My visit to Wetzlar and Solms - July 2012

[Richardgb]

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No coincidence that the subject is similar to Ophyls' post on 27/04/12 ( http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/236170-my-visit-wetzlar-solms.html ), as I found this - and the subsequent thread - very useful when having to go to Solms to collect my repaired M9 in early July. However, my visit was done by public transport, and I also tracked down some of the graves mentioned in the original thread.

 

Getting there and getting around

It is straightforward to get to Wetzlar from Frankfurt by train, both the city (direct service) and the airport. The latter involves one change, from the S-Bahn to the 'main lines' upstairs in the city's main station. Train times are on www.bahn.de. My journey took 90 minutes from the airport, including the change. A single ticket 13.50 Euro (slightly cheaper than the fare shown on the Bahn site).

 

Wetzlar to Solms and back by train costs 4.90 Euro for a Day Ticket. Trains are hourly in each direction - times from www.bahn.de. The train journey (8 minutes) is quicker than the bus (about 25 minutes).

 

Around Solms

Print a map from from Google or similar before going to Solms. This map will be rather more detailed than the maps on the Leica website, although the latter are useful for quickly locating the Customer Service centre in Solmser Gewerbepark as well as the factory.

 

It is feasible to walk from the station to both Leica customer Service and to the factory; allow 20 minutes from the station to Customer Service, a little longer to the factory. Walking between the Customer Service Centre and the factory takes about 30 minutes.

 

Graves in Wetzlar (see photos).

 

 

 

I managed to find the Leitz plot and Oscar Barnack's grave in the Frankfurter Strasse [Alter] Friedhof. The latter is just shown on the lower-right side on the Wetzlar tourist map, and about 20 minutes' walk from the old part of Wetzlar. Enter from Bergstraße, the road running up the left side of the cemetery map.

• The Leitz plot is in section 3, facing section 21, where it adjoins section 4.
  
• Barnack's grave is at the other end of the cemetery, in section J, where it faces section K.
  

Unfortunately, in the fading light, I did not manage to find Berek's grave which I understand (see Roydonian's post in Ophyls' thread) is in the same cemetery.

 

 

 

Someone is bound to ask about the photo technical details... All were taken on the M9 with 28/2 Summicron-M at ISO1250.

• Cemetery plan 1/125s @ f/4.8
  
• Leitz plot 1/90s @ f/9.5
  
• Barnack's grave 1/90s @ f/4.8
  

In Lightroom, sharpening was increased to '50', and in Noise Reduction, Luminance set to 50.

 

Other sights in Wetzlar

Apart from those mentioned in Ophyls' post and thread, the Stadt- und Industriemuseum in Lottestraße 8 (3 Euro admission) clearly has material of interest to this Forum's users. At the time of my visit, this included the exhibition of photos '40 Jahre Fotographie mit der Leica Messersucherkamera' ('40 years of photography with the Leica [M] rangefinder camera'). A slight oddity in the Museum is the 'Viseum' section, with some interesting hands-on displays of optical interest, but although the part of the same building admission needs a separate ticket...

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[wda]

A very helpful reference, particularly for those without their own transport. Thank you.

[ophyls]

Hey Richard

Thanks for this thread...am glad that you managed to find Barnack's and Leitz' graves in Wetzlar; I obviously hadn't researched it well enough prior to my trip. I guess I'll just have to make another trip there one day....

[roydonian]

Thanks for posting those pics, and the diagram of the graveyard.

 

After visiting Barnack’s grave, you walk down the path between J and K, and then make a right-hand turn when you reach L, you will pass the Hensoldt grave in K on your right. I presume that is linked to the family that founded the Hensoldt optical works in Wetzlar.

 

Then walk along the path that divides F from L, then E from M. If my memory is correct, Berek’s grave is on the right in section E, just before the junction with the curved path between N and M. When I was last there in 2010, it was very overgrown. It is quite a small plot, and the stone is made from dark marble with a polished surface.

 

Best regards,

 

Doug

[Richardgb]

Hey Richard

Thanks for this thread...am glad that you managed to find Barnack's and Leitz' graves in Wetzlar; I obviously hadn't researched it well enough prior to my trip. I guess I'll just have to make another trip there one day....

 

Thanks, but no 'research', only footwork after reading the comments in your thread.