Feelings of home: Heidemarie returns from Utah after 50 years!

Feelings of home: Heidemarie returns from Utah after 50 years!

On November 12, 2025, Heidemarie Nippert, née Wöltjen, counted the days until her return to Bremen, where she lived as an emigrant in Utah for almost 50 years. On the day in question, she stood at her former parents' house on Kolberger Strasse and couldn't hold back her tears. She was accompanied by her daughter Helga Nippert-Whaley, her nephew Erich Werner Woltjen and his wife Bethany, who traveled from the USA to share this emotional journey with her. This return home brought back old memories and stories that are deeply rooted in her heart, like visiting a neighbor at Christmas in her childhood.

Heidemarie Nippert is now 80 years old and vividly remembers her family's emigration to Utah in 1950. At that time, together with her mother, her brother and her grandmother, they traveled by ship to the USA. Her nephew Erich, who visited Bremen for the first time, was curious about his family's roots and is already planning another visit next summer. The stay in Bremen also included a trip to the Waller Cemetery, where a cemetery employee helped the family find the graves of Heidemarie's father Johann-Wilhelm "Johnny" Wöltjen and her grandmother Berta.

A journey into the past

Heidemarie's return is not only a reunion with her old home, but also a journey into the past. At the German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven she remembered the crossing and told an amusing anecdote about her grandmother's teeth. Helga Nippert-Whaley, who values ​​her family's close ties to Mormon history, plans to visit Ellis Island, a place that was important to many immigrants.

The Wöltjens belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members often form a close-knit community. The family found their new home in Utah, the promised city of the Mormons. Here religious and community life became a central part of their everyday life. This migration story is not only personal, but also reflects the far-reaching interconnections of the religious community. kirchejesuchristi.org reports on historical documents that capture such personal experiences and provide valuable insight into the migration of many Mormons in search of their faith.

A look into the future

Heidemarie's return to Bremen shows how influential her family's roots are for subsequent generations. Memories are awakened and the stories of their ancestors help preserve the family's identity. It will be particularly exciting to see how Helga and Erich, with the knowledge of their origins, will further develop their own connection to this heritage.

They may also be interested in visiting the Historical Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which opened in June 2009. Not only does it provide an extensive collection of historical documents, but it also helps preserve the Mormon heritage, which is of great importance to many families and will continue to be cataloged and processed in the years to come. Those interested can look forward to a variety of materials managed by the Historical Archives, from books to letters to audio and video recordings and much more. archive.org provides further historical background about the Mormons and their religious community.