Numerous folks have requested information on the results of my DNA analysis. (I used 23andMe to run my analysis.)
Animation of the structure of a section of DNA. The bases lie horizontally between the two spiraling strands. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The following links will hopefully provide an adequate review of the information I am willing to make publicly available. Should you desire additional information/ particulars, please contact me directly; I may, or may not, be willing to provide additional information.
Ancestry Composition – Ancestry Composition tells what percent of your DNA comes from each of 22 populations worldwide. The analysis includes DNA you received from all of your ancestors, on both sides of your family. The results reflect where your ancestors lived 500 years ago, before ocean-crossing ships and airplanes came on the scene.
During the latter stages of World War II, Luise Senger served as an executive administrative assistant in Luftgaukommando VII. She held the rank of Lieutenant. The photos in this gallery depict the building as it looked during the Third Reich and as it appears currently.
This giant building was the regional headquarters of the Deutsche Luftwaffe Luftgaukommando VII (German Air Force, Headquarters Air Command VII). Even today, there are many original ornaments in the shape of swastikas or helmets visible. The building, Prinzregentenstrasse 24-28, was built in 1938 by order of Hermann Göring for the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) headquartered in Munich Bavaria (München, Bayern). The building has two large “German” eagles at the entrance, window ‘grates’ are decorated with stylized swastikas, above the windows are placed stone images of WW1 German helmets.
Today, the 225 meter long building is used by the Bavarian Ministry of Science, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology.
I think that in the past almost all of my postings on Ancestry member hints have been negative. Well in the interest of fairness and sharing, I think this posting is perhaps a bit past due. I have to admit that as with most observations, there are many perspectives possible. So here is a personal tidbit offering a counter-point to my earlier Ancestry Member Tree Hint observations.
Like most genealogists, I make mistakes. I think it is safe to say that my mistakes are almost always simple accidents. At least, I can not think of a single situation where I have made an error on purpose. I don’t like admitting that I make errors but in all honesty, I do. Maybe others are more highly thorough and skilled than I and have a differing view. However, I digress.
Back to my story… today I found myself looking at my Senger family tree; and as you may already know almost none of my Senger data has been sourced from Ancestry (almost all of it has been obtained by my reading of West Prussian church records and my maintaining a photographic log of findings). I do, however, keep an FTM version of my family archive on Ancestry both on the chance that I might get a Historical Record clue as well as for redundancy and backup purposes. Although in all honesty, I never seriously thought I might actually find someone else in the Ancestry universe rummaging for information on my family members who lived in what was once West Prussia.
Well, I was wrong. I not only found one person, but, I found two. The second person was researching the Baarenhof Evangelische (Lutheran) Kirche (Church) and had found a second Anna Ziemen. Yes, it turns out there were two Anna Ziemen’s alive and attending the Baarenhof ev. Kirche in the late 1700s. Who’d a thunk! Not only were there two Anna Ziemens, but I had mistakenly used the data from the second Anna Ziemen for my Anna Ziemen (wrong husband, wrong death date). Oops!
Needless to say I have removed my error from my files. And, tomorrow, I intend to plow through the church records once again, page by page. This time I hope to find the correct version of my Anna Ziemen’s death record. Whether I do or not is, as yet, undetermined. But what I know for certain is, if I had not received this Ancestry Hint from another member’s tree, it might have been years before I ever stumbled on my mistake.
I guess it pays to read those hints. They can be helpful. But tread carefully and analyze thoroughly!
At this point, we believe that our research has produced a rather complete image of the Families and Children of Hermann Schepansky. If you know of additional source materials or information, we would love hearing from you.
HERMANN1SCHEPANSKY was born about 1754 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany1. Herman Schepansky was baptized in 1802 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany2. He died on 18 Dec 1824 in Schwansdorf, Westpreussen, Germany1.
He married (1) CATARINAANNAHEINRICHS (daughter of Jacob Heinrichs and Miss Koeller) on 06 Nov 1800 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany1, 2. She was born on 05 Aug 1781 in Kerbswald, Westpreussen, Germany1, 2. Catarina Anna Heinrichs was baptized in 1797 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 13 Jan 1857 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany1 .
He married (2) MARIACLAUSSEN on 13 Mar 1785 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. She was born about 17642. She died on 25 Feb 1800 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs:
They had the following children:
MARIA2 SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 17 Sep 1812 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 09 Aug 1825 in Schwansdorf, Westpreussen, Germany2.
JOHANN SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 12 May 1819 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
HEINRICH SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 09 Jan 1811 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. Heinrich Schepansky was baptized in 1827 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany2.
CORNELIUS SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 11 Feb 1806 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. He died on 27 Feb 1861 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany3.
