The following photographs were received from Matthais Schlarb and are shown here with his permission.

This foto was taken 1944, when Johann and Maria Schlarb (my grandparents) fled from Yugoslavia to Austria. Johann was a son from Adam Schlarb (Adam died 1945 in Austria). Johann and his siblings were the founders of Schlarbhofen.

Matthias Schlarb

Hi Roger!

At last! I found it! The foto with the six founders of Schlarbhofen! They are the sons of Adam Schlarb, born 1856 in Neusiwatz (or: Siwatz). From the left to the right: Johann (my grandfather, with my uncle Heinrich, at this time two years old), Adam, Karl, Franz, Peter, Jakob. Their father Adam had nine sons and four daughters. Two of the sons died early, and one of the sons, Heinrich, (the second foto, taken 1918 in Italy, in uniform of the first world war) died 1948 in fact of his war injuries. So theese six brothers were left, and they searched for a place, where they can settle and built up their farms.  They found it in Bavaria, near Rosenheim, and this is the place which is called today Schlarbhofen. At that time, about 1950, Schlarbhofen was swamp, so they first had to make the fields fertile. My grandmother allways said (my grandfather died before I was born), that we, her grandsons, can not imagine, what it means, to make swamp fertile. It was the greatest work her family ever had done, she said. "But Schlarbs are pioneers" she always proud remembers :-)

You can post all fotos you think, they are interesting for the homepage. I suggest the foto with the six brothers, feeding the geese.

I hope you enjoy, hearing about the story of Schlarbhofen. Now to your grandfather John Schlarb: what's his really name? Johann, Johannes or Hannes? And the place called Potsiva: could it be Pocega (with a `´ upon the c)? My aunt don't know of a place called Potsiva. She means, it could be in a part of Yugoslavia called "Banat". Then you are a "Banater-Schlarb", and our relationship lies 250 years ago. Fascinating!

My aunt says, that the roots of our Schlarbs and the Banater-Schlarb are in Elsas, the place, where Phil's grandfather comes from. Perhaps you know something about it.

Yours sincerely,
Matthias Schlarb