European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Nutcrackers stand in formation on a Sheh in a Tenter Ulbricht s toy factory. Carving out tradition St oriols by Effie Bathen in Jenberg Bureau ,. In mugged of West Germany where win hides behind the Hills along the Wiesel Valley smoke irom of half timbre houses drills straight up this Lime of year a Blanket of Snow sometimes covers the Hills and lha smoke becomes Par of inc Misthal hides Iho sky. There in a converted Gas station in Mugge Dorl is who a to maker Gunter us Batchl and his family carve nutcrackers and Little wooden men that smoke. Ulbricht s family used to have a Loy making la Clory in the erzgebirge a Hilly mining Region in East Germany son in Law seigfried Seftner says. But the communist. Government took oof the la Clory and Ulbricht figured it was Lime to head West the workers in Ulbricht 5 present Day shop Are his wife daughter Seliger s Wile and Seliger. They also have two hired grandma comas but. Mostly she lakes care of my son who is 1 i years old Holtger says. When Ulbrich fled the East 15 years ago he first went o the Wesl German Sla Leol Hessen Bui Ihen settled in Mug Gendorf in Bavaria after a couple of years because it reminded Shimol his Home in the erzgebirge. The narrow Valley of the Wisent River with ils tolling Hills was a belief site to carry on the erg Birga tradition of woodcarving Seliger says the Ulbricht a Call themselves Loy makers. Seliger opens a cupboard and puffs but six trite wooden men. They come apart in the Middle arid incense car by burned in their bellies. They look like toys they Are smokers or incense burners. My Lal Herin Law designed the first Model in 1983," he says it s a Loy peddle like those who walked through fhe visages of the erzgebirge their wares the wooden figure stands about a hand High and carries a close Lull of Loys on his Back the i Cable sized toys look As if they would tall Oil with lha slightest till Bull hey Are held on Wilh invisible glue Gisela to is sitting across the Pablo Pul Ling beards on toy soldiers. They stand not much More than a thumbnail High. She makes the toys for the lays. The Erz Gertoge is in the Southern part of East Germany bordering Czechoslovakia. At the time o Columbus the Sand was Rich in Silver and Gem mines but the mines Long ago Wen dry. The ii Brichs Tell More about Thorda a editions in the woodcut figures of their sett Watt Orjen a lighted wooden Arch that German families Liko to Sel in their windows at christmastime. The Ulbricht la Clory is Small. Tho former Gas. Station is now a Small shop fined Vilh Woodsn Folk costumed figures a painting room that smells of glue a storage area and a workshop. A loud grinding noise comes from the workshop where the service station s old garage used to be. Standing at an electric lathe Hunter Ulbricht is. Making tiny Christmas Trees Oul of Linden Wood and air. Hier Ein he says Asho lakes one off. Ulbricht Only Sells his toys in the family s shop and Al a few american bazaars Betiger says. Although halt of Hia work is sold to americans we Maka them for the germans not the americans especially. Well make 150 smokers this s the right number Lor a year s smoker is called the Puppen doktor the doll doctor. It resembles the toy peddle but carries doll sized dolls and Liny Teddy bears instead. Be fief go the idea from buying. Old dolls and bears Al Lea markets. V. But As sales pile up Seeger fears that his family might not be Able to keep up production order. Models might have to be discontinued. La s too much Worth to keep All those Little pieces to says "11 would mean one or iwo thousand Teddy Bear ears muggy Dorl is in the frs Kische Schwerz Region 40. Minifie drive North of Nurnberg. The shop is on Vedera Highway 470 a Lew Miles Easi of the Steilberg the family megs 150 income burning dolls t year like this Puppen Zolitor dolt doctors photos 1 a sch Labogen or lighted wooden Arch. Gontar Ulbricht Ted East Germany 15 years ago when few government took Over his factory. Page 14 the stars and Stripe monday de
