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| In German Town, a School-Year Highlight That Ended in Disaster | In German Town, a School-Year Highlight That Ended in Disaster |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| HALTERN AM SEE, Germany — It had to have been one of the happiest experiences of their lives, people said. | HALTERN AM SEE, Germany — It had to have been one of the happiest experiences of their lives, people said. |
| Sixteen German students had spent a week in a small town outside Barcelona, immersed in Spanish language and culture, as part of an annual exchange program. Their stay over, they and their two teachers were on their way back to this small town near Düsseldorf. | Sixteen German students had spent a week in a small town outside Barcelona, immersed in Spanish language and culture, as part of an annual exchange program. Their stay over, they and their two teachers were on their way back to this small town near Düsseldorf. |
| Many of their families were already at the airport waiting for their arrival when the unfathomable happened: The plane went down over the rugged terrain of the French Alps in Southern France. | Many of their families were already at the airport waiting for their arrival when the unfathomable happened: The plane went down over the rugged terrain of the French Alps in Southern France. |
| A few hours later, the French authorities were declaring everyone on board dead, though in the dark and cold the search was called off before the bodies were recovered. | A few hours later, the French authorities were declaring everyone on board dead, though in the dark and cold the search was called off before the bodies were recovered. |
| “It was a Spanish language exchange program and they were flying home after having what was probably the most wonderful time of their lives,” said Sylvia Loehrmann, the education minister for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. “It’s so tragic, so sad.” | “It was a Spanish language exchange program and they were flying home after having what was probably the most wonderful time of their lives,” said Sylvia Loehrmann, the education minister for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. “It’s so tragic, so sad.” |
| The students, 10th graders from the Joseph-König-Gymnasium here, were about 15 years old. On Tuesday morning they departed the small, Catalan town of Llinars del Vallès on the 6 o’clock train, bound for the airport in nearby Barcelona. | |
| During their stay, the German students had not only spent time around Llinars del Vallès but also made several trips to Barcelona, which is about a half-hour away by train. | During their stay, the German students had not only spent time around Llinars del Vallès but also made several trips to Barcelona, which is about a half-hour away by train. |
| Pere Grivé, a town official, said in a telephone interview that he had seen the students. “I live near the train station, so I saw them quite a few times on their way probably to some cultural sites around Barcelona,” he said. “Everybody here is in complete shock.” | Pere Grivé, a town official, said in a telephone interview that he had seen the students. “I live near the train station, so I saw them quite a few times on their way probably to some cultural sites around Barcelona,” he said. “Everybody here is in complete shock.” |
| “These are tragic moments, especially for the families that are awaiting some sort of confirmation about their children, and of course also for the families that welcomed these children here,” he said. | “These are tragic moments, especially for the families that are awaiting some sort of confirmation about their children, and of course also for the families that welcomed these children here,” he said. |
| In Haltern am See, a community of 38,000 in the flat countryside of western Germany, many people knew or were related to the families of the victims. During this time of year, tens of thousands of students just like them, all over the world, board planes for a week or two of foreign culture. | In Haltern am See, a community of 38,000 in the flat countryside of western Germany, many people knew or were related to the families of the victims. During this time of year, tens of thousands of students just like them, all over the world, board planes for a week or two of foreign culture. |
| Some students at the Joseph-König school said they had found out about the tragedy only after classes were canceled and they were sent home from school in the early afternoon. | |
| Students gathered later outside the low-slung concrete-and-glass building to place flowers and red and white candles on the steps of the school and on a concrete table tennis table near the entrance. | Students gathered later outside the low-slung concrete-and-glass building to place flowers and red and white candles on the steps of the school and on a concrete table tennis table near the entrance. |
| “We’re very sad,” said a 15-year-old named Nadia, a ninth grader at the school who wanted to give only her first name. She stood with a classmate, Christopher, also 15. They said they did not know the victims well, but knew their faces, as they know almost all the faces in the school, which has only a few hundred students. | “We’re very sad,” said a 15-year-old named Nadia, a ninth grader at the school who wanted to give only her first name. She stood with a classmate, Christopher, also 15. They said they did not know the victims well, but knew their faces, as they know almost all the faces in the school, which has only a few hundred students. |
| “This is the darkest day in the history of our city,” Bodo Klimpel, the mayor of Haltern am See, told reporters, his voice choking in the struggle to hold back tears. “A feeling of shock can be felt everywhere. It is about the worst thing imaginable.” | “This is the darkest day in the history of our city,” Bodo Klimpel, the mayor of Haltern am See, told reporters, his voice choking in the struggle to hold back tears. “A feeling of shock can be felt everywhere. It is about the worst thing imaginable.” |
| The Joseph-König school planned to open on Wednesday morning, Mr. Klimpel said, but instead of regular classes, students and teachers would gather in the auditorium to begin working through their grief together. | The Joseph-König school planned to open on Wednesday morning, Mr. Klimpel said, but instead of regular classes, students and teachers would gather in the auditorium to begin working through their grief together. |
| That work had already begun Tuesday evening, when people packed the cavernous St. Sixtus Roman Catholic Church in the center of town, listening in silence as organ music played mournfully as people lined up to accept communion. Outside, a teenage girl sobbed uncontrollably, comforted by two adults, who held her hands as they gently led her away. | That work had already begun Tuesday evening, when people packed the cavernous St. Sixtus Roman Catholic Church in the center of town, listening in silence as organ music played mournfully as people lined up to accept communion. Outside, a teenage girl sobbed uncontrollably, comforted by two adults, who held her hands as they gently led her away. |
| The church had opened its doors in the early afternoon, with social workers and psychologists providing extra assistance. | The church had opened its doors in the early afternoon, with social workers and psychologists providing extra assistance. |
| Luca Bobb, a seventh grader who is 13, said that his cousin had planned to go on the trip but decided against it at the last minute. “I have friends who knew them,” he said. | Luca Bobb, a seventh grader who is 13, said that his cousin had planned to go on the trip but decided against it at the last minute. “I have friends who knew them,” he said. |
| His mother, Ivonne Bobb, said she heard about the crash from customers at the hair salon she manages in town. Her husband, a bus driver, had often driven the two teachers who were on the plane, she said. | His mother, Ivonne Bobb, said she heard about the crash from customers at the hair salon she manages in town. Her husband, a bus driver, had often driven the two teachers who were on the plane, she said. |
| “I just can’t understand it,” Ms. Bobb said outside the school, where she had just placed a candle. “Haltern is small. I just can’t grasp it.” | “I just can’t understand it,” Ms. Bobb said outside the school, where she had just placed a candle. “Haltern is small. I just can’t grasp it.” |