Portraits of the Tragedy Victims

July 27 -- They came from all walks of life, with a common purpose: the vacation of a lifetime, a trip on the world’s fastest and most luxurious passenger aircraft followed by a cruise on a posh ocean liner.

Some were well-to-do, some had saved for years.

Today, flags around Germany continue to fly at half-staff for those who lost their lives in Tuesday’s deadly Concorde tragedy. Memorial services are scheduled, including one organized by the Peter Deilmann cruise line — which chartered the doomed plane.

The tragedy wiped out a building dynasty, killed a well-known soccer coach, and claimed two teachers finally taking the honeymoon they never had — leaving behind forever three young children.

The oldest victim was 91, the youngest 7 and 8. A rags-to-riches couple from East Berlin survived the horrors of Communism and the fall of the Berlin Wall only to lose their lives in the fiery wreck.

Also killed was a retired postmistress who had saved for years for the treat of a lifetime.

Death came to them all mercifully fast: 80 seconds after takeoff.

Generations Lost

Andreas Schranner, 64, a retired multimillionaire from Munich, wanted to celebrate his 65th birthday on the luxury cruise. His wife Maria, 62, daughter Andrea Eich, 38, son-in-law and BMW manager Christian Eich, and his grandchildren Maximillian, 10 and Katharina, 8, were all with him for what was to be a celebration.

Father and son-in-law shared a love of classic cars. Christian Eich ran BMW’s museum. The grandchildren left school a few days early for the trip.

On Wednesday, the last official day of school, teachers carefully broke the news to the other children: some of their classmates would not be coming back.

“The whole school is in tears,” said one mother. A memorial service will be held today there, too.

Famous Soccer Coach

Most people in Germany know the name Rudi Fassnacht, 65. Fassnacht, a former trainer for the Fortuna-Koeln soccer club in Cologne, was aboard the flight along with his wife, Sigrid, 43.