He married (1) CORNELIA MARTENS on 14 Aug 1831 in Wengelwald, Westpreussen, Germany2 . She was born on 23 Nov 1795 in Campenau, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 11 Oct 1831 in Wengelwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
He married (2) CATHARINA MARTENS (daughter of Leonhard Martens and Susana Funck) on 04 Mar 1832 in Wengelwald, Westpreussen, Germany2. She was born about Jan 1809 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany 2.
He married (3) MARIA MARTENS (daughter of Jann Martens and Susana Funck) on 18 Jul 1837 in Neuheide, Westpreußen, Germany2. She was born on 16 May 1816 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 30 Oct 1849 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany3.
He married (4) ESTHER WILHELMINE SAENGER (daughter of Michael Saenger and Esther Euphrosine Landig) on 19 Feb 1850 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany3. She was born on 17 Jan 1828 in Zeyersniederkampen, Westpreussen, Germany3. She died on 05 Mar 1858 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany3.
He married (5) RENATE MIERAU on 26 Apr 1859 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany3. She was born about 1823. Cornelius Schepansky was baptized on 19 May 1823 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany2.
DAVID SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 06 Jul 1821 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
CORNELIUS SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 02 Aug 1801 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. He died on 26 Oct 1801 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
CORNEELIA SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 14 Oct 1817 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
CATHARINA SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 06 May 1824 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 02 Jan 1825 in Schwansdorf, Westpreussen, Germany2.
ANNA SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 18 Jul 1804 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 27 Jun 1807 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
ANNA SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Hermann Schepansky and Catarina Anna Heinrichs) was born on 09 Jan 1816 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Hermann Schepansky and Maria Claussen:
They had the following children:
JOHANN2 SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Maria Claussen) was born on 04 Sep 1794 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. He died on 06 Sep 1794 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
HEINRICH SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Maria Claussen) was born on 05 Sep 1792 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2. He died on 09 Feb 1801 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
HERMAN SCHEPANSKY (son of Hermann Schepansky and Maria Claussen) was born on 24 Dec 1785 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Thiensdorf- Marcushof Kreis Marienburg Mennonite Church (primarily: Mennonite Church USA Archives – North Newton, Kansas (Bethel College); also FamilySearch.org (LDS Church)).
ev. Kirche Zeyer, Zeyer Evangelische Kirche (Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany) (published and accessed via LDS (Familysearch.org)), Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA.
Note: This account is the product of numerous discussions, interviews and writings between Frieda geboren Wedhorn, her son Norbert Grohmann, and Mark Rabideau. Every effort has been made to remain true to the intent, content and events of this life altering time.
During the days preceding Frieda geboren Wedhorn’s capture and deportation by the Soviets, heavy fighting began in and around the Wedhorn family home in Orlofferfelde, Westpreußen. During this time, around March 1945, Soviet soldiers came to the Wedhorn farmhouse, took possession and refuge within it and while there they attacked and raped Frieda (geboren Wedhorn). Shortly after the rape, the Russians were forced to leave the farm, at gunpoint by their superiors, to re-engage in the heavy fighting against German defense forces in and about Orlofferfelde.
Immediately following the Soviet evacuation of Otto Wedhorn’s home and raping of his daughter (Frieda), Otto (Sr.) decided to take precautions to protect his daughter Frieda from further danger by hiding her in a secret double walled area within the family stable, near their home. This was the same area were the family had previously stored “surplus” food stocks obtained by Otto Sr. through his private butchering service. (Note: This private service was illegal during the war because each German was allocated a specific quantity of food via a government controlled food stamp system.)
Unfortunately, Otto’s plan nearly produced disastrous results. The family home was very exposed, standing on the highest ground in Orlofferfelde. The stable of the Wedhorn house was hit by incoming artillery fire; no one really knew whether the shells came from German or Soviet weapons. Shrapnel struck the family’s horse in the neck causing the horse to bleed to death; screaming, gurgling and terrifying Frieda with its death throes. Fortunately, Frieda’s hiding place, with her in it, remained intact; she was uninjured. (Note: During that same military engagement, the nearby farm house of Hermann Recht was struck by shellfire.)
Throughout this bombardment and shelling, the Wedhorn family, excepting Frieda Wedhorn who remained in her hiding place, spent the night cowering in a tiny, dank, basement under the family home. The cellar was cold and wet; water soaked the floor. Frieda believes her mother, Ella Wedhorn, contracted a lung infection during this time, weakening her immune system. Frieda believes that this infection ultimately resulted in her mother, Ella, contracting a fatal case of typhoid when she was later incarcerated by the Soviets in an Elbing assembly camp.
