Dieter and Jo's second son was born on July 21, 1949 and was named Thomas Manfred Baumgartner. Jo began to think of him as 'Freddy' right away. It reminded her of someone with a very similar-sounding name whom she'd known a long time ago.
The difference between the two boys' personalities was obvious right away. Whereas Paul was a placid child, quiet by nature and content to spend hours playing with his toys by himself, Freddy was a live wire, easily bored, adventurous, and given to protesting loudly when things didn't go his way.
One day in October of the following year, when Freddy was fifteen months old and Paul was not quite four, Dieter had a surprise for his wife.
"We're going to America," he announced as Jo was burping Freddy. "My friend, Lemuel Jackson, tells me his congregation is joining together with many others to work for social action, and I promised him I'd lend a hand. I'd love to see the United States again anyway, and this is the perfect opportunity."
Jo felt as if she'd just been doused with a pitcher of cold water. What would it be like to be back there again after all this time, and in a different era? Would she recognize anyone, or anything?
"What city?" she asked.
"Lemuel's congregation is in Manhattan, but the gathering is in Cleveland, Ohio. We'll be meeting Lemuel in New York and traveling to Ohio by train. I'm going to book passage on the ship for the first week of next month."
For the next couple of weeks, Jo was busy packing for the trip and visiting friends and family members to bid them farewell.
At the time, she had no idea she'd never see any of them again.
On the appointed day, they set out early in the morning, taking a train to Hamburg, then a taxi to the dock. Jo could feel her heart pounding with excitement as she boarded the gangplank with her family. Dieter carried their luggage, while Jo pushed Freddy in his stroller and Paul trotted along beside them.
"Wow!" Jo breathed when she stepped into the huge foyer and looked around. There were three levels, and the top two both had two circular balconies. A stairway with handrails was on one side, and on the other was a space containing several brown chairs. A large plant dominated the center of the ground floor.
Swarms of people milled all around, with uniformed crew members of both genders bustling about on their various duties. A young blonde asked for their names.
"Dieter Baumgartner and family," Dieter told her. She quickly consulted the list she was holding.
"Ah, yes. There you are." She smiled and handed Dieter a key ring. "You're on level three, cabin thirty-four."
"Thank you," said Dieter.
They climbed the several staircases and walked down the hall to their cabin. It turned out to be immaculate and spacious. There was a double bed against each wall, and on the outer wall were two small windows with curtains. In between the two beds was a table and chair.
Paul scampered to the bed beside the outer wall and climbed up onto it to look out the window.
"Look at all those little people down there!" he cried.
Jo took Freddy out of his stroller so he could toddle around. She kept an eye on both boys while Dieter put their luggage away. They finished a half hour or so before lunchtime.
"Let's go to the deck," Dieter suggested. "I'd like to work on my golf swing, and the little ones can splash around in the wading pool."
For lunch there were sandwiches and fruit from the buffet, and after lunch, they watched the movie 'Treasure Island' with Bobby Driscoll, Denis O'Dea, and Walter Fitzgerald. They all enjoyed the movie very much, and later, they spent some time relaxing in their cabin before bedtime. As she lay in her husband's arms between the fresh, clean sheets, the quiet stillness of the night lulled Jo into a gentle sleep.
Jo enjoyed life on the passenger ship so much she almost dreaded reaching their destination, but after eleven days, they sailed into New York Harbor, and Jo got her first taste of 1950-era New York City.
What she saw made her eyes bug out. Tall buildings with American flags hanging from windows, old-fashioned cars built like army tanks with their tiny windows in the back, men in dress slacks and shirts and women in dresses with crinoline skirts dashing to and fro. Beside her, she heard Dieter chuckle.
"Quite a change from home, isn't it?"
"I'll say!"
Lemuel Jackson's church was called Praise Fellowship Baptist Church, and it was on 59th Street. Lemuel was in his study when the Baumgartners arrived. The receptionist greeted them and told them to have a seat in the lobby.
About twenty minutes later, Lemuel emerged. He was an African-American man who looked to be about Dieter's age. He wore navy blue pants with a white shirt under a red sweater with black dress shoes. He grinned when he saw his visitors.
"Dieter, my man! Good to see you again! I heard those Nazis just about did you in."
Dieter smiled.
"They tried, but God delivered me. I'd like you to meet my lovely wife Martina and our sons, Paul and Thomas."
Jo shook the hand Lemuel offered her.
"It's very nice to meet you, sir."
"Nice to meet you, too! You got yourself a fine lookin' young lady here, Dieter!"
Jo felt her face burning.
"I'm not sure exactly what I did to deserve her, but I thank God every day," Dieter replied.
A warmth flowed through Jo's body as she once again realized how much Dieter truly loved her.