Flora Berkemeyer

Flora Berkemeyer
March 3rd, 1911 
Matron of the Riedekenburg strain.

• "A", "B", and "D" litters v. Riedekenburg:
  
  "Flora's first litter to Kuno Edelweiss gave V Arnim v Riedekenberg SchH III who was 71 cm high, atrocious in shoulder and with the swan like neck of his dam.  Her second litter to Hettel Uckermark gave several producing animals and was undoubtedly her best.  Born in 1913, it included the all-black Bendix and Bianka v Riedekenburg as well as Bella and Billo, all of whom featured in early pedigrees of note.  All showed much of their dam but also the heavy bone of Hettel and some weakness in pasterns.  The 'D' litter born in 1914 to Apollo v Hunenstein, the Sieger of Belgium and Austria in 1913 and France in 1914 as well as Grand Victor of America in 1919, contained Danko and Diethelm and was to feature in British pedigrees.  Apollo was an over-refined rather bitchy dog and rather narrow, which failings the 'D' litter tended to show.  Flora's influence through the 'A', 'B' and 'D' litters was to prove greater than that of any dog before her and as a result she did much to spread fault fronts, atypical necks and oversize through the breed.  Schwabacher (1950) considered her responsible for the transmission of cryptorchidism.  The so-called Riedekenburg strain was merely the progeny of this bitch which, though they all showed some attributes of their dam, were, according to Horowitz (1924), instantly recognizable as progeny of their respective sire."
  
  ~Author Unknown

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  "Flora usually combined with Uckermark blood, particularly with Alex Westfalenheim. Flora was something of a mutation towards the beautiful. Her progeny played a principle part in establishing the delicacy, grace, beauty and sensitiveness that has made the breed acceptable as show dogs and so popular through the world. It is she and she alone that explains the vast output of fine German dogs of the era."
  
  -Capt WM Goldbecker & Ernest H. Hart
  authors of "This is the German Shepherd"

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  "Flora, perhaps more than any other female in breed history, was to exert a tremendous influence upon the breed. She was possessive of a wealth of HGH "blood" in her pedigree but her character seems to have varied from satisfactory to shy, depending upon whose opinion was being sought. She had length and high withers but a long erect atypical neck and a forward placed shoulder with a very steep upper arm. Owned by Riedekenburg Kennels she produced 9 litters with a total of 31 sons and 23 daughters. Her litters were born between 1912 and 1921 and she was, in effect, mated to a series of the popular stud dogs of the time. Four of her litters were largely without success and since three of these were to dogs of the younger Kriminalpolizei lines the indicates possible cause of failure."
  
  -Author Unknown

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  "Flora came from working stock.  There was speculation that the line was selected not on confirmation but on their ability to work.  Flora was the only known puppy in her litter, for no other was registered.  She was bought by Riedekenberg Kennels who repeated her breeding.  That litter produced Asta Kattentum, who produced Dolli von Glockenbrink, who in turn produced the 1926 & 1928 Sieger Erich von Glockenbrink.
  
  The sire of Flora's first litter, the "A" litter was Kuno v Edelweiss.  Kuno was a grandson of Beowulf through Jokel von Schwetzingen HGH.  He was also a grandson of the 1906-1907 Sieger Roland von Starkenburg, who was a Beowulf grandson on his dam's side.  Out of this litter Armin von Riedekenburg. Although considered too large he did sire the Austrain Sieger Geri von Oberklamm PH.
  
  Flora's second litter by Hettel von Uckermark HGH.  From this litter Flora brought forth Billo, Bendix and sisters Bella,  Bianka von Riedekenburg.  One of Billo's most influential sons was Greif von der Peterstim.  Bianka was to produce the 1020 Sieger Erich von Grafenwerth. 
  
  The "D" litter was produced by Apollo von Hunenstein PH.  The best male in this litter was Diethelm, and sisters Dorte, Dolli, Dora von Riedekenberg.  Dorte was the dam of the 1919 Sieger Dolf von Dusternbrook PH.
  
  Flora was also bred to Edi von Herkulspark (whose dam side went back on the 1909 Sgr. Hettal Uckermark and Gunter Uckermark).  This was to produce the "O" litter.  They bred Flora to the Horst son Falko v Sharenstatten PH, then to the double Horst grandson Marc von Hohen Esp for the "L" litter.  She was then bred to Sieger Harras von der Jeuch to produce the "U" litter.    Nothing from these litters were to equal the "A" "B" and "D" litters.
  
  Flora's influence was felt in the United States through her son Armin and her daughter Bianka's son (by Alex v Westfalenheim) Erich  v Grafenwerth; both came to the US to stand at stud."
  
  ~Garrett Gordon
  Author of German Shepherd Dog History