pow series

Pieces From The Past - Final Wrap Up from Melva Loves Scraps

WWII ended in 1945 and the German soldiers left Camp Trinidad in January 1946 ~ 75 years ago. The most fortunate ones returned to their homes. The less fortunate discovered that their home and family were no longer there, and the least fortunate were captured and held in Russian POW camps. In October 1946, the Army ordered an appraisal of the camp facilities. It was the opinion of the appraiser that none of the facilities, structures or buildings would be of much use at the current site. Rather, all of the material and equipment was very much needed in the vicinity ...

added by Melva 3 years, 7 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Pride of Ohio from Melva Loves Scraps

This letter from 1949 was written 3 years after the closure of Camp Trinidad. Three years! It is the last of the letters that Phillip and Katie received from the men that worked in their sugar beet fields.

Riesa, Jan 30, 1949

Very honored Mr. Schleich!

Please forgive if I allow myself to approach you with a very large request. It is well known to you that we do not lie on a bed of roses here, and in this way to tell you how pleased we would be and how much good it would be to our bellies, if ...

added by Melva 3 years, 8 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Blockade from Melva Loves Scraps

Willi Baruschke Berlin-Tempelhof Nov 10, 1948

Berlin-Tempelhof

Friedrick-Wilhelm Street 88

To: Schleich Family

Trinidad-Model (Colorado) USA

Very honored Schleich family:

Can you remember the group of German POW officers, who in the summer of 1945 worked on your sugar beet farm? It was the group who, at the end of the work, presented you a small picture as a Thank You and a memento. I am one of that group.

I have often thought back to the lovely days spent in your family circle. Unfortunately, only just now am I able to write to you, because then, as we left ...

added by Melva 3 years, 9 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

A Happily Ever After from Melva Loves Scraps

After the last few letters I have shared from former German POWs I have felt defeated, saddened and depressed for the appalling conditions that were described in them.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an international memorial day on January 27th that commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, the genocide of European Jews by Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945. January 27th was chosen to commemorate the date that Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945.

Yesterday as I scrolled through social media I found this story. Often times the longer stories get skipped over because people can have a very ...

added by Melva 3 years, 9 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - Double T Block from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is a second plea for help... a follow-up of Klaus Hesselbarth's letter that was published with the The Rolling Stone Block (#13).

Jan. 18, 1948

Dear honored Mr. Schleich:

You will be surprised at receiving a letter from Germany. I am the mother of one of the German POWs who worked for you in the Summer and Fall of 1945. You would remember my son, he felt, since you always called him Fritz. You were always good and kind to my son and for that I thank you with my whole heart.

Great need makes it ...

added by Melva 3 years, 9 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Double Cross Quilt from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is from C.M. Lankau, typewritten and easy to read...

As the year nears the end of 1947, just a few months short of 2 years from when Camp Trinidad was shut down, it would seem that those that that lived in the Russian Zone of Germany were among those that struggled the most. With the lack of housing and food and the harsh winters must have seemed unimaginable and mind-boggling! It also seems fortunate for Mr. Lankau that his wife had relocated OUT of the Russian Zone, yet times are still hard... and he doesn't ...

added by Melva 3 years, 10 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Mini Corner Star Ornament - Pieces From the Past Bonus from Melva Loves Scraps

As I wrote the first Corner Star post I kept looking at the pattern and I knew that I wanted to use 1/4 of the block at a reduced size to make an ornament. There were many other tasks that needed to be addressed before I could sit and play. When I finally did, it took a couple of tries, but finally found the proper sizes. And I have to say that I am pleased beyond measure with the finished block.

As I read the accounting of a Christmas celebration at Camp Trinidad for the German POWs and how ...

added by Melva 3 years, 10 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series , to-do tuesday

Pieces From The Past - The Corner Star from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is from Gotthart Hauswald... son of Mase Hasuwald, the Postal Inspector that wrote to Phillip & Katie with Block #14 (The Owl Block) inquiring of how his son's health and general mood were when he was held at Camp Trinidad.

Oberseifersdorf

15-11-1947

Dear Mister Schleich!

I don’t know if you can remember we worked on your farm in the sugar beets.

My name is Hauswald and I was an American prisoner in the camp of Trinidad.

It’s a long time, but I could not write you, because when I came back to Germany, the Russians ...

added by Melva 3 years, 11 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Maple Leaf from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is from Erich Vogel and he had much to say! His writing was quite small and he includes plenty of details. If you close your eyes, you can almost feel as though you were there with him.

Glauchau, 11 August 1947

Very honored Mr. Schleich!

In the assumption that you will be interested to hear the fate of one of the POWs who worked for you. I want to give you, your family and acquaintances (Eckart) a small report from the old homeland. At the time, I belonged to the Ruhr Group and I often think back ...

added by Melva 3 years, 11 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Owl Quilt from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is short and sweet...

Oberseifersdorf uber Zittau 2

January 12, 1947

Worthy Mr. Schleich!

As the father of Gotthart Hauswold, who worked for you two years ago, I would like to inform you that he has arrived back in Germany. Unfortunately, he did not reach his homeplace, since he is away again in a Russian prison camp. On account of that, it seems that he is unable to get any messages to you either. I would like to hear if you were happy with my son’s work effort, and how his health and general mood were ...

added by Melva 4 years ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Rolling Stone from Melva Loves Scraps

Klaus Hesselbarth

Gut Wierlauke

(21?) Soest Land

Westfalen

Germany

Dear honored Mr. Schleich!

