ALGONA - When German prisoner of war Eduard Kaib presented the Algona community with the concrete-and-wire nativity scene that he and his fellow prisoners had built and paid for with their money in December 1945, he could not have imagined the impact it had on the community - and the generations.
Nearly 65 years later, Kaib's granddaughter, Lorenza Kaib, 17, from near Bielefeld, Germany, made her first trip to the United States to visit her grandfather's legacy.
The pretty dark-haired teenager followed Marv Chickering as he gave her a personal tour of the Nativity scene, apologizing for the disarray as the figures were being repaired and the building renovated.
A total of 30 figures are being restored by Joel Van Haaften, who had assisted with repairing and repainting the figures in 1994.
"We need to do this or the figures will crumble before our eyes," explained Chickering.
Kaib created the idea of the Nativity scene in 1944, lonely and missing his family as Christmas approached. An architect in his non-military life, he worked with his fellow prisoners to create the scene table sized. The small version created such good will that Kaib was asked to create a half-life sized version, which was completed by Christmas, 1945.
The figures are constructed of concrete on a wire frame with plaster hand carved and painted for the detail work. The prisoners used money made from working on area farms to pay for the materials.
When the camp disbanded in 1946, Kaib and his fellow artisans presented the scene to the people of Algona, with the only stipulation being that no charge was made for admission.
The cost of maintaining and improving the scene is collected through donations. Since 1958 the scene has been sponsored by the Men's Club of the First United Methodist Church. Every year several thousand visit the small building located on the Kossuth County Fairgrounds to view the work.
"It is special to me to see the work my grandfather did," said Lorenza in a quiet voice.
She hid her face as she listened to her grandfather's gravelly voice speaking to area school children. Kaib had recorded an audio tape to respond to children who had written him a letter. Chickering copied the recording onto a CD for the teenager.
Kaib had died in 1988, before she had been born. Lorenza's father, Norbert, has visited Algona twice to see the scene.
"We (her family) did not really talk about his nativity scene," said Lorenza. "I did not know it was so important to the people of Algona."
She asked for a few moments to take some photos of her own to take home, then visited with her host, Betty Schutter, who had also hosted Eduard and his wife when they visited Algona in 1968.
"I am glad I came," said Lorenza. She hopes to visit San Francisco, Calif., before returning home to Germany.
"It is incredible to have her visit," said Chickering. "We never get to the point that this is 'the rest of the story.' This connects more than just cultures, but generations."
The Nativity scene can be viewed, free of charge, starting the first Sunday in December, daily from 2-9 p.m. and Sundays and Christmas Day from noon to 9 p.m. Special showings and tour groups can be arranged by request by contacting the Methodist Men's Club, First United Methodist Church, 201 E. Nebraska St., Algona IA 50511 or by calling 515-295-7241.