Wow, I wish I could have been there. One time I was working on a project in Nancy, France, and an older woman came up to me, said she noticed I was American and that she would like to thank Americans for the liberation. I still choke up when I remember that. My father was in the force that helped liberate France. (And 80 years ago he was recuperating in a hospital in Paris; he made it through France and Belgium and into Germany, but not through VE Day.)In remembrance of the liberation 80 years ago, there was a big caravan of ww2 vehicles taking exactly the same route for the last few weeks. Visiting the same villages day by day as it happened 80 years ago.
My grandfather was forced in labor near Dresden in the end of the war, working in a factory. For more then 50 years he could not eat fresh baked bread, nor watch war movies and could not talk about it. He has seen and survived allied air-raids, while locked up in a camp with little to no protection. But in the late nineties he opened up to me and told me his incredible journey after he escaped days before the Russians occupied that part. I offered him that whenever he was ready for closure, I would drive him there and visit together. In 2005 I got a call and we visited all the places, and after 60 years he still knew how to find every site had been. Including a farm he stayed for a couple of nights and was betrayed by there neighbors. We talked an old woman who had married that farmer who helped him. (she got married after the war) and told my grandfather he just died 18 months before.Wow, I wish I could have been there. One time I was working on a project in Nancy, France, and an older woman came up to me, said she noticed I was American and that she would like to thank Americans for the liberation. I still choke up when I remember that. My father was in the force that helped liberate France. (And 80 years ago he was recuperating in a hospital in Paris; he made it through France and Belgium and into Germany, but not through VE Day.)
I have a number of German friends that immigrated to the USA after the war. One time we were all on a long bus ride in Mexico without much to do, and my wife asked about their experience in Germany. One by one they each described their stories of survival in the last year of the war. It was five stories in all, one had been a very young child, and the rest not much older. These were truly awful experiences, the fear and the reality of war through the eyes of a child, and the turmoil and fears after the surrender. And finally how their families scraped their way back to a peaceful existence. And hope. These pale compared to your grandfather's story, and I'm happy he was able to tell it and you were able to help him retrace it.My grandfather was forced in labor near Dresden in the end of the war, working in a factory. For more then 50 years he could not eat fresh baked bread, nor watch war movies and could not talk about it. He has seen and survived allied air-raids, while locked up in a camp with little to no protection. But in the late nineties he opened up to me and told me his incredible journey after he escaped days before the Russians occupied that part. I offered him that whenever he was ready for closure, I would drive him there and visit together. In 2005 I got a call and we visited all the places, and after 60 years he still knew how to find every site had been. Including a farm he stayed for a couple of nights and was betrayed by there neighbors. We talked an old woman who had married that farmer who helped him. (she got married after the war) and told my grandfather he just died 18 months before.
Thanks so much for sharing these photos and your grandfather's story! Where were the photos taken?
These were taken at Hoogeveen Airport (Google Maps link). You can use google translate to visit this site for more info. Because most of the tour was on working days I missed the highlights actually.Thanks so much for sharing these photos and your grandfather's story! Where were the photos taken?
During these liberation days the uncle from my grandmother and neighbors did hide French Paratroopers who were behind enemy lines. Germans found them. Burned their farm, and took the members of those families to prison and executed them (19 persons). There is a small remembrance site there.These were taken at Hoogeveen Airport (Google Maps link). You can use google translate to visit this site for more info. Because most of the tour was on working days I missed the highlights actually.