[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Re Vohlynian deportations

[Richard Benert]

Leo,

Many thanks for this informative note.  Every little piece of information helps
to fill in the gaps.  If anyone else can share information on how their family
was affected by the deportation, please do so!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Leo Gitzel" <lgitzel at telusplanet.net>
To: <ger-poland-volhynia at eclipse.sggee.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 11:05 PM
Subject: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Re Vohlynian deportations


> The following is an excerpt from a letter written by my grandfather to my
> father in Canada in April of 1915
>
> " Jetzt lieber Sohn benachrichtge ich dir vie es jetzt bei uns ist, der Kreig
> geht immer noch mit der gansen macht,man sagt, es werden jetzt grvsere
> schlachten vie je geschlagen ,aber vie es geht das vissen vir nicht.
> Bie uns hat man schon alles aufgeschreiben die Deutschen, das Land wieveil sie
> haben wieveil dei gebeiden wehrt sind, auch hat man getreide und mehl
> aufgeschrieben, man weis aber nicht warum. Man spricht das die Regierung uns
> wird raus schicken nach Russland oder Siberien, aus Polen hat man die
> Duetschen Leute alle raus geschickt, zuvor die Menner nachher die Frauen und
> Kinder es ist mit uns nicht sehr freulich, wir wissen nicht was es noch mit
> uns werden wirt"
>   Translation----
>
> "Now dear son I will bring you up to date as to how it is with us. The war
> goes on in full force. One hears that the coming slaughter will be greater
> than ever but we have no idea as to how the war is going. All assets of the
> Germans have been inventoried, how much land we have, the value of the
> buildings also the amount of grain and flour has been listed. One doesn't know
> why but it has been rumored that the government will send us to Russia or
> Siberia. Poland has already expelled the Germans first the men and then later
> the women and children. It's not a happy situation for us, we don't know what
> will become of us."
>
>  My grandfather was living in Marcelowka which, I was told, was about ten
> miles from Vladimir Volynsk.  Unfortunately my dad didn't speak much about
> what eventually happened to his parents and to my greatest regret I didn't
> have the good sense  to ask when I had the chance. As near as I can determine
> my grandfather died shortly after this letter was written. My grandmother and
> an aunt were taken to Germany were my grandmother died. The aunt eventually
> returned to Marcelowka and lived there until she died.
>
> Leo Gitzel
>
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