. My parents left everything behind in Leipzig; the new beginning in the West started with that one suitcase. We lived in Darmstadt for two years. My father found work, but it was unfulfilling, an unhappy situation, as he had hoped for more from the escape.
A new beginning in Switzerland
In 1957, things changed. My father discovered an advertisement in a Swiss newspaper, the Vaterland. It was looking for a photo retoucher. Günter traveled to Switzerland and got the job. Initially, my father lived alone in Lucerne until the end of 1958, when the family was allowed to join him, of all places, in Horw, near Stirnrüti, where our very first ancestor had lived.
Our life in Switzerland was not easy at first. We were German, and my parents felt the resentment that the Swiss still harbored from the war. I was luckier, because I went to kindergarten and learned Swiss German in no time. In the following schools, no one noticed that I was an immigrant, also because of my Swiss family name. It was different for my mother: She suffered from the reserved nature of the Swiss and never learned the local dialect, even though she ultimately lived in Switzerland for 66 years. Furthermore, maintaining contact with her small family in East Germany was difficult. During their first visit in 1967, the train was delayed at the border for an extra hour because the East German border guards didn't know how to process the Stirnemann family: "East German citizens, West German passports, living in Switzerland, visa issued in Bern: That's impossible!" But eventually, they were allowed through.
*In German usage, the term bourgeoisie was initially a general and rather neutral term for the upper middle class.
In Marxist terms, it refers to the bourgeois class that owns the most important means of production in capitalist society and is therefore the ruling class.
Life and Career in Switzerland
I come from a simple family. My father worked at the newspaper "Vaterland." I was a good student, so I was able to attend grammar school and earned my high school diploma at Alpenquai. I also diligently played the piano, which even led to us having to move once. "Piano or apartment," the landlord said, and my parents, for my sake, chose the piano and the move. At the university, I enrolled in German Studies, Musicology, and Spanish. I financed my studies by giving piano lessons and working as a proofreader at the "Vaterland" newspaper. Over time, I faced the question of languages or music, as I was also a student at the conservatory. I decided on languages and wrote my doctoral dissertation in linguistics. I found a job as a German teacher at the Zug grammar school and have never regretted becoming a teacher. I think working with young people keeps you young! After a few years, I also received a teaching assignment for German subject didactics at the University of Zurich; so I worked in the training of new teachers and am very happy to see how much good potential there is in young people today. That's why the future doesn't scare me!
Knut, the Association, and the Homeland
We became aware of the association in 1984 through a newspaper article. It was about Storbeck and Heinz Stirnemann, whom my father thought he knew: "I played with him as a child during visits to Storbeck," he said. So we sent an inquiry to the association and were accepted as members in 1984. Subsequently, I was in contact with Professor Joseph Stirnimann and traveled with him to the archives in Suhr, where we searched for family data in old documents. At the time, I was amazed by the incredible expertise the professor possessed in reading these old writings.
From my grandfather, I inherited a document through my father that was very important during the Nazi era when it came to proving one's ancestry. This book contains the names of all the Swiss emigrants who emigrated to Storbeck in Brandenburg in 1690.
Using this register, I reconstructed my family tree and, together with the professor in Suhr, was able to determine the probable father and grandfather of the emigrant Rudolf Stirnemann. Incidentally, the first five generations of Swiss who emigrated to Storbeck only married Swiss women; only my great-grandfather broke this tradition.
Excerpt from the Storbeck Village Family Register, 1939
Conclusion
Was leaving East Germany, leaving everything behind, worth it? the author asks Knut. "Yes," he says with a confident voice. "It was the only right step. My father was able to find professional freedom, but the change of location wasn't easy for my mother. Of course, my parents still felt homesick. But I have found my home here. My grandfather was always proud to be Swiss. Unfortunately, he didn't live to see his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson emigrate there and find their new home. He would have been happy."
Written in the first person by Moritz Stirnimann
See also newsletters 10 and 11.
Pictures looking for a new home
Ursula Meyer-Stirnimann, String Art Artist
Ursula Meyer-Stirnimann: Yarns and Work
How it all began
Ursula Stirnimann, originally from Sempach, was born with her twin sister on March 17, 1959, in Zurich. From birth, Ursula Stirnimann faced a physical disability that would influence her entire life. But thanks to her parents and the care of her whole family, she settled well into life.
