European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amps photos by Jim  tihiibs>te1 Namand Gellhause picture perfect towns of the Brothers Grimm and red Beard by Randy Pruitt staff writer Quot once upon a time on the Edge of a great Forest there lived a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children. So goes the first sentence in the fairy tale Hansel and Cretel. The magical Story credited to the Brothers Grimm Jakob and Wilhelm features two children a brother and sister who Are abandoned in the Forest. Lost and hungry they discover a House made of Gingerbread where a wicked Witch lives. She fancies eating them both but Gretel tricks her into the oven first and the siblings escape to the waiting arms of their father. Are there really enchanted forests with houses of Gingerbread one quickly wonders while driving from Hanau where the Grimm Brothers were born in 1785 and 1786, to Steinau where they grew up. Two picture perfect villages Worth visiting a Steinau and Gellhausen a sit on the fringes of the Spessars Germany s largest deciduous Forest. The Short journey offers a relaxing one Day getaway for anyone craving Elbow room and Relief from White knuckle autobahn driving. About 20 Miles Northeast of Hanau sits Steinau a Quot the wonderland of my child dreams Quot said Painter Ludwig Emil Grimm brother of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. Who would Ever think that scholars would take fairy tales seriously and debate How much inspiration the town and its heavily wooded surroundings played in the stories the Brothers collected even if Rapunzel a Grimm Brothers creation did t live Here it s a Good place to let your imagination run wild. Founded in the 13th Century Steinau sat on the Frankfurt Leipzig Trade route. In 1290, King Rudolf von continued on Page 10 a Tower a half timbered House and a couple of Stone buildings on the Edge of Steinau Rise from the surrounding farm october 31, 1991 stripes Magazine 9