[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] More on Germans in Poland

[Ed Sonnenburg]

The experiences my ancestors had in Poland were from 1930 to 1947.
In 1939 just before the war the Poles wanted my relatives to become Catholic
and become Polish citizens.  Since they refused they lost their work permits
and had to move deeper into Poland.
 
As I was reading Guenther's response a story came to my mind;
 
A man died and was standing at the Pearly Gates.  He saw that there were
many large holes.  In each hole was a different nation.  Beside each hole
was a guard except beside the German hole.  He asked why the Germans didn't
have a guard.  It was explained that whenever someone tried to get out of
the hole he would help his countrymen also get out of the hole, so that was
why a guard was needed.  The Germans didn't need a guard because when a
German tried to get out the others  just pulled him back into the dirt!
 
--------------
 
My grandfather had the opportunity to talk to a Russian officer during WW2
and
the officer told him that the Germans fought like demons but couldn't keep
their
mouths shut and gave away too many secrets.
 
-------Original Message------- 
 
From: Günther Böhm 
Date: 20/04/2007 3:43:18 AM 
To: Volhynian Listserver 
Subject: Re: [Ger-Poland-Volhynia] More on Germans in Poland 
 
Ed Sonnenburg schrieb: 
 
>Good suggestion to do a search but with all the experiences my GRs went 
>through in Poland a more appropriate search would be "Poland, the devil's 
>playground". Most of the older people I talk to get a bad taste in their 
>mouth and a scowl on their faces. A Polish proverb is "if it isn't nailed 
>down it is mine". In 1976 my parents visited Poland and talked to some 
>people. The Poles were still waiting for the Germans to come and get the 
>communists out of their country. 
> 
Good morning Ed, 
We should abstain from mixing up two completely different experiences: 
 
1. The expropriation and expelling of Germans from the present 
Poland, Russia and Czechoslovakia after WWII and 
2. A traditional German prejudice on Polish sincerity. 
 
Independently from being a prejudice, the second has NOTHING to do with 
The first. Shortly after WWII you could have called the Germans a 
'people of thieves'. Stolen were any kinds of crops from the fields, 
Coal and timber from the freighttrains, aliments from the allied 
Military canteens, whiskey and cigarettes from the PX shops, non-ferrous 
Metal from the railway tracks and factories, furniture from the ruins 
And so on. This action was commonly called 'organisieren'. 
 
The expropriation and expelling of Germans on the other hand was carried 
Out on the basis of allied treaties and none of the affected peoples - 
Neither the 'loosing' nor the 'winning' - was asked. But common 
Expropriation and expulsion wasn't invented by the allies. Hitler and 
The nazis were masters of it. 
 
Günther from Germany 
 
 
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