Cecelia: What a wonderful story! And Kuba, also. Both of you need to pursue your projects! Kuba, I think it is a great idea to go ahead and get the memories written down and worry later about getting them out to others. I used to work in a small town hospital and one night admitted an elderly man whose grandfather had started a bank in Hudson, Michigan years ago. I have always loved to hear old people tell their stories, so chatted w/ him at length about the history of his family and their place in Hudson's history. By the time the 3 generations lived there, they had lots of marvelous historical stories! This old gent had never married, but lived in a huge mansion and had collected hundreds of antiques over the years. Soon, his nephew came to visit him, his DPOA, and I mentioned the old gent's history. I said, "I hope you've written all this wonderful information down." He said, "No, he's got it all up here." pointing to his head. Well, of course, a few months later, the old gent passed away. His home has been made into a museum, but, no one got the important information down, right from the person who experienced it! So sad. So sad that most of us are too busy to keep journals, write stories, or feel too insignificant to think our stories matter! Sandy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cecelia" <cheinric@suddenlink.net> To: <poland-roots@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 1:35 PM Subject: Re: [POLAND] Has this happened to anyone else? > Yes, and, if you want the world to know, you could put it into a blog > or > make a website. Maybe even write a book. These days, besides the normal > publishing route, there is self publishing and also e-books. > My last older relative is in the hospital now, probably trying to die. > We were going to identify all the old family pictures and label them, and > as > we looked at the pictures, she was telling me all about the people, where > they lived, their family, and little stories about them. I was writing > down > everything she said! We didn't get very far, though, before she had a > stroke that affected her vision, then she had hallucinations from the > meds, > fell and broke her hip, refused to do therapy and has gone downhill ever > since. That has been about 2 years ago. > She had her feelings hurt when a university professor gathered stories > of people who had memories of the German Prisoner of War Camp that was in > a > town 7 miles from my hometown. My aunt had worked there as a secretary. > She told them that she wanted to share her story, but they published his > book without ever contacting her. I talked to someone with the local > historical group and they said that the interviews were done, but, if I > would interview her and write it up, they would add it online. That > satisfied my aunt a little. But she still didn't like it that she was > ignored and left out. > So, I have been working on that story for almost 2 years. She keeps > adding something to the story, or correcting me! > I have my own memories of going to that camp as a child, so I want to > add those. > I think it is sad that they wouldn't accept your relative's story. > I have a friend who is trying to find a publisher for a book she has > written in which she has interveiewed Hispanic WWII vets. She has some of > it online. But, as she looks for a publisher, her subjects in the book > are > dying. I feel sure that a university press would publish that book, but > she > wants to have a well known publisher. > I realized that I couldn't remember any of the stories that her father > used to tell, although people came from all over to listen to him, until > he > died at age 96-still active and working even on the day he died. So, I > started asking my aunt about what he would tell, and then she started > telling her own little stories. She is only 16 years older than I am, so > I > know a lot about what she was talking about. > She never married or had children, so my sister and I are all her > family > left (except for my daughter and grandsons). That family never threw > anything away and had safes and boxes at their stores where they kept > everything. I've been going through some of those and they are filled > with > "treasures". Old deeds going back to 1867 when the town was started, > abstracts, baptismal certificates, church and Sunday School certificates, > even every gas and electric bill, not to mention store journals. > I'm writing some of my own memories as people told me that they enjoy my > little stories. And I am putting those, along with my art work and some > photos, on my blog. After teaching journalism, and writing for > newspapers, > I have decided that I can't wait around for acceptance by a publisher. I > had better just get things down while I can still remember them, and am > still able to write! Online seems like the way to go, where things will > be > saved and others can enjoy what I have done. Then, maybe I can work on it > in book form. > My aunt, basically, refuses to eat, drink, open her eyes, take her > medicine. But, when I talk to her about some of the things we have talked > about, she sometimes adds something, or laughs. She is listening, but > just > won't try. She didn't want any feeding tube or anything like that. She > may > outlive us all, but it doesn't look good, some days. I'm still there, > with > my paper and pen and writing all the little tidbits down. I've been doing > that for about 4 years, when we talked on the phone, were in the car, or > visiting. > I hope that everyone will write down the little stories they share, and > their own stories. I'm also trying to draw things, like floorplans of > homes > and businesses, and memories, and putting those online. My daughter and > grandsons are not interested, but I wasn't either, until I read a journal > that a great-great aunt kept during the Civil War years. That came alive > for me. I left the research to my mother, until almost all the older > folks, including my mother, had died and I realized that there was a lot > that that hadn't done. After