What many people don't know is that in Germany, after the war, women and children were also sent to POW camps. Families were split up and shipped to different camps. Some children sadly were at times, abused for the crimes their fathers committed. The stories I've heard. There were also those children who were forced into the Hitler youth and recently I spent time with a man who's father was a Communist in Germany. He and his childhood friends, all of whom were linked as a result of having fathers in the Communist movement, were persecuted. This is not a black and white topic. The interweaving of ties with GR history are unique and do require more study. Carla Craven@aol.com wrote: In a message dated 7/9/2007 3:10:40 P.M. Central Daylight Time, aweber35@sbcglobal.net writes: As interesting as all of these German prisoner stories are, personally, it sounds like they were as ungrateful as our prisoner's of today, expecting the 'best' and forgetting 'they are prisoners'. Ann Weber Ann, please do not forget that these German POWs were honorable men detained by the Allies for serving in their country's military. They were not criminals and had broken no laws. We were required by international treaty (Geneva Convention) to treat them humanly. If they felt they were not being given proper treatment they had a right to complain. The "prisoners of today" you mention I believe are the detainees from the war on terror. These men are not serving in any country's military but are the equivalent of street gangs and thugs. They act from hate and follow none of the rules of war that govern the actions of honorable military members. Please do not equate these terrorists with the Honorable men in the POW camps of the WW II era. That mistake would insult anyone who has worn a uniform and served their country anywhere. Glenn E. Barker MSgt USAF (ret.) and proud GR spouse ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Carla Wills-Brandon, Ph.D. www.carlawillsbrandon.com Death is just a bus stop before the next trip!

I couldn't agree with you more Rick. The only information I really had about POW stories came from a few children of Nazis. Hearing about how GRs had contact with POWs in the states has been a real education. Thank-you everyone. Carla rick.d.anderson@exgate.tek.com wrote: Thank you to all who are sharing their personal or hand-down POW stories. They are GREAT! As someone who came after this era, these stories are priceless. --------------- Rick D. Anderson (rick.d.anderson@tektronix.com) Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, OR 503-627-2630 ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Carla Wills-Brandon, Ph.D. www.carlawillsbrandon.com Death is just a bus stop before the next trip!

At peak times of farmwork, my dad used to drive to the Fort Hays Agricultural Experiment Station in Hays, Kan., and pick up a few POWs to help out on our farm. (I think these POWs were actually from Hastings, Neb., having been reassigned to various places, such as Hays, where farmers needed help. However, I don't remember dad saying anything about a guard accompanying them when he brought them out to our farm. At any rate, I think the disdain some POW's voiced for certain foods was generated by their experiences in POW camps before they were transported to the USA. One Friday my mother and her sister-in-law, knowing they had these special "guests" to feed, seined the draws on our farm and came up with quite a few fish and crayfish. They fried the fish and boiled the crayfish and served them with egg noodles that had been cooked and then fried in butter and a bowl of Great Northern beans. Upon seeing these treats on the dining table, the POW's registered their disdain and said that all they'd gotten to eat when they were POWs in England was "Fisch und Wassernudel." My mom and my aunt were very disappointed, having done their best to offer the POWs what we considered some of our favorite foods. And believe me, in those days fresh fish was a rare treat in western Kansas. -- Sam Brungardt, St. Paul, Minn. _________________________________________________________________ http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_2G_0507

Thank you to all who are sharing their personal or hand-down POW stories. They are GREAT! As someone who came after this era, these stories are priceless. --------------- Rick D. Anderson (rick.d.anderson@tektronix.com) Tektronix, Inc. Beaverton, OR 503-627-2630