The following day the Wedhorns along with Emma Recht, the wife of Ernst Hermann Ferdinand Recht, decided to leave for a safer house in the nearby town of Orloff. (Note: Emma Recht had come to the Wedhorns in January 1945 when the Russians over ran Tilsit in Ostpreußen; she was Ella geb. Recht and Otto Wedhorn’s sister-in-law. Her husband Ernst Recht had been conscripted to fight in the Volksturm and had been reported as missing in action. Ernst was brother-in-law to Otto Wedhorn Sr. and brother of Ella geboren Recht.) Ella Wedhorn (Recht), Otto Wedhorn (Jr.) and Emma Recht were the first to evacuate. Otto Wedhorn (Sr.) stayed with his daughter Frieda who remained in her stable storage hiding area; father and daughter waited until there were fewer Soviet troops nearby before attempting their escape. Early during the battles around Orlofferfelde, the Red (Soviet) Army had brought numerous horses to the Wedhorn stable for shelter; these remained even after the Soviets resumed fighting. As a result, it was not easy getting Frieda out of her hiding place and through the crowd of animals to safety. But finally, Otto Sr. and Frieda managed to sneak out; it was very early in the morning, quite dark, very cold and there was a thick blanket of snow. Fighting and bombardment continued in the area, but it no longer centered on their home. Frieda remembers seeing shells from a “Stalinorgel” (Soviet multiple rocket launcher) flying above her and her father in the early morning sky. The ground was covered by newly fallen snow; as she and her father walked they tripped over what looked like piles of snow in the fields. These ‘snow piles’ were actually the dead bodies of young men in Soviet and German uniforms who had fallen in the battles the days before.
Frieda and her father, Otto Sr., were not able to catch up with the rest of the Wedhorn family because they were arrested by Soviet soldiers. Instead of rejoining their family, they were brought to a house which was being used as a Soviet command post. In this house, there were already a lot of German civilians. There were also Poles who took all valuables away from the incoming Germans. While they were being held in this ‘command post’, Frieda noticed Ella, Otto (Jr.) and Emma Recht out on the street being force marched under gunpoint by Soviet military personnel. Only years later did Frieda learn, from her brother Otto, that the Wedhorn family, as well as the escorting Soviets, knew that she and her father (Otto Sr.) were being held and interrogated in the Soviet command post. But, family members were not allowed to talk to each other; and, instead were kept separate and forcibly removed to different assembly points.
Eventually, Frieda Wedhorn was jailed in a basement together with other German women scheduled for deportation to Soviet labor camps. Fortunately, Otto Wedhorn (Sr.) was not put on the list for deportation due to his old age (66); he tracked Frieda to each of the holding facilities to which the Soviets brought his daughter, all the way to Elbing. Shortly before Frieda was to be transfered to Insterburg, her father (Otto Sr.) managed to talk to her through the window of her basement prison cell, informing her of the bad news that she was to be deported to the Soviet Union and incarcerated in a forced labor camp. He informed Frieda that he would look for the other family members and try to bring them back home. As it turned out, he was not able to find anyone and he went home alone.
Over the next days, Otto’s daughter Käthe, his son Otto and even his mother-in-law Else Auguste Recht (Ekrut) showed up at the family farm. By the time Otto Sr. arrived home, the Soviet soldiers had stripped every “standing” home of whatever the soldiers could carry with them. The Soviets had thrown all the furniture and possessions which they could not carry or did not want out of the houses and onto the fields and the streets. As the remnants of the Wedhorn family returned to Orlofferfelde, they rummaged through the fields and streets to see what might be salvageable for use.
Later when Else Auguste Recht (Hermann Recht’s second wife) returned to Orlofferfelde from her unsuccessful evacuation attempt, she was unable to speak about what had happened to her husband Hermann Recht. She seemed to be in shock and was quite out of her senses. None of the remaining family members were allowed to go to Zeyersvorderkampen to discover Hermann’s fate. They learned much later that Hermann Recht had drowned or been murdered; and his body had been found in the Nogat River.
Following Frieda Wedhorn’s capture and incarceration by the Soviets in March/April 1945 near Elbing, Westpreußen, she was transported by truck to Insterburg, Ostpreußen. From there, she was transferred to a cattle car on a train for her journey into the Soviet East; this trip took about two weeks. While traveling through the ‘new’ Poland, Soviet troops had to “protect” the German women on the cattle train from the attacks of marauding Poles.
It became increasingly cold as the train moved Eastward. Every morning, the Soviet minders had to break ice off the train cars in order to open the doors and remove the corpses of the freshly dead German women/ prisoners. The rations for the captive German women consisted of hard bread, dry cheese and a bucket of water for drinking. There were only a few survivors by the time the train arrived at the Gulag. (Notes: The actual location of Frieda’s incarceration remains unknown; our search for information continues. But given the German women were civilians, Frieda believes the Soviets did not maintain incriminating documents which could be used to illuminate the acts of the Soviets who kidnapped and killed many of those Germans. Most certainly Frieda has no record(s) of her incarceration and servitude. We are working with the DRK Suchdienst to see if they are able to source any documentation regarding Frieda Wedhorn’s ordeal.)
