From: Joanne Tate (araratcc@NETCONNECT.COM.AU)
Date: Mon Apr 12 1999 - 18:55:39 PDT
Dear Lisa, I would also like to include your story on the Faces of War website if that is okay, Thanks Jo Tate -----Original Message----- From: Lise H <batlise@STIC.NET> To: MEMORIES@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU <MEMORIES@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Date: Monday, 12 April 1999 9:55 AM Subject: A question >I was looking at your site and I saw there was a place for WWII stories. > >My grandfather left East Prussia in order to not serve in Hitler's >army. He was allowed to immigrate under very strict watch of the SS. >When the time came for my grandparents and my mother and her older >brother to board the ship, my grandmother had a Keiser gold piece >soldered on a chain. My grandmother wore this necklace as a memory of >when my grandfather served in WWI. He had carried it and one other with >him thru the entire war in case he needed them. It was discovered when >they boarded and he was detained by the SS and questioned. After hours >of questioning, my grandfather said that if he was in American - he >would allowed a phone call. They asked him who he would call that would >help him. My grandfather was a personal friend of Walter Buch. He had >a friendly type letter from him in his pocket inviting my grandparents >to come up and see him while they were in East Prussia. The SS - at >that point - let him go. They had held the boat, and sailed for >Houston, Tx. > >The scary thing about this, is that my grandfather had onion skin paper >latters to mail when he got to Houston to people who could help Jews get >out of Germany before Hitler had taken full power. I know that the >decendants/relatives of these people are still around because they are >very well known in Houston. I am very proud of what my grandfather >did. I shudder to think what would have happened if those letters had >been discovered, and those people had not been allowed to leave. > >This is the outline of the story - it's not much longer - but I may be >able to scan a few pics - one of the letter, one of Walter Buch, one of >the gold piece and one of my grandfather. Is this what you are looking >for on your story page? > >Lise Hogan (not my mother's father's name...) >San Antonio, Texas >