[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Germans in the Russian Army

[Penny Draper]

Dear List Members,

My great grandfather of German descent, Julius Gotz, was a veteran of 
the Russo-Japanese War, serving in 1904-5, and would have been 35 at the 
time.  He was in the Czarina's regiment, according to family lore, 
because of his height (over 6 feet). Julius had a farm in Michowice, 
Poland, and fruit was sent from the farm by barge at night to Warsaw for 
morning sale at market.  Upon discharge from the service, Julius walked 
home, following the Bsur/Syr? river, a LONG walk.  I've been told that 
his status as a veteran gave Julius certain advantages...for instance, 
he could not easily be arrested. Julius financed his cousins' passages 
to the US (my grandfather Emil, and his siblings Agusta and Gus Pekrul) 
in 1910 since Emil was 21 and would have been required to serve in the 
military. I believe that they left the country illegally. Evidently the 
political climate led Julius to the conclusion that war...and military 
service, was imminent. Eventually the entire family resettled in Lansing 
Michigan.  Coincidentally, a neighboring farmer  in Lansing was Ludwig 
Dier, who had been a bandmaster for the Czar's army
(two Pekrul siblings married Dier sibling neighbors in Lansing).  In 
hindsight Julius was wise to leave...his son stayed in Poland and 
inherited the family farm, and the WWII trials outlined below.

Julius' son Michael Gotz died in prison during WWII because he was 
caught helping his Jewish neighbors escape...part of an underground 
railroad effort.  Michael's son-in-law of German descent, William 
Gatzke, was serving in the Polish army when WWII commenced, went home at 
the defeat, and was subsequently conscripted into the German  army.  
Michael's son (also Michael), was conscripted into the German army at 
age 15/16 and served on the Russian front.  Michael's wife, Adelhaide 
nee Hopp, almost died in a concentration camp and was nursed back to 
health by one of the American soldier's who freed the camp (extra fruit, 
etc)... and Michael's daughter Frieda, also served in a work camp, 
though released just before Christmas in 1944.  Interestingly enough, my 
father, the nephew of Adelhaide Hopp Gotz, was one of the first American 
soldiers into one of the camps...though very doubtful that it was the 
one where his Aunt was interned.

Surnames: Pekrul, Brokop, Gotz, Roloff, Bettke in Swinary, Michowice, 
Wionczemin, Sady, Gombin (Gabin), Ilow, Stokow.
Fromholz in Stalluponen.

Sincerely,
Penny Pekrul Draper