What is known with respect to Frieda’s internment time and deportation is that she was incarcerated in two different labor camps and one POW Camp. The first labor camp was several hundred kilometers east of Moscow. In this camp, German women were forced to do heavy labor such as the manual unloading of coal from trains. Half of the approximately 800 German women in this camp died within the first six months that Frieda was interred. After about 12 months (perhaps in early 1946), Frieda was transfered to a second camp (Gulag). Her transfer was accomplished partly by train and partly by forced march. We know this happened in winter because Frieda recalls that she was forced to walk across the frozen Volga river. At the second camp, Frieda was forced to pile peat moss and/or still wet bricks for drying before they were fired. For a short time period, she was incarcerated in a third Gulag, this was a German POW camp where she cared for wounded and injured German soldiers. The conditions in each of the camps were horrific.
Shortly before being released in 1947, the few surviving German women, including Frieda, were forced to sign an unintelligible (to them) Russian document. Frieda remembers that the few survivors joked, they had probably just signed their own death sentences.
In the end, Frieda came away from her two plus year ordeal with a single document; it looks something like a birth certificate and is written in Polish. It is possible that the document might actually be a translation of a German original. (Hopefully we will obtain a copy and be able to translate its contents.) Every other material possession of Frieda Wedhorn was lost. Still somehow, she managed to escape with her life. She finally arrived and was released to a West German reception camp in Frankfurt/Oder in 1947.
As for the rest of the Wedhorns:
Otto Wedhorn Senior was fortunate and survived the conflagration. Otto and the surviving members of the Wedhorn Family, with the exception of Frieda, were expelled into what became the German Democratic Republic (DDR- Deutsche Demokratische Republik; the Soviet Zone of Germany). In 1963, Otto Wedhorn (Sr.) died in a hospital near Fichtenwalde, a few days after having a stroke (Gehirnschlag). He was 84 years old. His daughter Kaethe was with him up to his end; but his daughter Frieda, could not visit him any more after the Berlin Wall was built in 1961.
Ella Recht was raped by invading Soviet troops in her home in Orlofferfelde. In that same time period, Ella Recht’s deportation to the Russian Gulags was not undertaken because she had contracted typhus. The Russians let her go due to the risk of spreading infection. Ella died in a hospital in Elbing on May 18, 1945. It was her silver wedding day.
Emma Recht was the „Schwiegertochter“ (daughter-in-law) of Hermann Recht and the “Schwägerin” (sister-in-law) of Ella geboren Recht and Otto Wedhorn, Sr. Emma Recht later found her husband; Ernst Hermann Ferdinand Recht had been reported missing in action after having been conscripted into the local “Volkssturm” together with many old men and young teenage boys. They both managed to survive the war; sadly, they had lost both of their sons (Ernst Recht and Egon Recht). Following the war they lived near Potsdam.
With the erection of the Berlin wall in 1961, the ‘Brandenburg/ Potsdam’ branches of the Wedhorn family became, what was for most of its older members, permanently separated from their Western German relatives.The remnants of the family re-united when Germany reunified in 1990 (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung).
And as for Else Recht geboren Ekrut:
Otto Wedhorn Jr. reported that after the end of WW2, when the Soviets turned governmental administration in Westpreußen over to the Poles and ethnic Germans were being expelled from Poland, Else Auguste Recht (geb. Ekrut?) did not flee with the remaining members of the Wedhorn family to Fichtenwalde, near Berlin. Rather than joining Otto Wedhorn’s sisters in Fichtenwalde, she is believed instead to have fled to Danzig where she likely still had family or friends. It was at this time the Wedhorns lost contact with her.
Another family story reports that Soviet occupation troops “beat, assaulted and threw Else into the Nogat river” near the Senger farm in Zeyersvorderkampen, Westpreussen.
This page is under development; research is on-going
Note: additional source materials are currently being obtained.
Aside from the birth records of Samuel Ferdinand Recht and Caroline Henriette Sczepanski we have very sparse information regarding the lives and existence of our couple and their family/ children.
Samuel Ferdinand Recht (Birth & Baptism)
Caroline Henriette Sczepanski (Birth & Baptism)
The second place we find the couple mentioned with certainty is in the marriage record of their son Johann Hermann Recht to Auguste Kunz. There we find mention of them and their deaths having occurred before the Recht-Kunz marriage in Ellerwald, Kreis Elbing.