A pivotal moment in her later life came at the age of 17 when she met a textile artist who created her pictures from yarn threads. The material, the technique, and the resulting visual effects fascinated the young Ursula, so she began to experiment with yarns herself. It wasn't long before the first picture was created, aptly titled: "The Experiment."
However, since her health remained very fragile, a banking apprenticeship seemed like a good opportunity for her to enter the workforce, given her disability. But over the course of three years, during which she persistently continued to work on the technique of her unique picture creation in her free time, it became increasingly clear to the young Ursula that the world of banking and the work involved were not for her. Her pictures had become her means of communication with the outside world. To her parents' dismay, she therefore announced one day that she had already quit her job to dedicate herself entirely to art, and to do so independently!
"Art is my world"
Three things defined her life as a young adult in those first years: textile art with threads, dancing, and, last but not least, the often arduous part-time jobs; Because money for living expenses, and of course also for purchasing materials for her paintings, had to be earned. The first years of artistic independence were often hard and difficult. But Ursula persevered, continuing to work on her art, even pushing herself to the limits of her existence. It was probably during these very years that she grew and matured internally.
“You know,” she says, “when you're convinced you're doing the right thing, then you'll be taken care of. Art should be visionary. My paintings build bridges between people.” These are Ursula's statements about her work. During this time, she lived in Weggis, in a small and very modest apartment. To make a living, she continued to do odd jobs and remained optimistic: “Art is my world, and I'll be taken care of!” was her motto. She has a deep faith in the spiritual world.
Two Artistic Souls
Driven by this faith, in 1990 she followed an “intuition” to travel to distant India. There she met her future husband, who described himself as a “writing artist.” Uwe Meyer lived in Berlin at the time and, with his business experience, had many contacts in all sorts of fields. “If you want, I'll organize an exhibition for you in Berlin,” was his offer, which Ursula, of course, enthusiastically accepted.
The exhibition in Berlin proved to be a resounding success. Ursula and Uwe lived and worked as an artistic couple in Weggis. Ursula created paintings, Uwe took care of the administrative matters and, in his spare time, wrote the life story of “a young woman who, thanks to her painful experiences in childhood and adolescence, had been led into the world of art.” They married in San Francisco in 1996. A year later, they moved to Germany, to the tranquil town of Celle.
Marketplace in Celle
Germany proved to be very supportive of their artistic endeavors. The exhibitions were now held under the slogan "StringART by Ursula Stirnimann." Uwe organized, made contacts, and wrote aphorisms and short stories, which found their place among the pictures in the exhibitions and enriched them.
From the galleries…
Tired of countless exhibitions, Ursula and Uwe realized that the pictures were often not understood on the commercial art scene and did not generate the desired response. They asked themselves whether there wasn't another place besides galleries to publicly display the pictures. A gallery owner and art critic expressed the opinion that the works were "rather sacred works of art." This gave added impetus to the question and the search for other possibilities.
After a parish priest had seen the StringART pictures and was moved by their effect, an exhibition was arranged in Celle's main church, St. Mary's Church. A large audience came, and the positive response led to the realization that they had finally found the right format for exhibitions!
St. Mary's Church with the old town in Celle
… into the churches and cathedrals
From then on, the exhibitions were held exclusively in special churches and cathedrals in various cities, such as Schwerin Cathedral, Magdeburg Cathedral, Herder Church in Weimar, or St. Peter's Church in Copenhagen/Denmark. Ursula's works and their themes: humanity, environment, visions, and religion, truly shine in these sacred buildings. In the churches, one meets people, and conversations develop between the artist and exhibition visitors. "It was wonderful!" Recognition and success provide the courage to continue. "My parents supported me every step of the way," she explains. "I had wonderful parents, and today I can say that even my physical disability had something good about it: it led me to art, where I was able to develop my own, very personal visual language and thus share it with the world."
