Mosel Tour

The Rhine River tour boat slid into its birth in the Koblenz Hafen where the tourists arriving from Frankfurt debarked. One couple in particular had been touring Europe for several weeks travelling from Denmark to Bavaria and back enjoying the experiences of Germany. This leg of the journey would take them through the wine country along the Rhine River and up the Mosel River to Trier.

The cruise down the Rhine was spectacular through the towering hills tiered with vineyards and capped with classic castles and ancient ruins. The riverboat wound around the Lorelie where the current strengthens and swirls against the rocks as it swept downstream past river barges carrying goods up the river and past the many towns on either shore.

The year was 1978 and the Berlin Wall divided Germany but life in Western Germany was good and the country prospered. The threat of invasion from the Soviet bloc was always present but people carried on as only people who have recently rebuilt their country could. Koblenz itself was virtually a new city having been largely obliterated in the war only twenty thirty or so years ago.

Our couple, Jim and Jenny, made their way from the boat to the rental office to pickup their car for a leisurely drive along the Mosel to Trier and then back to Koblenz and a train to Amsterdam. The car rental was completed and they were shown to a sleek Opel sedan that would be their magic carpet to a wine tasting experience throughout the famous Mosel region. Jenny and Jim had lugged their bags off the boat and were tired of pulling them around so they just loaded them in the backseat. Their plan was to travel out of Koblenz on route 49 along the bank of the river and to find accommodation for the night in Cochem, a town about 30 kilometres up the river. They would look for a bed and breakfast or a hotel as they had done during their whole European honeymoon trip.

Once outside Koblenz they came to Lay where a sign advertised a wine cellar and tasting just off the main road. Jim turned into the yard anticipating a fine Mosel qualitatswein. They entered into the darkened cellar and were offered a sample glass of several local vintages. There was one in particular that felt good on their palates so they purchased several bottles and went out into the sunlight to their car. A dark Mercedes had pulled along side and several men inside watched as they drove out of the yard. One spoke quickly into a radio saying “ya, ya, es gutt, It looks like the car”. They pulled out and followed the Opel toward Cochem.

The Mosel winds it way back and forth and presents beautiful vistas through the hills on either side. The countryside is green and lush with vegetation and vineyards. The road doesn’t permit travelling fast although the traffic was light and a few farm vehicles and tractors provided a slight obstruction. The black Mercedes keep a long distance behind and was not noticed by the vacationers

Villages passed by in leisurely succession and the late afternoon sun slowly retreated toward the hills ahead. Jenny said that she would be happy when they found a place for the night. Cochem was not far and when they arrived they looked for a tourist office. A pretty young woman in a traditional costume was in the office and she spoke English so it was not difficult to locate a bed and breakfast in the town near the river. Towering over the town was the Reichsburg castle that had become a hotel and restaurant.

They signed the register and carried their bags in for the night. Jim opened a bottle of wine to assist the relaxing and Jenny found some cheese she had picked up for a snack. Supper that evening was taken in an old restaurant on the main street and in typical German tradition was spicy and delicious. Jim tried one of the many choices of beer available at the bar and followed it with schnapps. Two dark suited men had also entered the restaurant and ordered beer and food but they kept an eye on the English speaking couple. Jim noticed their attention and mentioned it quietly to Jenny but they took no further notice of them.

The next morning they packed their bags and agreed they would drive as far Zell to see the Black Cat. Jim decided to load the bags in the trunk and when he opened it found a package wrapped in paper and addressed as if for mailing. There were no postage stamps on it but there was a name and address for someone in Trier.

“I wonder how that got in there”, said Jenny, “do you suppose someone who had this car before left it there?”

“Could be”, replied Jim, “maybe we can deliver it when we get to Trier. We might meet someone interesting.”

Jenny agreed and they put their bags in beside the package, closed the boot and drove on up the highway. They found the intersection with route 53 and swung off 49 to follow the river west. The views became more and more spectacular as the hills closed in closer to the river and eventually towered above them on both

sides of the river. The river itself twists its way between the banks sometimes almost winding back upon itself. The hills are terraced all the way to the top to provide growing room for the vines. Signs along the road proclaimed wine cellars where vintners offered their product to the passing motorists.

Jim and Jenny made their way past Bremm where the river made a tight turn to reverse its direction and then flowed from the south to Alf where they joined highway 53 to follow it the rest of the way to Trier. The hills were very steep along this section and the river made another turn and began to flow from the north where they crossed the river. The many little towns they encountered were old and full of the original architecture that can only be found in European towns and villages. They would often stop and admire the view whether it was of a building or a panorama of the river.