Additionally, we have found evidence of one Samuel Recht living in Elbing from the years of 1866 to 1881. From 1884 on we find no further clues of his existence. In the years following 1881, he also does not appear in either Ellerwald or any of the Zeyer communities. We are not certain if this is our Samuel Ferdinand Recht (we need more information before making that assertion). Here is what we have thus far:
1866 Schiffsholm 7. – Matrose (Sailor)
1867 Schiffsholm 7. – Matrose (Sailor)
1870 Wasserstrasse 6. – Steuermann (Helmsman)
1874 Wasserstrasse 6. – Steuermann (Helmsman) und Schankwirth (Innkeeper)
1876 Schiffsholm 8. – Steuermann (Helmsman)
1881 Schiffsholm ?. – Schiffer (Skipper, Mariner)
1884 and on not in Elbing Addressbooks
Based upon conversations with Frieda geboren Wedhorn (a grand daughter of Hermann Recht, Samuel Recht’s son?), we do not know whether or not Hermann Recht had brothers or sisters. Frieda does not remember anyone, during her time in Westpreußen, ever mentioning anything indicating that Hermann had any siblings.
Frieda did, however, remember that Hermann Recht had mentioned living in Ellerwald.
This page is under development;
research is on-going
Note:This material/ history is truly in heavy development.
Any/ all suggestions or pointers are most appreciated!
Johann Recht had two, perhaps three, marriages. His first documented marriage was with Elisabeth Barwich (Baarwich)- our progenitor; his second documented marriage was with Florentine Barwich (a cousin? of Elisabeth). As far as we can tell, Johann and his families lived in and around the Zeyer ev. Kirche until Johann’s death. Johann’s death record indicates that he died on 7 September 1854 at the age of 54 years and 10 months (0 days). He was buried evangelisch in the Zeyer ev. Kirche graveyard. Based upon Johann’s documented age at death, we calculate his birth to have been 7 November 1797 (location undetermined; records are being sought). At the time of his death Johann Recht (the elder) had 5 living children- Johann age 17, Samuel age 12, Ferdinand age 10, Florentine age 8 and Caroline age 3.
Marriage I.
‘unknown’
Marriage Date: date & location: assumed Zeyer ev. Kirche Wife’s Birth: unknown (under investigation) Wife’s Death: unknown (under investigation) Wife’s Occupation: …
It is our belief that the Johann aged 17 (son of Johann the elder) and alive at the time of his father Johann’s death must have either had his age noted in error or been from a first (as yet undocumented marriage).
Marriage II.
to Maria Elisabeth Barwich (Baarwich)
Marriage Date: 10 November 1838 in the Zeyer ev. Kirche
Wife’s Birth: about 24 November 1817 (under investigation) Wife’s Death: 19 February 1841; cause of death were complications arising from child-birth (Samuel Ferdinand). Wife’s Occupation: …
At death, Maria Elisabeth had two (2) living children, Johann Jacob age 1 1/2 years and Samuel Ferdinand aged 8 days.
Marriage III.
to Florentine Barwich (Baarwich)
Marriage Date: 22 June 1841 in the Zeyer ev. Kirche Wife’s Birth: unknown (under investigation) Wife’s Death: unknown (under investigation) Wife’s Occupation: …
Residence
Johann and his families were resident as follows:
Residence in 1838- 1852: Zeyersniederkampen, Kreis Elbing (Westpreußen)
Children
Children with unknown marriage I:
Johann
Born: about 1835 (under investigation) Death: unknown (under investigation)
At this point, we believe that our research has produced a rather complete image of the Families and Children of Cornelius Schepansky. If you know of additional source materials or information, we would love hearing from you.
CORNELIUS1SCHEPANSKY was born on 11 Feb 1806 in Kerbshorst, Westpreussen, Germany 1. Cornelius Schepansky was baptized on 19 May 1823 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany1. He died on 27 Feb 1861 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
He married (1) CORNELIAMARTENS on 14 Aug 1831 in Wengelwald, Westpreussen, Germany 1. She was born on 23 Nov 1795 in Campenau, Westpreussen, Germany1. She died on 11 Oct 1831 in Wengelwald, Westpreussen, Germany1.
He married (2) CATHARINAMARTENS (daughter of Leonhard Martens and Susana Funck) on 04 Mar 1832 in Wengelwald, Westpreussen, Germany1. She was born about Jan 1809 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany1. He divorced Catharina before 18371.
He married (3) MARIAMARTENS (daughter of Jann Martens and Susana Funck) on 18 Jul 1837 in Neuheide, Westpreußen, Germany1. She was born on 16 May 1816 in Marcushof, Westpreussen, Germany1. She died on 30 Oct 1849 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
He married (4) ESTHERWILHELMINE SAENGER (daughter of Michael Saenger and Esther Euphrosine Landig) on 19 Feb 1850 inZeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2. She was born on 17 Jan 1828 in Zeyersniederkampen, Westpreussen, Germany2. Esther Wilhelmine Saenger was baptized on 20 Jan 1828 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 05 Mar 1858 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany 2.
