Dave's ancestors John Frederick vonHoltzendorff and
William Frederick vonHoltzendorff immigrated from Salzburg, Austria through
Savannah to Ebenezer in the early days of the Colony of Georgia.
GEORGIA SALZBURGER MONUMENT AND PARK DEDICATED.
In 1984 Albert Winter, from Salzburg, Austria, visited Savannah and Ebenezer
for the 250th Anniversary Celebration of the Landing on October 12, 1734. He observed, "You have monuments to Englishmen and an Indian, but none to Austrians or Germans." Upon returning
to Salzburg, he lobbied officials of the Austrian State of Salzburg and other individuals
for a monument to the Georgia Salzburgers. Finally, Dr. Hans Katschthaler, Governor of Salzburg,
commissioned Anton Thuswaldner, Kaprun, Austria, to sculpture a monument,
which was brought to Savannah and dedicated on Labor Day 1994 in a park
on Bay Street near he Lincoln street ramp as a Monument
of Reconciliation. John W. Gnann, chairman of the monument committee of
The Georgia Salzburger Society, worked with Savannah officials for the
delivery and location of the monument.
On July 9, 1996, through continued efforts of John W. Gnann and the monument
committee, the City of Savannah dedicated the small parcel of ground,
in which the monument rests, naming it, officially, Salzburger Park. The
monument committee commissioned a Historical Marker to explain the Salzburger emigration.
The nearby Salzburger Monument of Reconciliation was dedicated to The
Georgia Salzburger Society and given to the City of Savannah in 1994 by
the State of Salzburg Austria, in memory of the Lutheran Protestants of
Salzburg who were denied religious freedom and expelled from their homeland.
The first thirty seven Salzburgers to came to Georgia landed at this site
on March 12, 1734. They were welcomed by James Edward Oglethorpe,
founder of the Georgia Colony, and given temporary shelter before moving
to their new home, Ebenezer, in what is now Effingham County. Additional
Colonists from Salzburg and other Germanic people continued to settle
at Ebenezer until 1752.
Salzburger Monument of Reconciliation in Salzburger Park.
This information was provided
by Rev. Frank L. Perry, Jr., EdD. and The
Georgia Salzburger Society
The Legend of the Waving Girl
Her pretty red hair blowing in the wind, a white apron waving briskly
in her hand, Florence Martus, known the world over as "The Waving Girl,"
stood socially greeting the passing ships and river tugs. The story
of her lost love has grown into a legend. It is told of how, when
she was a very young girl,the love of her life, a young sailor lad, went
off to sea. She promised to be faithful and wait patiently
for his return. Young Florence waited for the return of his warm smiling
face and the comforting embrace of his arms. She greeted every ship
that passed her way. The white apron she waved by day and a lantern
she waved by night. For fifty years she kept her vigilant watch
by the lighthouse. Her faithful watch ended in 1931, and she passed
away twelve years later. The love of her youth, she never saw again.
In remembrance to the spirit of "The Waving Girl", a statue was commissioned
and sculptured by Felix De Weldon in 1971. The statue now stands
at the East end of River Street.
Forsyth Park
Rae is showing off her new cast.
Her arm got caught in the electric sliding door of our ChevyVenture van
and it broke. So instead of touring Savannah, Rae and Bruce spent
the day in the emergency room and then joined us at Forsyth Park.
Here in the Children's Park, the Holtzendorff's got together.
L to R: Diana, Courtney, Lee, Shelly, Dave, Debbie, Rae and Bruce
L-R: Lee, Courtney, Philip, Tommy, Debbie, Dave and
Shelly
River Street
We had a great dinner for 17 people at Tubby's Tank
House. L-R: Chuck, Shelly, Diana, Dave, Jarrod, Debbie, Ben,
Tommy, Philip, Marika, Alex, Courtney,
Bruce, Rae, Debbie, Lee and Michael
Return to Top
Web Hosting and Design by
Deborah Holtzendorff
©Copyright 2000