The black Mercedes was on the same road about a kilometre behind but the occupants were not looking at the scenery. When Jim and Jenny stopped it stopped and the passenger pretended to take pictures and be interested in the sights. However, the driver became frustrated with the pace of the trip. Periodically he reported by radio to some distant controller and was restrained from taking a more aggressive action.

Jim crossed the river at Alf and turned onto the Hauptstrasse that took them to Zell where he parked the car. After a short walk Jim and Jenny came to a window full of miniature chocolate castles and figures of children, dogs and cats playing on a summery background. A menu in the window hinted at the culinary delights inside. They went in and between the time they ordered the food and receiving the first glass of wine they were approached by a tall fair haired man who said in English “Hi’ yall, I heard you speaking a fractured German with the waiter and figured you come from my side of the pond. Mind if I join you, I need to speak English a bit.” Jenny looked at Jim and they both nodded for him to sit down and they joined in small talk discussing home towns, how long had they been here and so on. The wine arrived and they raised a toast to Germany and home. It turned out his name was Steve from the great state of Texas and if there was anything he would do for them just to let him know. He seemed to be staying in Zell to paint and soak in the culture.

As the waiter was removing the dishes the two men from the Mercedes came into the restaurant. Jim remarked to Jenny that they looked like the men they had seen in Cochin and Steve glanced away and seemed to shudder. Shortly after he excused himself and left with many thanks and hopes that they would meet again soon. Jenny said, “Jim, doesn’t it seems strange we should see those guys two days in a row. I don’t like the look of them. Let’s get out of here.”

Zell is a pretty place that they spent a lot of time just walking through the streets, across the footbridge and feeling the atmosphere. A nearby inn advertised rooms and they found the most charming room high up in the turret of an old castle. Jim purchased a couple of bottles of Schwartz Kat, the local wine and they were ready to relax for a few hours.

After about a half hour there was a knock on the door. Jim opened it and it was Steve.

“This is a surprise, but come in, we have a great Swartz Kat Kabinet open.” Jenny poured a glass for Steve and offered him some cheese and crackers. “How did you find us here?” she asked.

“I’ve been watching you since you left Koblenz”, explained Steve, “I’m not really a painter but am with the American embassy and we like to keep an eye on what tourists are doing here. We’re not really snooping but you are of interest to us because of those goons that came into the restaurant. We don’t know what is going on but it’s not normal. I’d very much appreciate it if you would carry this little electronic beacon with you until the Mercedes goes away. We’ll try to keep a discrete eye on you but this will help if we lose track of you.”

“Are we in danger” asked Jim as he looked at Jenny with alarm. “Should we head back to Koblenz and catch the train to Amsterdam right now?”

“That would seem prudent”, answered Steve, “but it might not be the end of it for you. If those goons have a serious interest in you it might be better to sort it out now, on this road. It’s not as busy as Amsterdam and we’ll have time to assess the situation. I’d like you to carry on as normal and just do what you intended to do. It might all blow over in the next few hours.”

“Who are those men?” Jill asked,” and why are you interested in them”.

“I can’t tell you much”, said Steve, “but they are from the other side and we like to watch people from there. That’s all I can say for now. Will you do it?”

Jim thought for a while and in spite of Jenny’s hesitation agreed to take the beacon and continue the trip. After Steve had left Jenny asked him why he hadn’t mentioned the package in the trunk of the car? Jim said something about not trusting Steve any more than the men in the Mercedes. Why had he lied about his job and why hadn’t he shown them any identification? They agreed to continue the trip but be very wary and stay in places where there are people about. No walking down deserted alleys in these little towns.

They went down to the car and found it safely where they had parked it and then walked down to the rivers edge to watch the boats go by and enjoy being in this lovely little town. The wines of the Mosel are famous around the world and Zell is one of the main sources. A little further up the river is Traben-Trarbach where some of the most famous Mosel Reislings are produced. In fact the Mosel River valley is a microclimate that produces the grapes that become great wines even at this northern latitude. A combination of the soils, the way the sun is reflected from the river onto the hills and the shelter provided by the steep banks all contribute to the conditions needed. Of course, generations of skilled growers and vintners are also critical components in the result.

The next morning they had a late breakfast and decided to leave Zell. Jim went out and looked at the car but it seemed undisturbed and he didn’t see anyone else he recognized. They hadn’t encountered Steve or the Mercedes people during the previous evening. Jim gathered the bags and loaded them in the boot with the mysterious package. They started on the journey crossing the river at Briedel and moved back on highway 53 through Punderich, Burg and several other towns. Each town was charming and they all offered various wines and specialities to the passing motorists. They stopped along the way and took a few photos of the river and various sites that caught their eye. At no time did the black Mercedes come into view and they began to relax. Maybe it was all a practical joke but there was the package in the boot and they did have the beacon that Steve gave them.

