Childhood memories part one (by Esther Bartmann)

Doro—my oldest friend—chose to stay in the area where we both grew up. A wine region with rolling hills and the Rhine river always around the corner. So, when I asked her to share a place that holds a special spot in her heart, something you wouldn’t find on a tourist map, her answer was this:

the Friedenskreuz (peace cross) on the Ockenheimer Hörnchen.

This picturesque hill overlooks the Rhine Valley in Rheinland-Pfalz, and its simple cross stands as a memorial to the victims of World War II.

You’ll find these crosses scattered across Germany, each one a gentle reminder to pause, reflect, and never take peace for granted. For Doro, though, the Friedenskreuz is more than a symbol—it’s a place woven into the fabric of her life. As a teenager, she’d gather there with her role-playing friends, plotting their next Dungeons & Dragons adventures under the stars (yes, very Stranger Things) with a few alcopops to help with creativity. Years later, it became the spot where her husband proposed. Now, it’s where she meets lifelong friends for walks through the vineyards, especially in autumn, when the air is crisp, the hills turn red and the local wineries offer tastings of the season’s new wine.

The views from the hill are nothing short of spectacular. And just a stone’s throw away lies Kloster Jakobsberg, a priory and pilgrimage church known for its wellbeing courses and spiritual retreats. (Full disclosure: I’ve never been, but I’ve heard it’s a beloved local escape if you are into that kind of thing.)

Some places aren’t about grand historic events or dramatic postcard scenes. They’re about the quiet moments, the shared stories, and the memories that anchor us. For Doro, the Friedenskreuz is one of those places—and maybe, it will make it onto your list too.