Real (love)

"He is my first love" said Renate, a 70 years old German Lady try to recall her memory concerning a North Korean man, who left her since 1961, at the beginning of the Cold War between the US and the East Block.
"He should be my last love in my life too"
Until now, she never married again , tried hard and fought to survive and raise her two kids alone, and never gave up to hope, pray, and search information about the existence of the father of her two kids.
She hold very carefully a piece of dry lotus leaf, which she kept for decades. It was the last memento sent by her North Korean husband, Hong Ok-Geun, who left her for almost 46 years, since her husband took leave and said "Aufwiedersehen" to her in a small railway station in the former East Germany.
She had a hope and chance as well to meet again with her first lover, when she got news from the German Red Cross in the beginning of 2007, informed her, that Hong, her husband, still alive, and now alreaday married again, have two kids, and live in Hamhung, North Korea.
In fact, although Hong is still alive, it's not as easy as snapping your fingers to meet and see him in North Korea.
To pursue her dream, Renate flew with her kids to Seoul , South Korea, in August 2007. She handed in a petition to the President of South Korea to get support in her never ending effort to reunite with her husband, with a hope that her case could be discussed in the Summit between President Roh Mou-hyun and President Kim Yong-ilin October 2007.

"I know, that I do not have a future with him because he already had a family in North Korea, I just want to bring together my kids with their father, and recall our memories in our life so far "

Renate Klein and Hong Ok-geun met for the first time in1955 when they were sophomores in Friedrich Schiller Universitat, Jena, East Germany. Hong, one of North Korean student, at that time, sent by the government of North Korea to study in East Germany, based on a scholarship program in 1952. They, then married in February 1960.
Their first son, Peter, was born in June 1960. When Renate was pregnant with their second kid, Hong was drew back by the Government of North Korea along with 350 students from his home country. Renate thought, that it was just for temporarily.

For a bout 2 years since then, Hong still send letters, one of them contains a piece of lotus leaf. In 1963 she never got letters anymore. Suddenly after a long waiting, in the begining of 2007 she got message from German Red Cross, that Hong is still alive in North Korea with his new family.

Renate believe that Hong would meet her and his kids if he has an opportunity. But she is fully aware, that the reunion ( if it could happen ) is not the end of their love story.
She said strongly " We just would talk about our past memories, because we do not have our future anymore" !
I hope you and your kids could get what is best for you Renate, you are a tough and strong lady, may God bles you all. Wiedersehen !

I wish I could have a lady like her beside me, to share all good things in the rest of my life.
tom_boulder_co84@yahoo.com