I retired, I thought I would take it upon > myself to label all the old family pictures that were not identified. > From > there it has grown to try to gather materials, preserve them, identify > things, and write down all the family stories. > Good luck in getting the story told. Sounds like you have a good book, > to me! Or whatever way that you would like to pursue things. > Cecelia in Texas > > > > >> Your father should write or transcribe his remembrances of the war. >> That way you will have them and if the museum wants them latter you will >> have them. >> >> Kuba > >>> visit to Poland this year. They were both present when Stare Miasto >>> fell in >>> Warsaw.Sept 1, 1944. They saw the atrocities at that time including >>> execution of their father; my aunt still can describe down to the last >>> detail the German SS officer who performed the executions. I felt >>> they had a >>> story to tell. With their permission I wrote to the Uprising Museum >>> to see >>> if there was opportunity of an interview and perhaps a more in >>> depth look at >>> the archives regarding Stare Miasto. I was summarily dismissed and >>> sent to >>> the Red Cross after waiting over two weeks for a response. I did >>> indicate I >>> was interested in any documentation with our name on it, but most >>> of my >>> letter was regarding their story. I was told they wanted to expand the >>> civilian side of the archive later..I do not understand. will this >>> be after >>> their witnesses die, so the story cannot be told in full? >>> >>> >>> >>> Sorry, I am confused >>> >>> Teresa McNeal >> > > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > Poland-Roots-admin@rootsweb.com > ---------------------------------- > Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as > long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: > researching our Polish roots. > ---------------------------------- > Browse the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

I loved both these stories too. I really enjoyed reading them, so thank you both for sharing them - I enjoyed yours too, Sandy! My mum died last year leaving a mystery behind her about her family: we are slowly unravelling this with the help of people on this mailing list, the nordrhein-westfalen mailing list, the LDS and the unfailing good humour and generosity of people on both mailing lists. I cannot emphasize enough the need to get things written down or recorded while the people who remember them are still with us. Usually, older people love to talk about the old days and their experiences ( sometimes they don't, however, if their past is painful) and when they do, it's imperative that the information be recorded. It might never be published, but hey, so what. Thank you all for telling these stories. Anne ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sandy Meeks" <susiem@cass.net> To: <poland-roots@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 6:07 AM Subject: Re: [POLAND] Has this happened to anyone else? > Cecelia: What a wonderful story! And Kuba, also. Both of you need to > pursue your projects! Kuba, I think it is a great idea to go ahead and > get > the memories written down and worry later about getting them out to > others. > I used to work in a small town hospital and one night admitted an elderly > man whose grandfather had started a bank in Hudson, Michigan years ago. I > have always loved to hear old people tell their stories, so chatted w/ him > at length about the history of his family and their place in Hudson's > history. By the time the 3 generations lived there, they had lots of > marvelous historical stories! This old gent had never married, but lived > in > a huge mansion and had collected hundreds of antiques over the years. > Soon, > his nephew came to visit him, his DPOA, and I mentioned the old gent's > history. I said, "I hope you've written all this wonderful information > down." He said, "No, he's got it all up here." pointing to his head. > Well, > of course, a few months later, the old gent passed away. His home has > been > made into a museum, but, no one got the important information down, right > from the person who experienced it! So sad. So sad that most of us are > too > busy to keep journals, write stories, or feel too insignificant to think > our > stories matter! > Sandy > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Cecelia" <cheinric@suddenlink.net> > To: <poland-roots@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 1:35 PM > Subject: Re: [POLAND] Has this happened to anyone else? > > >> Yes, and, if you want the world to know, you could put it into a blog >> or >> make a website. Maybe even write a book. These days, besides the normal >> publishing route, there is self publishing and also e-books. >> My last older relative is in the hospital now, probably trying to die. >> We were going to identify all the old family pictures and label them, and >> as >> we looked at the pictures, she was telling me all about the people, where >> they lived, their family, and little stories about them. I was writing >> down >> everything she said! We didn't get very far, though, before she had a >> stroke that affected her vision, then she had hallucinations from the >> meds, >> fell and broke her hip, refused to do therapy and has gone downhill ever >> since. That has been about 2 years ago. >> She had her feelings hurt when a university professor gathered stories >> of people who had memories of the German Prisoner of War Camp that was in >> a >> town 7 miles from my hometown. My aunt had worked there as a secretary. >> She told them that she wanted to share her story, but they published his >> book without ever contacting her. I talked to someone with the local >> historical group and they said that the interviews were done, but, if I >> would interview her and write it up, they would add it online. That >> satisfied my aunt a little. But she still didn't like it that she was >> ignored and left out. >> So, I have been working on that story for almost 2 years. She keeps >> adding something