[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Polish-German culture

[Uta Härtling]

Hello everyone,
I have not yet introduced myself, although have replied a couple of times to
messages. My name is Uta Hdrtling, I am 30 years old, married, and I live in
Kassel, Germany. I am researching my maternal grandmother's ancestors from
Wilhelmswalde/Borowo near Lodz in Middle Poland. I have a large collectiong
for this village covering mainly the years 1800-1830, from which I can give
information if needed. (It may take some time until I can reply, because I
have to search through everything to find the entries. The strong variations
in spelling make it difficult to put this collection in a data base, but I
am working on it.) Several families from Wilhelswald left and went to
Bessarabia about 1814, mainly to Kloestitz and Tarutino.

Now bach to our topic. My grandmother Alice Patzer was born in Wilhemswald
near Lodz. After her wedding to my grandfather Rudolf Lengert they lived in
Neutomischel, Posen. I have thought much about your questions about the
specific culture of these settlers. The only thing I could find in my own
family is the custom to usually treat illnesses without consulting a doctor,
as far as this is possible. My mother took us children to all te medical
check-ups offered here in Germany, but besides of this we have hardly ever
seen a doctor - we did not need him. Part of this are the Aloe Vera plants
my family owns for as long as we can remember. I have asked my mother about
this, and she told me, that her family "always" had these, even though she
has no idea whether they brought them with themselves when they had to leave
Neutomischel or whether they bought them or got them from relatives.
However, she told me that all her Russian-German cleaning ladies have asked
her for layers of these plants. They knew the Aloe Vera, even though I
cannot remember any of our other visitors who would have recognized these
plants. We use them to treat all kinds of cuts and bruises. I also use it
when my neurodermitis gets too bad for anything else. I would now like to
know whether others in this mailing list have the same custom.

The only other thing my mother remembered as typical was an exclamation her
father used which sounded like "Cholera" (emphasis on the second syllable).
She says she has no idea what it means, but suspected that it could be
Polish for cholera (what a surprise!).

This is all for the moment.
Uta