I, Peter M Schantz, was in the 793rd MP Bn Company B in 1943 in Camp Maxey, Texas. After basic training we were sent to Louisiana and Texas to guard the German POWs in the rice, sugar cane and potato fields. I was stationed in Lake Charles, LA October of 1943. The prisoners we had fought in African campaign under Rommel. I had a group of fifteen I accompanied/guarded on the farmer's truck, driven by the farmer, to his rice fields. When the harvest was over in November; he invited them for the Thanksgiving meal.. When the food was laid out on the tables, the POWs cried. They knew their families in Germany were starving. The Army supply truck would drive into the compound and deliver the food which the prisoners unloaded. What was left was our meal... There was plenty of beef, bread and vegetables. They had a better better food than we did. There were roughly 250 prisoners in the camp. The MP detachment numbered thirty.. The POWs told us they were sorry. we were going over seas to fight in the war while they would be in the U.S. with plenty to eat. In 1994 my spouse and I went to the 50th anniversary of D-Day. I met a German SST Trooper , who was wounded and captured on the Red Ball Highway in Normandy. He told me that he was sent to the USA to be imprisoned. He said he learned to eat peanut butter and oatmeal. At the time we visited in Germany,. Hr still had it for breakfast every morning. He had films of the invasion from Germany, USA, France and England. There marked differences in how the invasion was portrayed. I have met several German war veterans while traveling in Germany. Peter M Schantz PO Box 1962 San Leandro, CA 94577

Greetings, There was a POW camp somewhere in the vicinity of Ft Hays University State Agricultural Experiment Station in Hays, Kansas. This would be a natural place with the large V German colonies at hand. Sheri Rose did some research on this camp. A few hundred miles east in Wabaunsee County in the Flint hills there was a POW camp which was associated with the building of or assisting with lake Wabaunsee, near Eskridge, Kansas. City Hall had a collection of photos on display, which showed largely military style barracks. This was close to the Paxico / Fulda German colonies. Melvina Schmidt Gack tells the story of this one prisoner working on the farm, who suddenly was intrigued by "die schoen schwartz katz" ! He wasn't familiar with the white stripe on its back, and it took some scrubbing to take out the smell. I guess it was not a particulary familiar european spiecies. Frank jacobs

I remember the camp west of Greeley. My dad wasn't sure what that was and mumbled something whenever we drove past. He was a Colorado boy and German, however, we were living in the Seattle area during WW2. We moved to a farm just west of Johnson's Corner, on US87, in 1946 and by then the farmers were bringing in Mexicans to work the beet fields. May I suggest a book on the subject. "Nazi Prisoners of War in America" by Arnold Krammer,,,

I respectively disagree with the opinion that "they were ungrateful as our prisoner's are today. expecting the 'best' and forgetting 'they are prisoners'. While living on a farm southeast of Fort Collins, Colorado we had many German POW's work on our farm and all but one prisoner were grateful for the opportunity to work on local farms, and more so, were extremely grateful for the food we gave to them. We spoke German so we communicated with them every day while they were on the farm premises. Most of the POW's were good solid persons who had no interest in being in a war and were here only because they were forced into serving their country due to a radical leader - Hitler. After they went back home to Germany we heard by letter from many of these POW's and again they expressed their gratitude for working for us and what we did for them. In fact a couple of these POW's came back to Colorado after the war and eventually purchased farms in the local area. We had one German POW who was probably in his early 20's who completely disregarded my father's instructions on how to hoe the sugar beets. The guard shackled this young POW and sat him on the end of the field during the day and when he went back to the POW camp the other prisoners told us that he was put in solitary confinement and given only bread and water. He was typical of a true Nazi youth trained by Hitler's group. Myron G. Fritzler As interesting as all of these German prisoner stories are, personally, it sounds like they were as ungrateful as our prisoner's of today, expecting the 'best' and forgetting 'they are prisoners'. Ann Weber ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ward R Richter" <druquest@earthlink.net> To: "'RON GREENWALD'" <RonFarmcr3@msn.com>; <ger-volga@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 1:16 PM Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL >I have an interesting addition to these notes about German prisoners. I >grew > up on a farm in southern Wisconsin and we raised potatoes among other > crops. > German prisoners were housed nearby and we regularly picked up crews to > weed > potatoes and later to pick up potatoes, manually in those days. My father > spoke excellent German to them and they enjoyed visiting with him. My > mother also made extra food for them at noon because their meals were > rather > meager. When sweet corn was ripe she cooked up a large batch for them and > got an unexpected reaction. They angrily announced to my father that they > had been insulted by my mother since she was feeding them "pig food" and > would refuse to do any more work. It took every bit of my father's skill > with German and his caring attitude to convince them that the sweet corn > was > human food in the U.S. and was considered to be a delicacy by my mother. > Just to emphasize the point, I had to sit outside with the prisoners and > eat > my lunch, including corn with them. I was about 12 or 13 at the time. > > Just as with several of the other correspondents, my father kept in touch > with some of them and sent CARE packages to them after the war and several > visited us in the U.S. in later years. > > Ward Richter > > -----Original Message----- > From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of RON GREENWALD > Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 8:18 AM > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com; Charles Parcels > Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > I grew up on a farm in Windsor Colorado, which we still have. There was a > large German POW camp near Greeley about 7 miles away. Every morning Mom > and I would take our beet truck and drive over to the camp to get a group > of > prisoners and a guard. They would work beets all day. They were good > workers. Dad spoke Fluent German and talked to them all the time. They > told Dad they were happy to be here and no longer in the war. > The food they brought for lunch was not too good so many times Mom made > then > a large pot of soup and fresh bread which they enjoyed tremendously. > After the war some came back to the States and several came out to the > farm > to tell us they remembered Dad talking to them and Mom making them soup > and > bread. > Ron > Ron & Lynn Greenwald > 5882 Seldovia Road > Fort Collins CO. 80524 > (970) 484-9771 or Cell (970) 217-6091 > E-mail RonFarmcr3@msn.com<mailto:RonFarmcr3@msn.com> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Charles Parcels<mailto:volgager4440@yahoo.com> > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com<mailto:ger-volga@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 12:34 PM > Subject: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > > I remember my mother stating to me that when she > visited her Volga German relatives in Colorado during the 2nd world war, > <she, visiting from n.y. > she observed German prisoners working on the > sugar beet farms. The Volga Germans would always try to talk to them on > the > other side of the fence, but the Guards would chase them away. I believe > it > was somewhere near Wiggins, Colorado. > Thought I might share this with all of you > "Landsmann" out there. > > Charles Parcels < Weibert > aus Messer > > > > --------------------------------- > Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! > TV. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com> with > the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of > the > message > ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Try again Sam. Your message is blank. Marven W On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:07:43 -0500 "Sam Brungardt" <sam739is@hotmail.com> writes: > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

