When Maria Schmid was born in 1920, the Spanish flu was raging in Europe.
It was pandemic times, just like now, but the situation was nowhere near as well under control.
Moorenweis / Dünzelbach - Many people died, there was a shortage of workers and harvests could not be brought in.
In Maria Schmid's first years of life there was hunger and need.
A few days ago she celebrated her 100th birthday.
Dünzelbach has always been the center of their world.
Maria Schmid grew up on a farm here, where she married and raised her four children, Josef, Maria, Franz and Genoveva.
She had previously completed her training in housekeeping and agriculture in Landsberg.
With her husband 17 years her senior, she ran a small farm in her home town.
Maria Schmid became a widow early - her husband died in 1974. It was the second death in the family within a short period of time.
Eleven months earlier, Franz, the younger of the two sons, had died in a car accident on the way to his place of work in the Bundeswehr.
He was only 20 years old.
Today Maria Schmid lives with her son Josef and his wife.
She needs care, but still looks out into the world with keen eyes, gets up every day and takes part in life.
She enjoyed the early years of her retirement to the full.
She was active among women, took part in numerous excursions, enjoyed coffee parties and celebrations.
She once traveled to Paris to visit her daughter Genoveva, who is married there.
Josef Schmid believes that these years were the best times in his mother's life.
Today, ten grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren belong to Maria Schmid's family.
There was a coffee table for the 100th birthday.
Mayor Joseph Schäffler stopped by with a gift basket, flowers and congratulations from the community.
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