He married (5) RENATEMIERAU on 26 Apr 1859 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2. She was born about 1823.
Cornelius Schepansky and Cornelia Martens
They had no children.
Cornelius Schepansky and Catharina Martens
They had the following children:
MARIA2 SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Catharina Martens) was born on 07 Apr 1833 in Hoehenwald, Westpreussen, Germany1. She died on 03 Jun 1833 in Hoehenwald, Westpreussen, Germany1.
CATHARINA SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Catharina Martens) was born on 26 May 1834 in Schwansdorf, Westpreussen, Germany1. She died on 24 Jun 1834 in Schwansdorf, Westpreussen, Germany1.
HERMAN SCHEPANSKY (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Catharina Martens) was born on 16 Jan 1836 in Kronsnest, Westpreussen, Germany1.
Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens
They had the following children:
ANNA MARIA2 SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 25 Oct 1849 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Anna Maria Schepansky was baptized on 04 Nov 1849 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
JOHANN JACOB SCHEPANSKY (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 26 May 1843 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Johann Jacob Schepansky was baptized on 01 Jun 1843 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
HEINRICH CORNELIUS SCHEPANSKY (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 23 Nov 1845 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Heinrich Cornelius Schepansky was baptized on 07 Dec 1845 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
WILHELMINA JUSTINA SCHEPANSKY1 (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 19 Feb 1839 in Schlammsack, Westpreußen, Germany3.
Wilhelmina Justina Schepansky1 was baptized on 21 Feb 1839 in Neuheide, Westpreußen, Germany3.
ANNA MARIA DOROTHEA SCHEPANSKY1 (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 27 Jan 1838 in Schlammsack, Westpreußen, Germany3.
Anna Maria Dorothea Schepansky1 was baptized on 11 Feb 2012 in Neuheide, Westpreußen, Germany3.
CATHARINA ELISABETH SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 23 Apr 1840 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died on 01 Jun 1840 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Catharina Elisabeth Schepansky was baptized on 03 May 1840 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
MARIA FRIEDERIKA SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 19 Jun 1848 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Maria Friederika Schepansky was baptized on 29 Jun 1848 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
HEINRICH FERDINAND SCHEPANSKY (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 14 Apr 1842 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Heinrich Ferdinand Schepansky was baptized on 01 May 1842 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
HEINRICH AUGUST SCHEPANSKY2 (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 25 Feb 1847 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Heinrich August Schepansky2 was baptized on 04 Mar 1847 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
CAROLINE HENRIETTE SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Maria Martens) was born on 16 Mar 1844 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2. She died about 1890 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany4.
She married Samuel Ferdinand Recht (son of Johann Recht and Maria Elizabeth Barwich) before 1869. He was born on 12 Feb 1841 in Zeyersniederkampen, Westpreussen, Germany2. He died about 1890 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany4.
Caroline Henriette Schepansky was baptized on 25 Apr 1844 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Cornelius Schepansky and Esther Wilhelmine Saenger
They had the following children:
ESTHER WILHELMINE 2 SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Esther Wilhelmine Saenger) was born on 18 Feb 1858 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Esther Wilhelmine Schepansky was baptized on 11 Mar 1858 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
JOHANNE CAROLINE SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Esther Wilhelmine Saenger) was born on 08 Dec 1853 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Johanne Caroline Schepansky was baptized on 18 Dec 1853 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
JOHANN JACOB SCHEPANSKY (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Esther Wilhelmine Saenger) was born on 23 Mar 1856 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Johann Jacob Schepansky was baptized on 29 Mar 1856 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
MARIA ELIZABETH SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Esther Wilhelmine Saenger) was born on 06 Nov 1850 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Maria Elizabeth Schepansky was baptized on 17 Nov 1850 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
ALVINE WILHELMINE SCHEPANSKY (daughter of Cornelius Schepansky and Esther Wilhelmine Saenger) was born on 29 Jul 1852 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Alvine Wilhelmine Schepansky was baptized on 08 Aug 1852 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Cornelius Schepansky and Renate Mierau
They had the following child:
JOHANN GUSTAV2 SCHEPANSKY (son of Cornelius Schepansky and Renate Mierau) was born on 08 Feb 1860 in Ellerwald, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Johann Gustav Schepansky was baptized on 19 Feb 1860 in Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany2.
Sources
Thiensdorf- Marcushof Kreis Marienburg Mennonite Church (primarily: Mennonite Church USA Archives – North Newton, Kansas (Bethel College); also FamilySearch.org (LDS Church)).
ev. Kirche Zeyer, Zeyer Evangelische Kirche (Zeyer, Westpreussen, Germany) (published and accessed via LDS (Familysearch.org)), Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA.
ev. Kirche Neuheide, Neuheide Evangelische Kirche (Neuheide, Westpreussen, Germany)(published and accessed via LDS (Familysearch.org)), Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA.
