In league with history; Hanseatic ports echo steps of German merchants, emigrants.(TRAVEL) From: The Washington Times | Date: January 22, 2005 | COPYRIGHT 2005 The Washington Times LLC. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Byline: Corinna Lothar, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

HAMBURG, Germany - Wistfulness and envy accompanied the great ships, crowded with emigrants on their way to America, out of the mouth of the Elbe River into the North Sea. "America," the saying went, "is just around the corner."

Only a little imagination is required to see, in the mind's eye, the tearful scenes on the dockside, the weeping relatives saying goodbye, and the ships moving slowly toward the c...