[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] German culture in North Amercia; Was Re: Kwiatkowski - Bluemke

[Otto]

I just read all of Jerry's reply and stated, "Amen!."

On being German: (a generic catch-phrase)
When I started first grade in 1943 it coincided with the US entering  
into War in Europe.. .
I spoke only the German of my parents. (which my cousin Jürgen makes  
apologies for) :D
I did not know I was a "German". . . I asked my parents, "Who are  
these Germans they all talk about?" (Wir sind diese Leute 'German' die  
immer sprechen von?)
I saw my first and second grade female teachers, Anglo Saxon/English  
and flag-waving, as spike-heeled and whip wielding...  :D
The child in me still resents their bigotry expressed to me in front  
of all the class.  If they were alive I would still bean them with a  
well-aimed snowball... or two, or three. . . The memory and emotion of  
that little boy never ceases to amaze me.

As an old man I chide my old crony friends from the WW2 days that  
without my relatives none of them would have achieved hero status and  
couldn't tell war stories while drinking German beer.  (few realize  
that the nazi bit was similar to our US civil war, two sides to the  
issue and relatives died on both sides over it) The History Channel  
and Hollywood are in love with things German. Tom Cruise will release  
a film in December on Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg titled 'Valkyrie'.  
(plot to kill Hitler in east prussia) Claus was on the other side of  
the Nazi issue.

On German food:
So true!
We are being handed Bavarian and Austrian culture and food, from  
schnitzel to tortes under the catch-phrase "German".

I have no problem with finding Prussian/Polish food. I find all of the  
recipes and food I am familiar with, referring to wonderful dishes and  
desserts of nobility that gladden the heart.  Unless you are Austrian  
or Bavarian and delight in your ethnic foods and Lederhosen, look for  
Polish restaurants and Polish fare.  All of our foodstuffs are there!   
Type into Google "Polish recipes" and review what is offered to you.  
You will be delighted. Some of the best soup dishes in the world are  
Polish. One should not be hesitant to say "Polish". .  Hesitancy  
reminds me of my Anglo grade-school teachers...  -o.




On Sep 2, 2008, at 1:21 PM, Jerry Frank wrote:

> As a casual observation, though no means scientific, I have often  
> agreed with the "melting pot" term applied to immigration to the  
> United States.  Migrants there were generally quick to drop their  
> original language, etc. and blend into US culture, often losing  
> their connection to the homeland.  In Canada, I observe more of a  
> "stew pot" situation.  There is some blending to a unique Canadian  
> flavor while at the same time individual components clearly remain  
> to be seen and tasted.  While my Volhynian German cousins in  
> Michigan were worshiping and communicating only in English already  
> by the 1930s, those of us in Canada (2nd generation born here) were  
> still worshiping with the German language in the mid 1950s and  
> schools still offered instruction in German.   This is of course a  
> broad based observation and individual experiences will vary.
>
> One problem for me is that current German festivals of various sorts  
> always seem to emphasize the beer hall, lederhosen, and oomp-pah-pah  
> caricature of German culture.  This is NOT the culture of our  
> Russian German ancestors and yet some of our supportive societies  
> seem to think it is.  It would be nice to be able to define and  
> celebrate are more uniquely Russian German perspective but I'm not  
> sure that we know what that is.
>
> I have never been really accused of any problems associated with  
> German history though only a few years ago a Polish person asked if  
> I had any connection the infamous Hans Frank, Governor General of  
> Poland after the Nazi invasion.  I don't.  It is far more often  
> suggested that my roots must be Jewish because of my surname.   
> Again, it is not.
>
>
> Jerry Frank



. . .   Otto
          " The Zen moment..." wk. of March 23, 2008-
               ________________________________
                 "Each of us. . . A bundle of possibilities."