A Child's Home

» biogardener - First time sharing

I have never shared my 1945 experiences with anyone before. Talking about them was never an option, and even now, 55 years later, I have always avoided reminders of that time. I do not allow anyone in the house to turn the TV to war movies or to newscasts with war scenes.

Last year, though, the Kosovo refugee crisis triggered memories which I felt needed to be preserved for posterity. Writing became possible where talking triggered emotions to intense to deal with, but even in writing I have had to restrict myself to looking at one episode at a time.

During the week in which I wrote down those memories, I was dead to the world around me, my husband tells me, and heard no one talking to me. He had no clue as to what was going on in my mind, not even he had ever heard these stories from my perspective. He only knew what my parents had shared with him.

Kelly, you did a good job of lining these episode up to form a continuous story. I couldn't have done it. Maybe I need another 55 years before I could, but I am not likely to live that long. Thank you for prodding me to relive some more of these episodes. I have saved everything I sent to you, and maybe some day I will have the courage to do some more digging in my past. I probably won't do it voluntarily, but will need another push now and then.

-- posted by biogardener

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» Car - Small pushes...

You should traute! It's a story that deserves to be heard.

-- posted by Car

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» Dubh_Sidhe - What an awe-inspiring article!

An awe-inspiring article that should make us aware of our blessings. It is impossible to totally comprehend the magnitude of what Traute and her family indured as well as other innocents of war.

-- posted by Dubh_Sidhe

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» Tina_Coruth - Kelly, your have beautifully written

Kelly, your have beautifully written this most inspirational story.

Traute, you and your family are remarkable people.

Thank you both for sharing this.

Christina

-- posted by Tina_Coruth

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» biogardener - Other refugees here

We have at least one other former refugee here at the Suite. Renie Burkhardt was almost the same age as I when her native Hungary was invaded by the USSR. She is the contributing editor of "Nature Sketches".

A very dear internet friend, Lilo Ducommun, also was a refugee in 1945 Germany. She is the winner of the "1999 Inspirational Green Thumb Award". Considering our similar backgrounds, it is not too surprising that all three of us share basic life values.

-- posted by biogardener

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» Renie_Burghardt - Very inspirational

article, Kelly. War is hard on everyone, but especially hard on children, I think. My experiences were similar to Traute's. First, the war in the country of my birth, Hungary, was pretty terrifying, and I still get anxiety attacks when I dwell on some of the memories. Then, after the war was over, Soviet troops came into Hungary, and the people were suddenly held hostage, instead of celebrating the end of the war. When we finally managed to flee Hungary, in late 1947, we ended up in a refugee camp in Austria, where we lived for 4 years before good fortune smiled upon us, and allowed us to come to the United States.
I have written several articles on some of my experiences during the war and in the refugee camp in various magazines. But when I try to write about the bombings, and being buried alive, I must stop, for it comes back too vividly and makes me ill.

Peace should always be the objective, but, unfortunately, the nature of human beings stands in the way!

Very well written article, Kelly, and your topic is one of great importance. Let us hope and pray for peace!

-- posted by Renie_Burghardt

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» penpusher - More maybe?

I believe that there are more refugees and asylees in Suite 101. Most are low-profile, I am sure. Being a refugee or an asylee as a result of political or ethnic or religious persecution might have caused some forms of trauma and those brave survivors simply don't need the exposure from the public.

Prayers for those brave souls.

-- posted by penpusher

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» biogardener - Right Jennie

Right, Jennie, that is why I have never talked about these experiences and probably never will, and it took me 45 years before I would write about them for the first time. For the first 25 of those 45 years, I suffered from nightmares, and until last summer, I suffered from anxiety attacks every time I heard someone speak the Russian language. If you would like to know how I suddenly overcame that anxiety, read my article, Deliverance from Fear.

Wait another 45 years, and maybe then the survivors of the present horrors of war may also be ready to share their experiences. I only started sharing these experiences for one reason, and that is to tell the world,

"War is war and who cares who is right or wrong!"

-- posted by biogardener

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» biogardener - The Elian Gonzales story evokes memories

I have been watching the unfolding of the story of Elian Gonzales closely, the little Cuban boy who was taken from his Miami relatives' home yesterday. They had tried to keep him from returning to his Cuban father, claiming that American freedom is of greater value to a little boy than the love of his father.

That story hits close to home. I was the same age as Elian when my parents had to choose for me between the freedom of Australia with strangers or the oppression of Hitler's Germany with my own family. The oppression of the Hitler regime was being felt by my family sooner than by most and my parents also knew that the Russian invasion was inevitable.

Seeing the little Cuban boy united with his father inspired me to write the story of how my parents struggled with the choice they had to make for me and how that decision impacted on my life and personality.

-- posted by biogardener

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» biogardener - Kelly started something

I doubt that I will ever write my biography, but ever since Kelly and I worked on this article together, I have been writing vignettes of my memories. Yesterday was Canada Day and I was reminded of what it was like to be a new immigrant, yearning for my friends, my homeland, my mother tongue, and being asked to sing

"O Canada, my home and native land."

That is the dilemma which most immigrants face, and those who have not lived through the experience, often misinterpret the feelings of immigrants. This article should help them to understand immigrants to any country.

-- posted by biogardener

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