You could blindfold me, spin me in a circle three times, and drop me through time and space into Oma’s Keller, and I would still instantly know where I was, just by the smell and feel of the air; cold, with a hint of damp, the smell of earth and laundry soap, and maybe a little oil?
The door for the cellar stairs came right off her kitchen (opposite the fridge, so it did lead to jam-ups when too many of us were in there at once!). The stairs themselves were steep, curved, and risky. It is a miracle to this day that no one ever fell to their doom! My fearless Oma would charge up and down them all day long, carrying loads of canning jars or baskets of laundry, never once misplacing her feet! (I imagine that’s how she kept in shape… no Stairmaster or Pilates for her… she had housework). Every time I went down, she’d shout after me, “Hold the rail!” (Ok, so I stumbled a few times… but the steps were about 1 1/2 inches taller than regular steps.)
And the light switch at the bottom of the stairs meant you had to RACE up to beat the darkness!

(side note- My cousin’s house had a room devoted to kids…the Spiel Keller… I was GREEN with envy. Can you imagine a room dedicated to toys and games? Although as an adult, I realize it was a way for my very tidy Tante to keep the house from being overrun with Legos and Mensch Aergere Dich Nicht dice)
My favorite room was her cellar pantry. The walls were lined with shelves that were LOADED with the cans and jars of fruits, vegetables, and preserves that she had put up herself in Weck jars; Kirschen, Mirabellen, Bohnen und Gurken (Cherries, Mirabelle Plums, Beans and Pickles) and so much more. There were bottles of Rhubarb Syrup that she had made herself. We would pour it over pudding or mix it with water to make juice. Crates under the shelves were filled with bottles of soda and beer. Remember, in Germany, you didn’t buy six packs; you had crates of bottles that were returned and refilled!
Of course, there was the massive deep freeze, which scared me just a bit… I feared falling in while helping her find the right package.
The laundry room was next to the pantry room. I admit I never did figure out how to use the washer. There were 627 different settings! You had to preheat the water, and you had to know what temperature to wash things in. (The mysterious labels on the clothing were no help at all; you need a degree in hieroglyphics) Washing in Germany is more of an all-day event than a quick…” let me just toss that in the wash” like it is here. The wringer was fun to play with, though (watch those fingers!). There was a dryer, but it was NEVER USED! There were racks indoors (in the Heizung Keller) and a line outside! And, of course, the clothespin bag hanging in the corner. Do you remember it? It looked like a little dress with the bottom sewn shut. And shelves loaded with cleaning products and scrubbers. I don’t think that a stain existed that Oma couldn’t clean … and believe me, I was the kid who tried.
Other rooms had furniture, trunks, bits and pieces. Not trash or junk; these were useful but unused objects that weren’t thrown away. Everything was neat and organized, and nothing was too old. There were tools and interesting gizmos, canning supplies, and Christmas boxes. There were even toys left over from my Aunt. By today’s kid standards, it’s probably not exciting… but I loved it. Naturally, I stayed out of the furnace room; Oma might get the idea that I wanted to fold the drying laundry!
In Southern California, we lived in a tract home made from wood and plaster on a cement slab. There were no cellar stairs, no underground adventures, and no jars of Mirabellen as Nachtisch for Oma’s delicious Mittagessen! Oma’s Keller will always be linked with Germany in my mind.
Bits and Pieces from Oma’s Keller
Luckily, some of the things from Oma’s Keller are available here…
Weck Jars!
Weck Canning Jars 743 – Weck Mold Jar made of Transparent Glass – Eco-Friendly Canning Jar – Food Storage Container with Lid Airtight – 3/4 Liter Tall Jar – 1 Jar with Glass Lid and Rubber Gasket6 Mini Tulip Jelly Jar with Glass Lids 6 Rings and 12 Clamps
Weck 741 – 0.25 Liter Mold Jars with Lids – 6 Rings and 12 Clamps
Weck Canning Jars 742 – Weck Mold Jars made of Transparent Glass – Eco-Friendly Canning Jar – Food Storage Containers with Lids Airtight – 1/2 Liter Jars Set – Pack of 4 Jars with Lids
And at the risk of sounding like a commercial, German laundry soap really works! I have three kids, and all are/were active in sports. I’ve tried all sorts of laundry soaps to get the stains and yucky smells out. And Gall Seife, with it’s little brush on top, is a miracle worker…
Dr Beckman’s Gall Soap sprayGermanShop24Gall Bar SoapGermanShop24
Persil ProClean 2-in-1 Liquid Laundry Detergent, 75 Loads, 150 Fl OzPersil Activewear Clean, Liquid Laundry Detergent, High Efficiency (HE), Deep Stain Removal, 2X Concentrated, 82.5 fl oz, 82 Loads, (Packaging May Vary)
ARIEL Laundry Powder Detergent 500G Aroma Original 3-Pack
Haha, I was so happy when they started to sell “Persil” laundry detergent here in the states. I still use it and have used it since. Love my Persil
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My Omas Keller always scared the poop out of me. But it was filled with apples, potatoes, wine, beer, chocolate, eggs and all kinds of stuff. I’m 65 years old and still hesitate going down there. (Boogeyman)