One branch of my family is from there. My great grandmother and her son, my grandfather, went from there, on foot, some 1000km to what today is still Germany. He was living in a refugee camp in his youth - back then, they didn't exactly have welcome signs...
My memories of how my great grandmother talked, the peculiar dialect from there, are one of the last remaining fragments of that culture there, I guess.
My grandparents had to flee from there. On the first attempt they missed the train that was to take them to the Wilhelm Gustloff. I would not be writing this if they had been two minutes earlier... They finally made it to Western Germany but lost a child (my grandmother was too malnourished to produce enough breastmilk). My father was three years old at the time. Although he of course has no explicit memories of the place where he was born, he is still drawn to it and has visited the region numerous times.
My grandfather (born 1922) was trapped in the Curonian pocket (cauldron) in late 1944; he was evacuated during the last night of 1944/45 aboard a ship that obviously missed the Gustloff's fate.
I spent a week in Kaliningrad Oblast, somewhere in the mid 1990s. Of Königsberg itself, I do not remember much but the guide pointing to the left and to the right, indicating all the buildings that were mafia property...
Yes, with Europe slightly ahead of the curve at this moment. It seems to me the political class in Europe has been subverted on all levels. Here in the US, this is equally true on the federal level but we still see some stubborn heterogeneity on the state and local level. It remains to be seen if that is eventually going to make any difference. The effects of energy and food policies in Europe will likely become visible sooner than in North America. A slight delay, that’s all; we are surely all heading for the cliff.
Over here in Europe, we're a bit earlier to that party, in certain respects; in other aspects, the US appears 'in the lead'. The end result will be the same, though.
It’s the equivalent of the ‘new Soviet man’, i.e., the (Orwellian) erasure of the past and its replacement by something artificial.
It’s everywhere, and while it’s a quite open thing in ‘Communist’ countries (see Mao’s campaign against the ‘four olds’), we do the same in ‘the West’, as any casual stroll across ‘theme parks’ or Colonial Williamsburgh shows those who wish to know.
There are some (German language) DVDs out there, with documentaries about East Prussia, lots of photo material and even some moving pictures. Were quite interesting.
With so much evil in the world, the thought that someone all the way in Europe would dig through his grandfather's collection to look for Australian postcards is very uplifting, even if you do not find any.
So, here goes my report: sadly, I didn't find a postcard from Australia, I'm sorry. I did find one each from New Zealand and, believe it or not, Papua-New Guinea.
North Queensland (on the East coast) has a very strong connection with PNG so people would love to see this, and of course the NZ one is also very cool.
If you have the time and energy, a Pacific Islands one would be a great interest to Australians.
Thank you very much, and to your grandfather, for all this wonderful information.
My great uncle was a fisherman from Loye, near Memel border. The village no longer remains. We had to get more permits to enter this area of Elchniederung.
One branch of my family is from there. My great grandmother and her son, my grandfather, went from there, on foot, some 1000km to what today is still Germany. He was living in a refugee camp in his youth - back then, they didn't exactly have welcome signs...
My memories of how my great grandmother talked, the peculiar dialect from there, are one of the last remaining fragments of that culture there, I guess.
My grandparents had to flee from there. On the first attempt they missed the train that was to take them to the Wilhelm Gustloff. I would not be writing this if they had been two minutes earlier... They finally made it to Western Germany but lost a child (my grandmother was too malnourished to produce enough breastmilk). My father was three years old at the time. Although he of course has no explicit memories of the place where he was born, he is still drawn to it and has visited the region numerous times.
My grandfather (born 1922) was trapped in the Curonian pocket (cauldron) in late 1944; he was evacuated during the last night of 1944/45 aboard a ship that obviously missed the Gustloff's fate.
Have you ever been to the area?
I spent a week in Kaliningrad Oblast, somewhere in the mid 1990s. Of Königsberg itself, I do not remember much but the guide pointing to the left and to the right, indicating all the buildings that were mafia property...
💕 you remember her voice. How wonderful
Back then, the Communist sympathisers in the Soviet Zone also pushed a lot of refugees into the Western zones…
A world gone forever. I fear the rest of Europe is heading for a similar outcome.
And then some.
We’re all headed this way, I’m afraid.
Yes, with Europe slightly ahead of the curve at this moment. It seems to me the political class in Europe has been subverted on all levels. Here in the US, this is equally true on the federal level but we still see some stubborn heterogeneity on the state and local level. It remains to be seen if that is eventually going to make any difference. The effects of energy and food policies in Europe will likely become visible sooner than in North America. A slight delay, that’s all; we are surely all heading for the cliff.
'They' don't care about 'us', the people.
Over here in Europe, we're a bit earlier to that party, in certain respects; in other aspects, the US appears 'in the lead'. The end result will be the same, though.
It’s a shame they couldn’t preserve that tower-after it made it through the bombings
They could have, but they didn’t want to.
It’s the equivalent of the ‘new Soviet man’, i.e., the (Orwellian) erasure of the past and its replacement by something artificial.
It’s everywhere, and while it’s a quite open thing in ‘Communist’ countries (see Mao’s campaign against the ‘four olds’), we do the same in ‘the West’, as any casual stroll across ‘theme parks’ or Colonial Williamsburgh shows those who wish to know.
It’s the actual history they’re trying to erase
There are some (German language) DVDs out there, with documentaries about East Prussia, lots of photo material and even some moving pictures. Were quite interesting.
Amazing.
Have you found any postcards from Australia?
Haven’t looked yet, will do so on Monday, ok?
OH MY GOSH THIS IS AWESOME
THANK YOU
You’re welcome, and don’t thank me yet…
I'm excited that you even care enough to look.
That's why I am thanking you.
With so much evil in the world, the thought that someone all the way in Europe would dig through his grandfather's collection to look for Australian postcards is very uplifting, even if you do not find any.
You made my day!
So, here goes my report: sadly, I didn't find a postcard from Australia, I'm sorry. I did find one each from New Zealand and, believe it or not, Papua-New Guinea.
Ok that is ALSO awesome!
North Queensland (on the East coast) has a very strong connection with PNG so people would love to see this, and of course the NZ one is also very cool.
If you have the time and energy, a Pacific Islands one would be a great interest to Australians.
Thank you very much, and to your grandfather, for all this wonderful information.
That’s about the nicest thing I heard in a while (outside my family farm house): you’re welcome!
My great uncle was a fisherman from Loye, near Memel border. The village no longer remains. We had to get more permits to enter this area of Elchniederung.
Sigh.