I spent quite a bit of time with the German prisoners, and I didn't get the impression they were ungrateful. Most were people just like us who abhorred war and were glad to be out of it. As you can see by what has been written, many lasting friendships developed. Marven Weitzel On Mon, 9 Jul 2007 15:09:46 -0500 "Ann Weber" <aweber35@sbcglobal.net> writes: > As interesting as all of these German prisoner stories are, > personally, it > sounds like they were as ungrateful as our prisoner's of today, > expecting > the 'best' and forgetting 'they are prisoners'. > Ann Weber > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ward R Richter" <druquest@earthlink.net> > To: "'RON GREENWALD'" <RonFarmcr3@msn.com>; > <ger-volga@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 1:16 PM > Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > > >I have an interesting addition to these notes about German > prisoners. I > >grew > > up on a farm in southern Wisconsin and we raised potatoes among > other > > crops. > > German prisoners were housed nearby and we regularly picked up > crews to > > weed > > potatoes and later to pick up potatoes, manually in those days. > My father > > spoke excellent German to them and they enjoyed visiting with him. > My > > mother also made extra food for them at noon because their meals > were > > rather > > meager. When sweet corn was ripe she cooked up a large batch for > them and > > got an unexpected reaction. They angrily announced to my father > that they > > had been insulted by my mother since she was feeding them "pig > food" and > > would refuse to do any more work. It took every bit of my > father's skill > > with German and his caring attitude to convince them that the > sweet corn > > was > > human food in the U.S. and was considered to be a delicacy by my > mother. > > Just to emphasize the point, I had to sit outside with the > prisoners and > > eat > > my lunch, including corn with them. I was about 12 or 13 at the > time. > > > > Just as with several of the other correspondents, my father kept > in touch > > with some of them and sent CARE packages to them after the war and > several > > visited us in the U.S. in later years. > > > > Ward Richter > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com > > [mailto:ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com] > > On Behalf Of RON GREENWALD > > Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 8:18 AM > > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com; Charles Parcels > > Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > > > I grew up on a farm in Windsor Colorado, which we still have. > There was a > > large German POW camp near Greeley about 7 miles away. Every > morning Mom > > and I would take our beet truck and drive over to the camp to get > a group > > of > > prisoners and a guard. They would work beets all day. They were > good > > workers. Dad spoke Fluent German and talked to them all the time. > They > > told Dad they were happy to be here and no longer in the war. > > The food they brought for lunch was not too good so many times Mom > made > > then > > a large pot of soup and fresh bread which they enjoyed > tremendously. > > After the war some came back to the States and several came out to > the > > farm > > to tell us they remembered Dad talking to them and Mom making them > soup > > and > > bread. > > Ron > > Ron & Lynn Greenwald > > 5882 Seldovia Road > > Fort Collins CO. 80524 > > (970) 484-9771 or Cell (970) 217-6091 > > E-mail RonFarmcr3@msn.com<mailto:RonFarmcr3@msn.com> > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Charles Parcels<mailto:volgager4440@yahoo.com> > > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com<mailto:ger-volga@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 12:34 PM > > Subject: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > > > > > I remember my mother stating to me that > when she > > visited her Volga German relatives in Colorado during the 2nd > world war, > > <she, visiting from n.y. > she observed German prisoners working > on the > > sugar beet farms. The Volga Germans would always try to talk to > them on > > the > > other side of the fence, but the Guards would chase them away. I > believe > > it > > was somewhere near Wiggins, Colorado. > > Thought I might share this with all of > you > > "Landsmann" out there. > > > > Charles Parcels < > Weibert > > aus Messer > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on > Yahoo! > > TV. > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com> > with > > the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the > body of > > the > > message > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Sorry, but I think you are in the minority on this one ! --------------------------------- Don't pick lemons. See all the new 2007 cars at Yahoo! Autos.