Baarenhof Evangelisch Kirche (Baarenhof, Westpreussen, Germany) (published and accessed via LDS (Familysearch.org)), Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA.
numerous, Elbing Adressbücher (multiple years from 1820- 1937 available through numerous sources), ManyRoads.
This page is under development; research is on-going
Michael Senger and Adelgunde Kiehl were married in the area immediately adjacent to Jungfer/ Zeyer in West Prussia around 1868 (we continue to search for their marriage record). In addition to having built the family farm in Zeyersvorderkampen, they had thirteen (13) children of whom seven (7) survived to adulthood. Six (6) sons went to war (World War 1) and three (3) returned.
This page is under development; research is on-going
The family of August Kunz and Elisabeth Albrecht lived in Neuteicherwalde in Kreis Marienburg, Westpreussen (West Prussia). August was a Hofbesitzer (Farmer). It is believed that Hermann Recht and Auguste geboren Kunz inherited the family farm with their marriage shortly following the death of August Ferdinand (facts are being researched to confirm this). We do know that as late as 1895 Elisabeth continued to live in Neuteicherwalde (even after Hermann and Auguste Recht had moved to Pietzkendorf). This fact is confirmed via the birth and baptismal record of Erich August Albrecht.
August Ferdinand Kunz (was born on 7 Feb 1844 in Neuteicherwalde the son of Andreas Kunz and Caroline Concordia Woelke) he married Catherine Elizabeth Albrecht (born on 10 Aug 1842 in Neuteicherwalde the daughter of Georg Albrecht and Marie Schroeder) on 3 January 1869 in Neuteicherwalde. (page 152 Baarendorf ev. Kirche)
During their marriage August Ferdinand Kunz and Catherine Elisabeth geboren Albrecht had 5 children of whom perhaps only two survived into adulthood. This included:
Name: Auguste Alvine Caroline (wife of Hermann Recht).
Birth: 2 Sept 1869
Baptism: 10 Oct 1869
Death: 6 Oct 1916
Burial: 12 Oct 1916
Name: Johanna Elise
Birth: 15 Sept 1870
Baptism: 2 Oct 1870
Death: 17 Nov 1870
Name: Georg Andreas Ferdinand
Birth: 10 Mar 1872
Baptism: 7 Apr 1872
Death:
Name: Otto Richard
Birth: 1 Oct 1873
Baptism: 2 Nov 1873
Death: 24 Dec 1882
Name: Friedrich Gustav
Birth: 18 Jan 1875
Baptism: 21 Feb 1875
Death: 21 Feb 1875
Catherine Elisabeth geboren Albrecht died in 1916 approximately two months after her daughter Auguste. It is probable that she had been in residence with the Recht’s in the last years prior to Auguste’s early death from Gout.
This page is under development; research is on-going
Hermann Recht and Auguste Kunz were married in Baarendorf ev. Kirche Kreis Marienburg, West Preussen. Johann Hermann Recht, born 16 June 1869 in Zeyersniederkampen,
married Auguste Alvine Caroline Kunz on 10 March 1891 (page 192 Baarendorf ev. Kirche).
Based upon an oral family history obtained by me from Luise geboren Senger, their grand-daughter, this marriage took place just after the death of Auguste’s father, August Ferdinand Kunz. We are also in the process of attempting to source these records.
Hermann and Auguste had five children, that we have identified, four of which lived into adulthood. The children were:
Because of the generosity of newly found cousins in Germany (we are jointly descended from Hermann Recht & Auguste geboren Kunz), ManyRoads is now able to provide additional images and insights into the extended family of Hermann Recht and Auguste geboren Kunz. (more photos and data will appear here over the next months).
It is often unbelievable what the universe has in store for you. Today, I received a small insight. A cousin of mine, Norbert Grohmann contacted me. Mind you, I had no idea that I had a cousin by that name or that his part of the family had even survived the Second World War. My mother, my primary source for such information, had not even known. But today a message (comment) came to me here on ManyRoads and it was Norbert… my cousin (Gott sei dank!).
Since early this morning, we have numerous email exchanges. I have gathered photos and information from Norbert. He has been exceedingly generous. I have incorporated the information here and look forward to hearing and gathering more. I rejoice in this extension of my family. I rejoice in our resilience and ability to survive.
The links below include the data I have enhanced with the help of my newly found family….
It was another one of those days a genealogist only dreams of… one, when a huge brick wall comes tumbling down. Today my daughter and I were reading through our latest bunch of 11 Family History Center tapes, hoping to eek out a simple clue regarding our Prussian German forebears. We had already viewed 9 tapes when on our 9th tape we saw a birth/baptism record for Eduard Ferdinand Kunz. The name Ferdinand Kunz had appeared as being in attendance at my great aunt (Tante) Ella’s baptism. Did we have the right family?
