Günter W. Sonntag, 95, of Hanover, Pa., passed away on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Günter was a loving husband, U.S. Army veteran, dedicated teacher and sharp businessman who will be deeply missed.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at Wetzel Funeral Home and Crematory, 549 Carlisle St., Hanover. The family will receive friends to share memories of Günter on Saturday from 2 p.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. A military burial at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Pa., will take place at a later date.

Born Jan. 21, 1929, in Mülsen St. Micheln, Germany, located in Saxony, Günter grew up in the countryside where he remembered being a schoolboy who was indoctrinated into a national socialist system under the Nazi regime. In 1945, at the age of 16, Günter was mustered into the German Army, just as World War II was coming to an end. He often told the story of his "wise and humane" commander telling the men in his company: "It's over. Go home. Walk at night and hide during the day." After three days of walking, Günter made it home where he and his family faced the brutal oppression of the Russian occupation — no food, no electricity, no telephone or railroad service.

In the summer of 1947, Günter and a friend packed what they could carry and boarded a train for the East-West border of Germany which was fiercely guarded by the Russian Army. When they got the chance, the two slipped through a wire barrier and escaped to West Germany where Günter got a job working for the U.S. Army as a member of the Industrial Police. During that time, Günter applied for an immigration visa to the United States where a few of his family members were living. Six months later, he was accepted and arrived in New York City with a small suitcase and just $25 to his name. He worked several jobs, including at a candy factory, before joining the U.S. Army in 1947, just as the Korean War broke out.

Günter completed basic training at Fort Dix as part of the 9th Infantry Division. In order to earn an extra $50 a month, Günter said, he trained at Fort Bragg to be a paratrooper with the the 87th Combat Team in the 11th Division. He was deployed to Korea in September 1950 and was on occupation duty guarding a radar station. In 1951, Günter was transferred to Tokyo where he worked and also developed an interest in Japanese gardening. In February 1953, he was honorably discharged as a corporal of the United States Army.

Upon his return to the United States, Günter earned both a Bachelor's and Master's degree from the University of Maryland in four years. During that time, Günter met Minne Luise Eichenberg while attending a dance at a Bavarian beer garden just outside Baltimore. Minne also had escaped East Germany with her family and was working as a cook in a wealthy Baltimore home called 'Greenway.' The two married in 1955 — and 2025 would have marked their 70th anniversary.

Günter taught German language for 20 years at the University of Maryland, the prestigious McDonogh School and Westminster High School, all in Baltimore. After he retired from teaching, Günter and Minne purchased a piece of rolling green property in Hampstead, Maryland where together they truly fulfilled the American dream — a nursery and tree farm named 'Tannenhof' that provided distinctive landscaping services to Baltimore's highest-end clientele. The couple relished in treating customers of their accompanying Christmas shop to an old-world German experience.

Günter and Minne enjoyed traveling the world together and finding unique pieces of art and jewelry that reflected the many cultures they visited. They especially loved spending time with their family and dear friends in Germany — and delighted in connecting the younger generations in their homeland and the U.S.

Günter was preceded in death by his parents, Willi and Martha Sonntag.

He is survived by his wife, Minne Luise Sonntag; sister Karin Hauck; nephew Alex Eichenberg and his wife Gretchen; nieces Erin Callahan and Ali Williams and husband James; nephew Matthias Hauck and wife Sabine; nephews Kyle Eichenberg and Keith Eichenberg and his wife Michaela — as well as great-nephew George Eichenberg, great-niece Brigitte Eichenberg, great-nephew Dylan Callahan, great-niece Rowan Williams; great-nephew Stefan Hauck; great-niece Christine Hauck; and many family friends in the U.S. and Germany.

The family would like to thank the staff of Homewood at Plum Creek for their caregiving — and special thanks goes to nurse Beth Covington for her compassionate care.

To share memories of Günter W. Sonntag and view a video tribute, please visit www.wetzelfuneralhome.com.