As interesting as all of these German prisoner stories are, personally, it sounds like they were as ungrateful as our prisoner's of today, expecting the 'best' and forgetting 'they are prisoners'. Ann Weber ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ward R Richter" <druquest@earthlink.net> To: "'RON GREENWALD'" <RonFarmcr3@msn.com>; <ger-volga@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 1:16 PM Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL >I have an interesting addition to these notes about German prisoners. I >grew > up on a farm in southern Wisconsin and we raised potatoes among other > crops. > German prisoners were housed nearby and we regularly picked up crews to > weed > potatoes and later to pick up potatoes, manually in those days. My father > spoke excellent German to them and they enjoyed visiting with him. My > mother also made extra food for them at noon because their meals were > rather > meager. When sweet corn was ripe she cooked up a large batch for them and > got an unexpected reaction. They angrily announced to my father that they > had been insulted by my mother since she was feeding them "pig food" and > would refuse to do any more work. It took every bit of my father's skill > with German and his caring attitude to convince them that the sweet corn > was > human food in the U.S. and was considered to be a delicacy by my mother. > Just to emphasize the point, I had to sit outside with the prisoners and > eat > my lunch, including corn with them. I was about 12 or 13 at the time. > > Just as with several of the other correspondents, my father kept in touch > with some of them and sent CARE packages to them after the war and several > visited us in the U.S. in later years. > > Ward Richter > > -----Original Message----- > From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of RON GREENWALD > Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 8:18 AM > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com; Charles Parcels > Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > I grew up on a farm in Windsor Colorado, which we still have. There was a > large German POW camp near Greeley about 7 miles away. Every morning Mom > and I would take our beet truck and drive over to the camp to get a group > of > prisoners and a guard. They would work beets all day. They were good > workers. Dad spoke Fluent German and talked to them all the time. They > told Dad they were happy to be here and no longer in the war. > The food they brought for lunch was not too good so many times Mom made > then > a large pot of soup and fresh bread which they enjoyed tremendously. > After the war some came back to the States and several came out to the > farm > to tell us they remembered Dad talking to them and Mom making them soup > and > bread. > Ron > Ron & Lynn Greenwald > 5882 Seldovia Road > Fort Collins CO. 80524 > (970) 484-9771 or Cell (970) 217-6091 > E-mail RonFarmcr3@msn.com<mailto:RonFarmcr3@msn.com> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Charles Parcels<mailto:volgager4440@yahoo.com> > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com<mailto:ger-volga@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 12:34 PM > Subject: [GV] INFO. TO ALL > > > I remember my mother stating to me that when she > visited her Volga German relatives in Colorado during the 2nd world war, > <she, visiting from n.y. > she observed German prisoners working on the > sugar beet farms. The Volga Germans would always try to talk to them on > the > other side of the fence, but the Guards would chase them away. I believe > it > was somewhere near Wiggins, Colorado. > Thought I might share this with all of you > "Landsmann" out there. > > Charles Parcels < Weibert > aus Messer > > > > --------------------------------- > Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! > TV. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com> with > the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of > the > message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

