I'm curious. Would someone PLEASE explain in English what this is all
about?
My German capablity is very meagre, and from what I can make out, the
subject looks interesting.
~ Glenn Krock, Victoria, BC, Canada
"E. Glenn Krock" wrote:
I'm curious. Would someone PLEASE explain in English what this is all
about?
My German capablity is very meagre, and from what I can make out, the
subject looks interesting.
~ Glenn Krock, Victoria, BC, Canada
Glenn,
we talked about the treatment the over 10 million refugees from the
Eastern part of Germany got - when they ran for their lives as the Russian
troops moved in - they ran to the Western part of Germany. Those who
stayed, like my grandparents in East Prussia - were shot by the Russian
troops - everyone left in the village was shot.
The refugees resettled in the Western part of Germany. Most of us were
treated like second class citizens. The local population resented us. We
had nothing, we were nothing. I was a child at that time, but I still
remember the hurt when the daughter of the local innkeeper, the daughter
of the owner of a farm, the daughter of the owner of the local grocery
store told me that their parents told them not to play with me - they
could not play with those .... there were many names for us and there were
many more insults I remember. Was it our fault that we lost our homes,
that we lost everything. 2/3 of the German population did not lose any
territory, only us from the Eastern part of Germany did. I think what most
of us want is just understanding, understanding what it means to lose
everything,
For years I have been interested in documenting my family genealogy. There
are no pictures of my sister, brother and I when we were very young, there
are only a few pictures of my grandparents and other relatives, because if
you run for your life, like the East Prussians did in January of 1945, you
did not take photo albums along. Just try to comprehend what it means to
lose everything, but everything.
I really cannot comprehend that some people in this group think that
genealogy is about dates and names. What an empty picture they are
collecting. This conversation is not about politics either - as one person
on the list said. Those of us who were refugees from the Eastern part of
Germany just related personal experiences. The people who responded were
all young at that time - like I was - what did we know about politics -
but we all had the same story to tell. Hopefully, someone listens - our
personal relevations could apply to your own relatives, to your own
search too.
Regards,
Elke Hedstrom, Garland, TX/USA
It's really a ticklish inner-German matter. A bit tough to explain
unless somebody else wants a crack at it.
Fred
I gathered that the subject is "ticklish" (i.e., controversial), which is
what piqued my curiosity. Will the English equivalent provoke a storm of
protest?
~ Glenn Krock, Victoria, BC, Canada
Elke,
it IS so as you described, but the real discussion, or the
"undercover"-discussion is not about this!!!
As you perhaps remember, it al began with a description of a NS-Film...
And what I prove in the story`s told today is about the question who was
responsible for all the things happened, because NO ONE in East- Prussia was,
no one there was a Nazi of course and no one agreed with Hitler and his war...
so how could people do all the ugly things to us they did?!
Dani
Elke Hedstrom schreef:
Dani,
I wish I had an anwer to your question "who was responsible for all the things
that happened." I agree, I got off on another topic, a topic that was dear to my
heart and as I could observe from the responses - this was a topic that several
other German refugees from East Prussia could relate to.
Regards,
Elke
You know what folks, let me just say something without someone going all
crazy on me okay?
I have been following along silently all this while during this discussion
and now I would like to say my peace with out upsetting anyone.
First of all I lived in Germany for 3 years in Butzbach in 90-93 and let me
tell you that things hadn't changed by then either..... The West Germans
still thought they were better than the East Germans even in that time
period. It's still the same today in many parts of Germany and we all know
it and if we don't then I would suggest that people open their eyes and take
a good look around.
Secondly.....in the reference to how could people do all the ugly things to
us they did?!
I really believe that for most it was a game of survival, come on get
serious if you thought for one moment that you could fool someone into
letting you survive would you not play the game? Sure you would.....
Lets not forget that many horrible things happen in this world that no one
can explain that is not to say they are not important but what we should be
getting out of it is, let's not let it happen again.
When I started researching my family from W. Prussia what sickened me right
away was the fact of how our US Govt: was promising them a better place, a
better way of life etc... which in reality they didn't have it better at
all... in fact most times they had it much worse then they would have if
they had stayed in W. Prussia.
My point here folks is this.... bad things happen to good people all the
time, it's no secret and doubt very much that it will change anytime soon.
I think what is really important here is how our relatives stuck to their
guns and would let no one and I mean no one stop them from attaining their
goals in life.
They did the best they could with what they had and most faired fairly well
in the end.
Again.... this is my opinion please don't write me all kinds of mail cussing
me out.
I deserve the same kind of respect that I have given all of you.
Thanks my friends,
Sheri
Dani said:
it IS so as you described, but the real discussion, or the
"undercover"-discussion is not about this!!!
As you perhaps remember, it al began with a description of a NS-Film...
And what I prove in the story`s told today is about the question who was
responsible for all the things happened, because NO ONE in East- Prussia
was,
no one there was a Nazi of course and no one agreed with Hitler and his
war...
so how could people do all the ugly things to us they did?!
Dani
Elke Hedstrom schreef:
> "E. Glenn Krock" wrote:
>
> > I'm curious. Would someone PLEASE explain in English what this is all
> > about?
> > My German capablity is very meagre, and from what I can make out, the
> > subject looks interesting.
> > ~ Glenn Krock, Victoria, BC, Canada
> >
>
> Glenn,
>
> we talked about the treatment the over 10 million refugees from the
> Eastern part of Germany got - when they ran for their lives as the
Russian
> troops moved in - they ran to the Western part of Germany. Those who
> stayed, like my grandparents in East Prussia - were shot by the Russian
> troops - everyone left in the village was shot.
>
> The refugees resettled in the Western part of Germany. Most of us were
> treated like second class citizens. The local population resented us. We
> had nothing, we were nothing. I was a child at that time, but I still
> remember the hurt when the daughter of the local innkeeper, the daughter
> of the owner of a farm, the daughter of the owner of the local grocery
> store told me that their parents told them not to play with me - they
> could not play with those .... there were many names for us and there
were
> many more insults I remember. Was it our fault that we lost our homes,
> that we lost everything. 2/3 of the German population did not lose any
> territory, only us from the Eastern part of Germany did. I think what
most
> of us want is just understanding, understanding what it means to lose
> everything,
>
> For years I have been interested in documenting my family genealogy.
There
> are no pictures of my sister, brother and I when we were very young,
there
> are only a few pictures of my grandparents and other relatives, because
if
> you run for your life, like the East Prussians did in January of 1945,
you
> did not take photo albums along. Just try to comprehend what it means to
> lose everything, but everything.
>
> I really cannot comprehend that some people in this group think that
> genealogy is about dates and names. What an empty picture they are
> collecting. This conversation is not about politics either - as one
person