You will surely be very surprised to receive a letter from me. I worked at your farm when I was in the POW camp in Trinidad. I belonged at that time to the Ruhr Group. As we left and said goodbye to you, you told us to write to you sometime. Especially if it went bad for us and we needed something, we should feel free to turn to you. If it would be possible, you would help us. I now come today with a question. If ...

added by Melva 4 years, 1 month ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Pine Burr Quilt Block from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is from Mr. Christian Fruehbuss, a mixture of both the English and German language was written on Easter Sunday of 1947 - April 7th. The same date as the previous letter from Rudolf Kasulke, whose letter was censored... yet, Mr. Fruehbuss' was not. Perhaps they were mailed from different "zones", such as the British Zone (as noted in the address above) and the Russian Zone as referred to in the Kasulke letter or the American Zone as noted in Alfred ??chala's letter. But then again, according to the postmark on the envelope the letter was not mailed ...

added by Melva 4 years, 1 month ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Indian Star Salsa - Pieces From The Past from Melva Loves Scraps

August draws forth memories of canning and freezing produce... from the young age of 5 (50 years ago! What???)... I recall my Aunt Clara teaching my Mom how to can peaches.

Mom was pretty much a novice in the world of canning since her Mom wasn't much of a domestic goddess, but Mom was willing (maybe urged) to learn.

I recall dragging a chair over to the counter to help with the preparation of the jars and the fruit - nibbling on the discarded peels of the peaches as they carefully cut the peaches in half and then dropped them ...

added by Melva 4 years, 2 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - Indian Star from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is dated April 6, 1947 - nearly a full year since the first letter was sent, dated May 6, 1946. Notice that they were still censoring letters. The letter is written in English. However, again, for ease of reading, I have typed it out. Mr. Kasulke makes a desperate plea. Take a look...

Rudolf Kasulke

Bergen bei Frankfurt/Main

Offenbadger Landstr. 7

April 6, 1947

Dear Mr. Schleich,

Perhaps you would be surprised to receive a letter from me, having met last time about 1-1/2 year ago. You remember, I have been a Prisoner of War in ...

added by Melva 4 years, 2 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - Russian Sunflower from Melva Loves Scraps

Today's letter is from Alfred (last name unknown).

His handwriting is not of the best penmanship, and for that reason I have the transcribed the letter below. Even though the writing on the envelope is much better... you'll notice that even the envelope makes the last name unreadable...

Munich

December 11, 1946

Dear Mr. Schleich,

I hope that you will remember of me because I left already the United States several months ago. I am the former prisoner officer who has been working in your farm and at that time I gave you by leave the picture of ...

added by Melva 4 years, 3 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - Dragon Fly Part II from Melva Loves Scraps

The letter from Herbert Wenzel had a tiny PS at the end of the letter that I wanted to touch on...

A small experience of a friend of mine who is a watchmaker and is still in the old homeland: a Russian came to him with an alarm clock and asked him to use the alarm clock to him make a wristwatch.

I don't know about you, but when I think of vintage alarm clocks I envision something like this... Large and bulky.

I know they made smaller travel clocks as well, something like this one...

In the Kurt ...

added by Melva 4 years, 3 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - The Dragon Fly from Melva Loves Scraps

Herbert Wenzel's letter, dated November 18, 1946...

Hohenlimburg, Nov 18, 1946

Very Honored Mr. Schleich:

You will not know what to make of this writer. In June of last year, I was sent to work from Camp Trinidad, first with Mister Eckert and then, in the same group, with you in the sugar beet fields. We all hoped to also come help you with the harvest, but unfortunately we were employed elsewhere. We were then quickly discharged and started our homeward journey in San Francisco. The trip will remain unforgettable for me. But once in Europe, I had a ...

added by Melva 4 years, 3 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - Friendship Quilt from Melva Loves Scraps

Bremen, Germany
American Enclave
November 10, 1946

Dear Family Schleich!

You will be certainly astonished to receive a letter from a former German prisoner of war, who returned home three months ago.

Because you were the best farmer I ever worked for, I want to tell you that I like to remember those some days when I did farmwork at your farm. It was really a good job, the five days beet-topping at your farm (after three days by water-Hart) and I’ll never forget Trinidad, Colorado and the friendly family of Phil Schleich.

Before I continue my letter, I ...

added by Melva 4 years, 4 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

Broken World and Modern Broken Dish from Melva Loves Scraps

In the most recent published letter from Helmut Müller he implies that something big had happened either on August 21, 1946 or in recent days. Perhaps he was simply referring the atrocious conditions of Germany in general... buildings bombed and destroyed, living conditions were poor, not to mention the lack of food and work/income.

The men that have written all seem grateful for the jobs that they had. Ernst Ruehr found work in a nursery, while his brother worked for a farmer in Bavaria and Alert Baldauf obtained a position with the American Military Government.

As I researched for ...

added by Melva 4 years, 4 months ago. under no guilt::go quilt , pieces from the past , pow series

Pieces From The Past - Modern Broken Dish from Melva Loves Scraps

Another letter written in English, but I have typed it out for your reading pleasure so that you don't have to decipher the hand writing.

Jmpekoven b./ Bonn/RH
Waldstr 20, Germany
August 21, 1946

My dear Mister Schleich,

After being back in Germany I often remember the nice time at your farm. I should like to say once more many thanks to you for this beautiful time. But I must say that Colorado is a very beautiful country and I like to think of the sugar beet time at you and Mr. Eckert’s. How are you and ...

added by Melva 4 years, 5 months ago. under pieces from the past , pow series

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