During WWII, prisoner of war camps were set up all through the Midwest and mountain states. There was one in my home town on Billings Montana located on south 27th street near the sugar beet refinery. The enlisted men were loaned out to local farmers, many of whom were Germans from Russia. There are several interesting articles in the archives of the Billings Gazette for anyone interested. My father, who was about 17 at the time, befriended one of the prisoners and carried on a correspondence with him after the war. I think most of the camps were enlisted men only. It seems I read the officers were kept at special camps which were very isolated since the officers were duty bound to try to escape. I know there was a camp for officers somewhere in Texas. Allan R. Lenhardt 240 East Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 344-1424 (225) 223-3121 (cell) Life is God's novel. Let him write it. Isaac Beshevis Singer in Voices for Life (1975) -----Original Message----- From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of PKoe662885@aol.com Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 6:25 AM To: AHSGR-VILLAGE-COORDINATOR-L@rootsweb.com; GER-VOLGA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [GV] German Prisoners of War P.W. PRISONERS OF WAR During World War II there was storage of people to pick the local fruit because our men were in the war and the women were working the factories. In late summer of 1943 and 1944, German Prisoners of War were housed near Benton Harbor Airport, in the Benton Harbor Armory and in a camp at the intersection of Oxbow and River Roads, near Sodus, Michigan. They were made available to pick the local fruit. I remember my father, Peter John Koehler and myself going up to the Zech apple orchard, on Edison Road, where there was a group of German Prisoners picking apples in the Zech orchard. There was a stub of a windmill and the guard climbed to the top of it (about 15 to 20 feet high) and sat on a board, with his rifle, to guard the prisoners. My Dad, who spoke fluent German, Russian and English, carried on a conversation with the prisoners. My Dad would have been about 50 years of age and I was a wee lad of 8. The prisoners seemed to be happy as they picked apples and they sang songs and carried on conversations. We also used prisoners to pick peaches on our farm. The prisoners always wore blue clothes with a large PW on the back or the shirt and on the pant legs. One day 2 prisoners escaped and took off into the fields. They were captured near Buckhorn Store at the corner of U.S. 31 and Rockey Weed Road. Mr. Shalon, who ran the Buckhorn Tavern and store, seen them come out of the fields and held them at bay, with his shotgun until the guard came and retrieved them. They were asked why they took off and they said they "just wanted to see if they could do it"! Buckhorn store was just about 1 mile from the apple orchard. After the war, some of these prisoners came back to this area and settled here to raise their families and became a part of this community. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I have an interesting addition to these notes about German prisoners. I grew up on a farm in southern Wisconsin and we raised potatoes among other crops. German prisoners were housed nearby and we regularly picked up crews to weed potatoes and later to pick up potatoes, manually in those days. My father spoke excellent German to them and they enjoyed visiting with him. My mother also made extra food for them at noon because their meals were rather meager. When sweet corn was ripe she cooked up a large batch for them and got an unexpected reaction. They angrily announced to my father that they had been insulted by my mother since she was feeding them "pig food" and would refuse to do any more work. It took every bit of my father's skill with German and his caring attitude to convince them that the sweet corn was human food in the U.S. and was considered to be a delicacy by my mother. Just to emphasize the point, I had to sit outside with the prisoners and eat my lunch, including corn with them. I was about 12 or 13 at the time. Just as with several of the other correspondents, my father kept in touch with some of them and sent CARE packages to them after the war and several visited us in the U.S. in later years. Ward Richter -----Original Message----- From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of RON GREENWALD Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 8:18 AM To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com; Charles Parcels Subject: Re: [GV] INFO. TO ALL I grew up on a farm in Windsor Colorado, which we still have. There was a large German POW camp near Greeley about 7 miles away. Every morning Mom and I would take our beet truck and drive over to the camp to get a group of prisoners and a guard. They would work beets all day. They were good workers. Dad spoke Fluent German and talked to them all the time. They told Dad they were happy to be here and no longer in the war. The food they brought for lunch was not too good so many times Mom made then a large pot of soup and fresh bread which they enjoyed tremendously. After the war some came back to the States and several came out to the farm to tell us they remembered Dad talking to them and Mom making them soup and bread. Ron Ron & Lynn Greenwald 5882 Seldovia Road Fort Collins CO. 80524 (970) 484-9771 or Cell (970) 217-6091 E-mail RonFarmcr3@msn.com<mailto:RonFarmcr3@msn.com> ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Parcels<mailto:volgager4440@yahoo.com> To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com<mailto:ger-volga@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 12:34 PM Subject: [GV] INFO. TO ALL I remember my mother stating to me that when she visited her Volga German relatives in Colorado during the 2nd world war, <she, visiting from n.y. > she observed German prisoners working on the sugar beet farms. The Volga Germans would always try to talk to them on the other side of the fence, but the Guards would chase them away. I believe it was somewhere near Wiggins, Colorado. Thought I might share this with all of you "Landsmann" out there. Charles Parcels < Weibert aus Messer > --------------------------------- Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