to the story, or correcting me! >> I have my own memories of going to that camp as a child, so I want to >> add those. >> I think it is sad that they wouldn't accept your relative's story. >> I have a friend who is trying to find a publisher for a book she has >> written in which she has interveiewed Hispanic WWII vets. She has some >> of >> it online. But, as she looks for a publisher, her subjects in the book >> are >> dying. I feel sure that a university press would publish that book, but >> she >> wants to have a well known publisher. >> I realized that I couldn't remember any of the stories that her father >> used to tell, although people came from all over to listen to him, until >> he >> died at age 96-still active and working even on the day he died. So, I >> started asking my aunt about what he would tell, and then she started >> telling her own little stories. She is only 16 years older than I am, so >> I >> know a lot about what she was talking about. >> She never married or had children, so my sister and I are all her >> family >> left (except for my daughter and grandsons). That family never threw >> anything away and had safes and boxes at their stores where they kept >> everything. I've been going through some of those and they are filled >> with >> "treasures". Old deeds going back to 1867 when the town was started, >> abstracts, baptismal certificates, church and Sunday School certificates, >> even every gas and electric bill, not to mention store journals. >> I'm writing some of my own memories as people told me that they enjoy >> my >> little stories. And I am putting those, along with my art work and some >> photos, on my blog. After teaching journalism, and writing for >> newspapers, >> I have decided that I can't wait around for acceptance by a publisher. I >> had better just get things down while I can still remember them, and am >> still able to write! Online seems like the way to go, where things will >> be >> saved and others can enjoy what I have done. Then, maybe I can work on >> it >> in book form. >> My aunt, basically, refuses to eat, drink, open her eyes, take her >> medicine. But, when I talk to her about some of the things we have >> talked >> about, she sometimes adds something, or laughs. She is listening, but >> just >> won't try. She didn't want any feeding tube or anything like that. She >> may >> outlive us all, but it doesn't look good, some days. I'm still there, >> with >> my paper and pen and writing all the little tidbits down. I've been >> doing >> that for about 4 years, when we talked on the phone, were in the car, or >> visiting. >> I hope that everyone will write down the little stories they share, and >> their own stories. I'm also trying to draw things, like floorplans of >> homes >> and businesses, and memories, and putting those online. My daughter and >> grandsons are not interested, but I wasn't either, until I read a journal >> that a great-great aunt kept during the Civil War years. That came alive >> for me. I left the research to my mother, until almost all the older >> folks, including my mother, had died and I realized that there was a lot >> that that hadn't done. After I retired, I thought I would take it upon >> myself to label all the old family pictures that were not identified. >> From >> there it has grown to try to gather materials, preserve them, identify >> things, and write down all the family stories. >> Good luck in getting the story told. Sounds like you have a good book, >> to me! Or whatever way that you would like to pursue things. >> Cecelia in Texas >> >> >> >> >>> Your father should write or transcribe his remembrances of the war. >>> That way you will have them and if the museum wants them latter you will >>> have them. >>> >>> Kuba >> >>>> visit to Poland this year. They were both present when Stare Miasto >>>> fell in >>>> Warsaw.Sept 1, 1944. They saw the atrocities at that time including >>>> execution of their father; my aunt still can describe down to the last >>>> detail the German SS officer who performed the executions. I felt >>>> they had a >>>> story to tell. With their permission I wrote to the Uprising Museum >>>> to see >>>> if there was opportunity of an interview and perhaps a more in >>>> depth look at >>>> the archives regarding Stare Miasto. I was summarily dismissed and >>>> sent to >>>> the Red Cross after waiting over two weeks for a response. I did >>>> indicate I >>>> was interested in any documentation with our name on it, but most >>>> of my >>>> letter was regarding their story. I was told they wanted to expand the >>>> civilian side of the archive later..I do not understand. will this >>>> be after >>>> their witnesses die, so the story cannot be told in full? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Sorry, I am confused >>>> >>>> Teresa McNeal >>> >> >> ********************************* >> Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at >> Poland-Roots-admin@rootsweb.com >> ---------------------------------- >> Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list >> as >> long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: >> researching our Polish roots. >> ---------------------------------- >> Browse the list's archives here: >> http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots >> Search the list's archives here: >> http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> > > > ********************************* > Need to contact the list manager? Write to Marie at > Poland-Roots-admin@rootsweb.com > ---------------------------------- > Discussion of Polish food, culture, and customs are welcome on the list as > long as the discussion stays pertinent to the topic of this list: > researching our Polish roots. > ---------------------------------- > Browse the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=poland-roots > Search the list's archives here: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/search?aop=1 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > POLAND-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >