No Barb, never felt ashamed and as for tattoo's, I don't know of any D.S. that had been tattooed either. I actually think it is very unique to have this heritage., so we are "special". However, growing up in Toronto which was classified as a WASP city - white, Anglo Saxon, protestant, - was very difficult. As a a 20 year old in the 1960's, my girlfriend born in Banat and I in Batschka hid our German heritage. Even to the point that we changed our names. Looking back at this, I really don't think it would have affected our popularity with the opposite sex because neither of us ever lost a boyfriend because of it. In the late 1940's and early 50's, we both went to Catholic schools which wasn't a popular thing either, and then while in school, my Catholic teacher didn't like me because of my nationality. In the 3rd grade I was only 7 years old and we started to take Social Studies. The English were fighting the French for control of Canada and I was always pulling for the French to win. It never occurred to me, that the French lost until much later. I have a few sad memorie as well because of my vanity. Many years ago while on a bus going to Cleveland, my grandfather who was sitting in another section came to me and started to speak in German. I was very rude to him and brushed him off. I was not ashamed of being German, but I am ashamed of the way I treated my grandfather because of my own vanity. Please Opa, forgive me. I did not want to be perceived as being "bad" as Germans were at that time and for many years afterwards. Thus I hid my identity. I also believe that living in Canada we were discriminated upon much more than living in the U.S. Canada was an English country with many immigrants from England and we were also governed by British rule. Helga Kiely from Multicultural Toronto! From: Barb D Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 1:48 PM To: DVHH Subject: [DVHH] Ashamed Hi, I guess I need to speak up. When I posted the comments about being ashamed it was in response to a post by Joseph Psotka and others comments about hiding the fact that they were in a camp. I truly didn,t mean to offend anyone, I was not saying that they should be ashamed, quite the opposite! I am second generation american with many different blood lines. Mothers side German, & Hungarian, Fathers side Polish, Bohemian and who knows what else. I have no first hand knowledge of how people felt cause my grandparents came to the U.S. in 1922. I don’t remember that they ever talk a lot about the old country, but I probably wasn’t paying much attention. My Mom doesn’t remember much either. But over the years things I have seen and heard have led me to the impression that people were ashamed. There have been comments posted here, I have seen people try and hide the tattoo’s, and not want to talk about what happened,& people have change their names. I understand that it is not something they really want to remember, but maybe if they didn’t make it seem like a secret more people would understand the whole story and not think that they were ashamed. I DON NOT THINK THAT THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THRU THESE TERRIBLE ORDEALS SHOULD BE ASHAMED. STAND UP AND BE PROUD !!!!!!! Tell us how you feel and why. I am interested even if no one else is, but I am sure there is a whole world who would listen and care not shun. My next comment will not be so long I promise! I have enjoyed all the conversations that have gone on as of late a little heated or not. (Good for our blood pressure) I don’t feel that anyone meant to discredit the others, people have their beliefs and should be able to express them without others being offended. I am learning a lot and I have to sort out what I feel is right for me, as everyone should. I truly feel that there is no right or wrong to this matter. I would also like to think that NO ONE would stop posting , as that would be a huge loss to all of humanity and surely the members of this site. So everyone pull up your boot straps and continue to educate those of us who have so much to learn . (and want to). Thanks for listening to me and my apologies to anyone I may have upset. I really love and appreciate each and everyone of you and your postings. Barb D. ------------------------------- 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