|Herr and Jolliffe Mortuary Fort Morgan, Colorado 07-09-2007 Site Manager: Login <http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/login.cfm?return_url=/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o%5Fid%3D127872%26fh%5Fid%3D10851%26s%5Fid%3DB07AB67298F2DE77FFDA249701ABC05A&fh_id=10851&s_id=B07AB67298F2DE77FFDA249701ABC05A> Obituaries *Melvin James Weitzel* (August 4, 1924 - July 7, 2007) *Sign Guest Book* <http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/tribute.cfm?o_id=127872&fh_id=10851&s_id=B07AB67298F2DE77FFDA249701ABC05A> * | * *Send Private Condolences* <http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/condolences/home.cfm?o_id=127872&fh_id=10851&s_id=B07AB67298F2DE77FFDA249701ABC05A> Melvin James Weitzel MELVIN JAMES WEITZEL, 82, longtime Fort Morgan resident, died Saturday, July 7, 2007 at the Colorado Plains Medical Center in Fort Morgan after a short illness. Melvin was born August 4, 1924 in Otis, CO to Ludwig & Elizabeth (Schlidt) Weitzel. Melvin graduated from Wiggins High School in 1942. He served his country in the United States Army during WW II in Germany and with the occupation forces in France. He married Marian Meininger on May 21, 1950 in Ft. Morgan at the Christ Congregational Church. Melvin owned the Conoco station at the corner of Main Street and Platte Ave. in Fort Morgan for a number of years and also partnered with Hank Thiel at the M&H Auto Parts stores in Fort Morgan, Brush, and Sterling. He retired in 1982. Melvin was a member of the Christ Congregational Church in Fort Morgan, was a life member of American Legion Post #19, Fort Morgan, V.F.W. Post #2551, Fort Morgan and the Elk’s Lodge. He was Past Master of Oasis Lodge # 67 AF&AM in Fort Morgan and Past President of the Fort Morgan Rotary Club. He served on the Fort Morgan Centennial Commission and was a board member of the Fort Morgan Country Club. Melvin loved spending time with his family and especially taking his grandchildren fishing. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing golf, and tinkering at his work bench. Survivors include his wife, Marian Weitzel of Fort Morgan; his son, Tim Weitzel of Chicago, Illinois; two daughters, Penni Raines and her husband Sid of Franktown, CO and Jennifer Fearer and her husband Dan of Mesa Arizona; and four grandchildren, Jamie Raines, Amanda Raines, Samantha Fearer, and Jonathan Fearer. He is also survived by three sisters, Margaret Olin of Lakewood, CO, Hannah Madsen of Montrose, CO, and Ruth Walker of Greeley, CO; and one brother, Eugene Weitzel of Fort Morgan. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Harold, Glenn, and Raymond Weitzel; and one sister, Helen Weitzel. Memorial Services will be Thursday, July 12, 2007 at 10:30 AM at the Christ Congregational Church in Fort Morgan. Inurnment will follow in Serenity Falls Columbarium in Fort Morgan. Memorial gifts may be made to the Christ Congregational Church or to the Fort Morgan Heritage Foundation The Heer & Jolliffe Mortuary in Ft. Morgan is in charge of the arrangements.

