Yes it is very interesting! And who who is "Lili Marlen"? It was tabu in my family to talk about anything that happened before they came to Australia! I didn't even know that Opa was drafted, my grandparents had a double wedding, whether they were German, Austrian or Yugoslav because my Oma would change her nationality to suit the situation! I didn't even know I had family overseas until they all passed away! I've found a whole heap of old photos hidden in a tin which for me opened up a can of worms. With photos from Afrikakorps, local farmers with the nazi banners all of which I have no idea of people, places or when they were taken. I was as shocked as any because this was a part of my family history hidden from me. it would be great to hear some stories like your friend Bruno to help understand what it was like for my Opa. I know he was forced to join Afrikakorps and after talking to another war veteran here, he was forced to join the partisans. He says there was no choice- it was different times and I would never understand. He told me his story and it was a real eye opener for what he went through. I know it's a part of history that majority want to erase from the history books. For my generation (I'm in my 30's) and my daughters generation it's important to know where your roots are even if it's bad. Seems if I ask anyone who knew my family they avoid the subject or have to go. So it's still tabu to talk about it and I can understand. I'm the oldest one left in my Kaiser family so for me it's important to be able to pass on my family history to my daughter. I do not intend to offend or anger anyone. I am merely trying to gain understanding of what is was like for my Opa as a pow having a part in the "war of the desert" as I have not lived through war. With respect Mandy ________________________________________ From: Gary Banzhaf [gerbanz@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, 31 July 2014 5:30 AM To: Amanda Kaiser Cc: Tina Michel transpro@primus.ca Subject: Fw: [DVHH] Banaters & Afrika Korps ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Banzhaf" <gerbanz@gmail.com> To: "Gary Banzhaf" <gerbanz@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2014 9:28 PM Subject: Re: [DVHH] Banaters & Afrika Korps G'Day Amanda 'down under!' Very interesting story you've opened from the 'War in the desert' and little is known of this campaign in Afrika or other war stories- because of the Wehrmachts uniform, disliked by many. In a sense it is tabu in a genealogical forum. My congatulations to Tina (Canada) for the fascinating gutsy link! I also was born in former Yugoslavia, on the other side of the Danube, near its capitol Belgrade. Was about the same age as your Opa, at that time, but not yet drafted Followed every move by the Afrika Korps - and not to forget 'Lili Marlen' I came here in the mid fifties and met Bruno from Dortmund. He probable never heard of Gross Betschkerek - but perhaps walked near your Opa Kaiser in the desert sand. Told me his comrades in the Korps came from all German provinces and man born outside Germany - "ethnic Germans." etc. He could speak many dialects and when I told him I lived postwar in Austria he spoke Austrian - and when I said my ancestors came from the Schwabenland, he spoke schwaebisch. Knew Bruno for about forty years and our families got together Sundays for 'Kaffee und Kuchen.' Never stoped talking of his military service: Montgomery at El Alamain, POW camp Suez, for many months. The camp, prisioners interned, were men of all military branches and they got shipped to the Canadian West coast and transported hundreds of miles from Lethbridge Alberta in the Canadian Wilderness to where he returned on a tourist trip years later. Local newspapermen after him. Headline on a paper he displayd: 'German ex-POW returns' - nothing left of a former Can. POW camp. Yeah, Bruno's stories, how can I forget. His two daughters settled in Columbus, the States capitol. Bruno and his wife followed. He died in a home for the aged at age 92, just last year, North Africa on his mind, certainly. Gruss nach Australien und Kanada !!! Gary Gerhard Banzhaf in Ohio/US > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Amanda Kaiser via" <donauschwaben-villages@rootsweb.com> > To: <donauschwaben-villages@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, July 28, 2014 1:49 AM > Subject: [DVHH] Banaters & Afrika Korps > > >> >> G'day, >> I have a question about the Deutsche Afrika Korps and am asking if anyone >> is familiar with it. I am looking for my family and I have recently >> discovered my Oppa Franz Kaiser was drafted in 1941 from his home town Gr >> Betschkerek. He was 17 when he was drafted and was sent to Africa. Later >> he was sent to Egypt as POW and then returned to Wolfsegg, Austria (not >> sure when or the time frames). He worked in Vocklabruck building the >> Flukolager after 1948. I have photos taken in 1941 in Afrika then nothing >> until his wedding in 1948. I also have photos of the Flukolager being >> built. >> >> My question is does any one know how I find out the information of the >> men >> who were sent to AfrikaKorps from Gr. Betschkerek? I am wondering if my >> Oppa's brothers may have been sent at a later date. Their names are >> Stephan, Nikolaus and Mathias Kaiser. I am desperate to find my great >> uncles as they are the only link left in my family that may be alive. >> >> I know my family was in Gr Betschkerek at least until the death of my >> great grandmother Magdalena (Gangl) Kaiser in November 1944. Her husband >> (Nikolaus Kaiser) was last known to be in Steyr in 1948 but I am not sure >> if he was with his sons and youngest child Elisabeth Stephania Kaiser >> (she >> would have been about 13 or 14 years old at the time). He was at my >> Oppa's >> wedding in 1948 but I have no information on who survived and who didn't. >> I am looking for descendants and hope you can help re-unite me with my >> lost family. >> >> Any help with any information or insight to Banaters in the Afrika Korps >> would be greatly appreciated. >> >> I can be reached by email akaiser@gordontafe.edu.au >> Kind regards from Australia >> Mandy Kaiser >> >> >> This message is confidential and may contain proprietary or legally >> privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient of this >> email, any use, interference with, disclosure or copying of the email or >> any part thereof (including any attachment), is prohibited and you should >> notify the sender and delete this email immediately. To the fullest >> extent permitted by law the Gordon accepts no liability for any loss or >> damage which may result from your receipt of this message or any >> attachments. >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> 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 > This message is confidential and may contain proprietary or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, any use, interference with, disclosure or copying of the email or any part thereof (including any attachment), is prohibited and you should notify the sender and delete this email immediately. To the fullest extent permitted by law the Gordon accepts no liability for any loss or damage which may result from your receipt of this message or any attachments.