Daniela, My mom & dad told the same story. Mom didn't feel wanted in Austria - or like she belonged and were refused entrance into Germany in 1946 as it was overcrowded and they already had some cousins that were admitted - early on in 45. Eve On Mon, May 5, 2014 at 9:48 PM, Daniela <danielashowley@aol.com> wrote: > > Germany, after the 2nd world war, I am talking now West Germany not East > Germany. West Germany was the biggest confusion and chaos after the war > because they bombed the crap out of West Germany. The native Germans that > lived there were homeless. And on top of that food supply and business was > not even existing. They had to start from scratch over there. And then came > one train after another loaded with immigrants, ethnic Germans, that were > forcibly kicked out of every part of Eastern Europe, Central Europe > including Russia. And the whole world was allowing the ethnic Germans to be > kicked out. In this existing chaotic after war, and setting up camps for > the immigrants, there was shortage of everything. Water supply, food > supply, electricity, heating supply. There were people living in receiving > camps for many years. It was a hardship season for them, but they were > happy to be alive. With all those that had been deported and sent back to > Germany it was overcrowded. The hardshi! > p of the war, the bombing and destruction, the living in the camps. Why > did they want to leave Germany? They had gotten beaten up. They lost all > their properties. Europe was on shaky ground. The ethnic Germans did not > want to live in unsafe conditions anymore. Eventually, many places like > Canada and the USA were offering them a better living standard and a more > secure living in those countries. Every country had representatives there > helping them to resettle in new lands. This is why my parents left Germany, > > > Daniela Ivkovic Showley > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: islandkaren <islandkaren@bellsouth.net> > > > < Why is it that all these people who you > seem to believe had such a tight grasp on being just "ethnic Germans", DID > NOT at the time immigrate straight to Germany when things got bad?? Why > did > they think it was necessary to emigrate to Canada, USA, Australia, South > America, and anywhere else they could get to as quickly as possible, but > not > back to their " Homeland", Germany? > > Could it be because after they had been born in a bunch of other places, > had lived their whole lives some place other than Germany, and in fact no > less than several hundred years had passed...... they just didn't feel > 100% > "German" anymore? > > > Karen. > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DONAUSCHWABEN-VILLAGES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- Syrmia Regional Coordinator http://www.dvhh.org/syrmia

Hi Eve, My Mother made a personal decision not to go to Germany after the war. She and my Oma lived in the Graz area in Austria after escaping in 1948 and worked on local farms. My Oma was approached by some agency that was helping the refugees find places to reestablish themselves. The options were Germany, USA, or Australia. Even though the majority of my family went to Germany, Mom refused. Said there was no way she was going there (Stubborness runs in my family... Dickschädl for those that know the lingo). She felt Germany was the cause of all of their hardships and heartaches... and that Germany's actions were responsible for the murder of her father.... her brother's death (at that time he was MIA).... and the loss of everything that she ever knew. She would have been about 24 years old at the time of that decision. My Oma finally gave in to her and they came to the USA. Oma would go to Germany every few years or so to visit with her brothers, sisters, and their families. Some came to visit us occasionally. Oma really missed her immediate family. All in all, Mom still feels that is was the right thing to do. This also makes me wonder what nationlity she really considered herself to be in 1944.... especially since she would not involve herself with the Kulturbund (German Cultural Club) that established itself in Jugoslavia after WWII and, some feel, responsible for promoting Hitler's philosophies. She says she is German or Austrian (depending on who she is talking to). But, only because she doesn't want to have to explain about herself and her background. She was and still is not ashamed. But, the lack of knowledge Americans have about Donauschwaben and the end of WWII, make it a difficult explanation. Rita From Colorado, Jabuka, and Bistritz > From: evebrown@gmail.com > Date: Sun, 11 May 2014 18:35:42 -0400 > To: danielashowley@aol.com > CC: donauschwaben-villages@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [DVHH] German-Hungarians - Nationality vs Citizenship > > Daniela, > > My mom & dad told the same story. Mom didn't feel wanted in Austria - or > like she belonged and were refused entrance into Germany in 1946 as it was > overcrowded and they already had some cousins that were admitted - early on > in 45. > > Eve > > >