I remember as a child my father using POW to thin beets and top beets and we lived in the Ault area at that time. The prisoners would come out on a truck with guards and my parents told us kids they would not harm us and tried to explain to us why they were in America. My mother always fixed a big lunch for them which was fried potatoes, fried hamburgers, and vegetables from the garden. They would come in from the fields and eat in the shade on the grass in the yard. After the camp in Windsor was closed, my Aunt and Uncle, John and Louise Schlothauer purchased some of the land and the house they lived in was right where the camp started. The house and other houses are still there. Joyce Helzer Philabaum ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Parcels<mailto:volgager4440@yahoo.com> To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com<mailto:ger-volga@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 1:34 PM Subject: [GV] INFO. TO ALL I remember my mother stating to me that when she visited her Volga German relatives in Colorado during the 2nd world war, <she, visiting from n.y. > she observed German prisoners working on the sugar beet farms. The Volga Germans would always try to talk to them on the other side of the fence, but the Guards would chase them away. I believe it was somewhere near Wiggins, Colorado. Thought I might share this with all of you "Landsmann" out there. Charles Parcels < Weibert aus Messer > --------------------------------- Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

P.W. PRISONERS OF WAR During World War II there was storage of people to pick the local fruit because our men were in the war and the women were working the factories. In late summer of 1943 and 1944, German Prisoners of War were housed near Benton Harbor Airport, in the Benton Harbor Armory and in a camp at the intersection of Oxbow and River Roads, near Sodus, Michigan. They were made available to pick the local fruit. I remember my father, Peter John Koehler and myself going up to the Zech apple orchard, on Edison Road, where there was a group of German Prisoners picking apples in the Zech orchard. There was a stub of a windmill and the guard climbed to the top of it (about 15 to 20 feet high) and sat on a board, with his rifle, to guard the prisoners. My Dad, who spoke fluent German, Russian and English, carried on a conversation with the prisoners. My Dad would have been about 50 years of age and I was a wee lad of 8. The prisoners seemed to be happy as they picked apples and they sang songs and carried on conversations. We also used prisoners to pick peaches on our farm. The prisoners always wore blue clothes with a large PW on the back or the shirt and on the pant legs. One day 2 prisoners escaped and took off into the fields. They were captured near Buckhorn Store at the corner of U.S. 31 and Rockey Weed Road. Mr. Shalon, who ran the Buckhorn Tavern and store, seen them come out of the fields and held them at bay, with his shotgun until the guard came and retrieved them. They were asked why they took off and they said they “just wanted to see if they could do it”! Buckhorn store was just about 1 mile from the apple orchard. After the war, some of these prisoners came back to this area and settled here to raise their families and became a part of this community. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

I grew up on a farm in Windsor Colorado, which we still have. There was a large German POW camp near Greeley about 7 miles away. Every morning Mom and I would take our beet truck and drive over to the camp to get a group of prisoners and a guard. They would work beets all day. They were good workers. Dad spoke Fluent German and talked to them all the time. They told Dad they were happy to be here and no longer in the war. The food they brought for lunch was not too good so many times Mom made then a large pot of soup and fresh bread which they enjoyed tremendously. After the war some came back to the States and several came out to the farm to tell us they remembered Dad talking to them and Mom making them soup and bread. Ron Ron & Lynn Greenwald 5882 Seldovia Road Fort Collins CO. 80524 (970) 484-9771 or Cell (970) 217-6091 E-mail RonFarmcr3@msn.com<mailto:RonFarmcr3@msn.com> ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Parcels<mailto:volgager4440@yahoo.com> To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com<mailto:ger-volga@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 12:34 PM Subject: [GV] INFO. TO ALL I remember my mother stating to me that when she visited her Volga German relatives in Colorado during the 2nd world war, <she, visiting from n.y. > she observed German prisoners working on the sugar beet farms. The Volga Germans would always try to talk to them on the other side of the fence, but the Guards would chase them away. I believe it was somewhere near Wiggins, Colorado. Thought I might share this with all of you "Landsmann" out there. Charles Parcels < Weibert aus Messer > --------------------------------- Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:GER-VOLGA-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

