[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Re Vohlynian deportations

[Leo Gitzel]

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