Uwe and Ursula Meyer-Stirnimann
Everything comes to an end
Today, Ursula and Uwe Meyer are thinking about growing old. "I want to let go of the old so that I can make room for the new. The new is what old age gives us. We want to be open to that. I have no children, so my art is my legacy, its themes and its beauty the message for posterity. That's why we are looking for a new home for the paintings. One should take care of things while one still can." So the two began to look for a solution for the paintings that would extend beyond their lifetimes.
Ursula loves her Switzerland, and it is noticeable how actively her husband participates in Swiss affairs. Whenever possible, they are in Kloten, visiting the 94-year-old mother and brother. In January 2026, they plan to take another trip of several months to their longed-for country, India.
Note: StringART is created by arranging threads of yarn, which are individually fixed to a wooden base using an adhesive layer. This technique is said to have originated in distant China, where miniatures were and still are made using silk threads. But the Huichol Indians in the USA also create pictures using relatively thick cotton threads.
See also: www.stirnimann.de
Text: Moritz Stirnimann, Uwe Meyer, Celle
Ease of Being, 1994 (60 x 80 cm)
Path of Knowledge, 1991 (160 x 160 cm)
Tree of Love and Wisdom
Ian’s Dancer
Autumn Meeting at Agrivision Burgrain,
Alberswil
As the board of an association that, by its very nature, looks back to the past, we are constantly faced with the task of upholding and revitalizing our statutes. The association brings together family branches, as stated in the bylaws, and this can only be achieved by inviting members to small gatherings. Therefore, the board invited members to a meeting at the Burgrain adventure farm on September 20th of last year.
Why Burgrain?
I explained the idea behind this in a short presentation on the topic: The Stirnimann/Stirnemann families and agriculture. It is generally accepted that before industrialization* in the late 18th century, 85% of the population in Switzerland was employed in agriculture and related trades. The "Agrovision" agricultural center is the perfect place to illustrate this: a place of learning and a museum, and for us, an ideal location to meet. About two dozen association members did just that. A small family gathering ensued. Over coffee and cake, the atmosphere became lively, and conversations flowed. Happy faces, strangers meeting each other, getting to know one another.
The somewhat brief visit to the museum offered an opportunity to immerse ourselves in times gone by and reflect on shared life experiences. Standing in front of a picture from the 1930s, which showed children having to collect "forgotten" potatoes, 95-year-old Annelies remarked: "That picture takes me back to my childhood. That's exactly how it was. Because we were poor, we helped the farmers with the harvest. As payment, at the end of the day, we were allowed to collect the potatoes that hadn't been harvested." Another woman, Ruth, recognized an old tractor by its name and model: "We had one like that," she said.
Farmers recognize every piece of equipment, even if it was in use long before their time. My cousin Beat also recognized many things that, in his childhood, were still lying around the farm as old junk: "And today, it's impressively displayed in this museum." Younger people ask, "Do you know how many varieties of apples there are?" Over 200, and we can only buy about four varieties. Scenes from a bygone era, here recreated with great respect for the arduous work of many people.
Back in the cozy room: Tarte flambée is served as a snack, accompanied by beer or cider, and the children enjoy soft drinks in large gulps. Time flies, it's already half past five, and I say goodbye to wonderful guests. A thoroughly joyful event that deserves to be included in the annual program in the years to come.
*Originating in the Middle Ages, feudal society was divided into three estates:
Both branches of the family (the Stirnemann family in the canton of Aargau and the Stirnimann family in the canton of Lucerne) belonged to this third estate. I would like to mention here that capable members of both families were also entrusted with administrative tasks.
Author: Moritz Stirnimann, Lucerne
Where our name comes from: The Stirnrüti, Horw, through the ages
Aerial view of Horw in 1955. The Stirnrüti area is in the upper left corner of the image, with two buildings in front of the forest.
Horw 2024. The Stirnüti area is located on the left edge of the image, built up and surrounded by forest in a horseshoe shape.
Imprint
Publisher: Association of the Stirnimann/Stirnemann Families, Ruswil
Contact: Moritz Stirnimann, Lindenhausstrasse 4, 6005 Lucerne
Email: verband.stirnimann.stirnemann@gmail.com
Membership fee: Unchanged for 2026, minimum CHF 15.00.
Donations are very welcome. (see separate payment slip)
Circulation: 140 copies www.stirnimann-stirnemann.ch