If you can be of help, please respond directly to Gustavo Martinez. Below is a rough machine translation: ------------------------------------------------------- Considered: I am called Gustavo Martinez and I write from Chivilcoy Province to them of BsAs- Argentina, would need to be able to find to my maternal ancestors for which I inform the data to them that I could obtain from different inquiries: My Great-grandfather Juan To put naciò in KAMENKA-RUSIA, dìa 19/10/1890. His father was called Andres Meter and his mother Catherine Polalak. My Great-grandmother Barbara Mayer nacio in ESTRECENEAN-RUSIA, 1891 (one does not know to day and month). His father was called Jose Mayer and his mother Barbara Rausch. Both arrived at the Argentinean with mus few years from age and they took root in the Province of Pampas where one of the graft colonies of Hinojo Prov.de de BsAs had been based. Also the data of the parents of my maternal grandmother are: My Great-grandfather Jorge Frank nacio in BRANDESEN-RUSIA, dìa 10/04/1883. His father was called Juan Frank and his mother Ana Maria Holzmann. My great-grandmother Ana Maria Mollecker nacio in Brandesen-Russia in 1880, her father was called Pedro Mollecker and his mother Ana Obert and left Russia in 1909 approximately. By errors in Immigration of Argentina it can happen that the last names above-mentioned vary of the following way: JORANNECR MEGEPR JOCHANNES MEDER JORANNEUJ MEDEPR JOGAN MEDER JUAN MEDER JUAN MEIER would thank for some data to Them that can contribute to me. FROM ALREADY THEM ETERNALLY I AM BEEN THANKFUL. My personal data are: GUSTAVO A.MARTINEZ BOMB.VOLUNTARIOS Nº 125 CHIVILCOY-BUENOS AIRES-ARGENTINA (6620) TE:0054-02346-15681849. ----------------------------------------------------- Message forwarded by: Steve Schreiber -----Original Message----- From: GUSTAVO MARTINEZ [mailto:martinez.chivilcoy@hotmail.com] Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 1:25 PM To: volga.germans@gmail.com Subject: BUSQUEDA DE FAMILIARES Estimados: me llamo Gustavo Martinez y les escribo desde Chivilcoy Provincia de BsAs- Argentina, necesitaría poder encontrar a mis ancestro maternos para lo cual les informo los datos que pude obtener de distintas averiguaciones: Mi Visabuelo Juan Meter naciò en KAMENKA-RUSIA, el dìa 19/10/1890. Su padre se llamaba Andres Meter y su madre Catalina Polalak. Mi Visabuela Barbara Mayer nacio en ESTRECENEAN-RUSIA, en el año 1891 (no se sabe dia y mes). Su padre se llamaba Jose Mayer y su madre Barbara Rausch. Ambos llegaron a la argentina con mus pocos años de edad y se radicaron en la Provincia de La Pampa donde se había fundado una de las colonias ramificadas de Hinojo Prov.de de BsAs. Asimismo los datos de los padres de mi abuela materna son: Mi Visabuelo Jorge Frank nacio en BRANDESEN-RUSIA, en el dìa 10/04/1883. Su padre se llamaba Juan Frank y su madre Ana Maria Holzmann. Mi visabuela Ana Maria Mollecker nacio en Brandesen-Rusia en el año 1880, su padre se llamaba Pedro Mollecker y su madre Ana Obert y salieron de Rusia aproximadamente en el año 1909. Por errores en Inmigración de Argentina puede ocurrir que los apellidos arriba mencionados varíen de la siguiente manera: JORANNECR MEGEPR JOCHANNES MEDER JORANNEUJ MEDEPR JOGAN MEDER JUAN MEDER JUAN MEIER Les agradecería algún dato que me puedan aportar. DESDE YA LES ESTOY ETERNAMENTE AGRADECIDOS. Mis datos personales son: GUSTAVO A.MARTINEZ BOMB.VOLUNTARIOS Nº 125 CHIVILCOY-BUENOS AIRES-ARGENTINA (6620) TE:0054-02346-15681849. _________________________________________________________________ MSN Amor: busca tu ½ naranja http://latam.msn.com/amor/