The hills at Trarbach rise steeply above the river and squeeze the town against it’s banks and makes a grand sweep as it doubles back on itself. They had planned to spend one more night on the drive, to reach Trier the next day and then drive directly back to Koblenz, a trip that would take a few hours on the main roads. Trarbach was charming but after consulting the road map they decided to continue to Bernkastel for the night. Bernkastel also produces excellent Mosel Reislings and it equally famous among wine connoisseurs. Once there they found a quaint German rest house for the night. The luggage was still heavy and becoming heavier with the wine and other souvenirs they had collected. However they got it into the room and settled down as before for a taste of a local vintage.

“I wonder if Steve will show up again.” Jenny asked half in jest. “We didn’t see anything strange today. Do you still have the beacon?”

Jim said that he did and that it was operating so if anyone was tracking them they knew exactly where they were. He asked Jenny if she thought they should continue or just return to Koblenz right now. They did not know that other people were also talking about them and making plans that would seriously change their plans. In fact, plans would converge tomorrow about noon as they approached Trier.

In the morning as Jenny was showering Jim looked at the beacon and found the cover over the battery. There wasn’t an on-off switch on the thing so he decided to see what would happen if he removed the battery to stop it from sending out a signal. When Jenny came out of the shower he told her what he had done and that after breakfast he would look around for any sign of the Mercedes. They packed their bags and put them in the car and he moved the car to a parking lot more remote from the main road. Jim left Jenny in a coffee shop and walked to the edge of town where the main street became the highway. He tried to look inconspicuous and then watched the road and the streets that entered the main road. The Mercedes was parked down a side street facing the main road and it looked like three people were in it. Jim hurried back to Jenny and told her what he saw and explained that with the beacon off they appeared to be watching for them. It would appear that the beacon had made it unnecessary to keep in visual contact yesterday.

He said that they should get away as soon as possible but that they needed a plan if they were to escape. The map showed a road from Zummit away from the River that joined the A1 autobahn. It was about 20 km from Bernkastel to Zummit. He thought that if he reactivated the beacon the Mercedes would stay out of site as they made their way to Zummit and then a flight to safety. He replaced the battery and they drove out of town past the spot where the Mercedes was parked. It was still there but didn’t move.

Jim drove like a tourist along the river and when they came to Neumagen he turned onto the local road rather than cross the river on route 53. They watched their rear view mirror but the Mercedes didn’t appear. They stopped in Zummit and Jim found an open back truck with grapes and other produce pointed in the direction to Trier. He opened the boot, took out the package and the beacon and put them in the back of the truck. They turned off the river road and climbed the switch back road up the banks and away from danger below. They came to a fork that swung to the right and eventually arrived at the A1. Jim didn’t spare the car as he goosed it toward Koblenz.

The escape was successful and they reached Koblenz in time to return the Opel and catch the train to Amsterdam. They didn’t read the local papers or watch television news that night but there had been a major incident near Trier that afternoon. It seems that three men in a black Mercedes accosted a local farmer in his truck just outside Trier. They stopped him and hauled him out of the cab demanding to know where the Englishers were and why he had the beacon. The poor man had no idea but they beat him severely and threw him into the ditch. A passing motorist noticed the situation and informed the Politzie who came from both directions just as the Mercedes sped away. At the same moment the package exploded and the truck disappeared in a shower of grapes, vegetables and metal parts.

A short car chase followed until the Mercedes failed to make a turn and slammed into a wall. The three occupants were taken into custody without further trouble and the farmer was taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries.

The next day an opposition member of the Bundestag demanded that the Minister of State Security explain what had happened. The Minister explained that it appeared to be a terrorist action intended to disrupt an upcoming summit meeting and that the three men from the Mercedes were members of the East German secret police, the Stassi. It was a mission that had gone wrong and it was not unusual for spies to work in both East and West Germany.

He didn’t say that the West German police knew about the Opal and its occupants and had requested the Dutch police to monitor them discretely. They didn’t want to attract more attention to the story and the possible involvement of the Stassi. A few days later Jenny and Jim boarded a 747 at Schippol airport for the flight home. When they were airborne Jenny took Jim’s hand and said, “I wonder what really was going on. Was Steve one of them and how close were we trouble”.

Jim replied that he really had no idea about what had happened and why they were followed up the river. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we had been caught up in the cold war? I guess we’ll never know”, he said and squeezed her hand as a gesture of comfort. She closed her eyes as the 747 flew into the afternoon sun leaving the rivers and vineyards of Germany as a memory.

End

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