As readers of ManyRoads may already know, Auguste Kunz (my Uhr-Oma) on my grandmother’s line has been a mystery to everyone. We did not know where the Kunz’s were from, where they lived, who they were. In other words, they were a seriously challenging ‘brickwall’. No more.
Happily, I can say that the Kunzes are now ‘better’ known to us. We have found them! By the time we reached page 109 of the Baarenhof Baptisms (Taufen), we had found the birth of Auguste Alvina Caroline Kunz.
By page 240, we had found the ‘key’ birth of Elsie Hedwig Erna Recht (my Tante Erna) born to Hermann Recht and Auguste geboren Kunz.
Yes! We have found our family. They lived in what once was Neuteicherwalde near Baarenhof, Kreis Marienburg, Westpreussen (Baarenhof, Marienburg County, West Prussia). Auguste’s parents were August Ferdinand Kunz and Catherine Elisabeth geboren Albrecht.
We have now ordered the marriage tapes for the church as well as the available death records. We will analyze and edit the images we have and build a more complete image of our family. We most certainly hope to uncover more!
Ah, what a day.
27 September 2011 Update:
For those of you who pay really close attention to ManyRoads, you will remember that last week, we had actually identified the wrong Auguste Kunz as being our forebear!
Yep, nearly 100 years without data and now we are knee deep in potential! As I reviewed our images and documents last week, a second Auguste Kunz appeared; she was born in 1869. My mother had always said that her grandmother was born around 1870/1871. This second Auguste was closer to that date, but we could not be certain. I had already gone to press once, too quickly!
Then the Parker FHC (Family History Center) called and said a new tape had arrived for us. It was the Ladekopp Church (ev. Kirche) death records through 1920. My mother had always said that her grandmother had died around the end of WW1. And sure enough, in this new set of records we had the death of Auguste Recht geboren Kunz document as being on 6 Oct 1916 with burial on 12 Oct 1916. The document said that she was 47 years 1 month and 4 days at death. Calculating backwards from the death date to the birth date we had a match with our second Auguste Kunz. O-Oma was found, for certain, this time!
As I stared at the image of her death document, a very peculiar item lay immediately below her death- the death of her mother! My O-O-Oma was found! She died on 10 December 1916 in Pietzkendorf. She was 74 years 3 months and 29 days; which according to my feeble calculations has her birth as being 11 August 1842. I am in awe of these finds.
More records are on their way. Who knows what we’ll find next…
As many of you are aware, I have been trying to decipher a Russian document that Soviets created as justification for sending my grandmother into a Gulag following WW2. To help me with my sleuthing, I have found and used the following tools:
What I did to help me in my search was to carefully look at the Cyrillic script and attempt to define each letter using the script as presented on the site at item 1 above. Once I found (or thought I found) the script letters, I entered them in using the Russian On-line Keyboard (using item 2 above). With the typed words in hand, I Googled and yanexed (Russian search engine) seeking hits on my words. In my case, they did not find anything useful.
SO next, I used the Automatic Cyrllic converter (item 3 above). Entering phonetic variations on my grandmother’s hometown (Zeyervorderkampen) in the converter, I discovered that the Cyrillic script/ typing looked an awful lot like Zeyervorderkampen. Originally it had been translated as Zecher Werder- Kosipel, but I could not find anything that matched that name or anything close to it.
Being a big proponent of following the obvious, I now assume that my Oma’s bill of indictment does not place her in a location other than Zeyervorderkampen prior to her 2 plus year incarceration in the Chelyabinskaya Gulag.
Also today, I received the following note from my friend Martin:
Mark, hier kommt nun mein Versuch zur Klärung Deiner Frage:
1. In der russischen Anklageschrift wird als Geburtsort Pietzkendorf , Rayon (Kreis) Groß Werder genannt. In dem Schreiben vom DRK München vom 15.1.2010 heißt der Geburtsort Zeyer(s)vorderkampen. Pietzkendorf liegt etwas westlich von Tiegenhof, das andere Dorf Zeyersvorderskampen liegt östlich, im Nogatdelta, aber beides im Kreis Großes Werder. Woher die widersprüchlichen Angaben kommen, ist mir nicht klar.
2. in dem gleichen russischen Papier, nur eine Zeile tiefer, wird der Wohnort bezeichnet mit “Zecher-Ferder- Kaxxxx.
Ich lese das als Zeyervorderkampen. Das Y im Zeyer… hat der Mann wohl als X gelesen, das ist das cha im russischen Alphabet, also Zecher…
Ferder könnte man wohl mit Vorder.. übersetzen (wie gehört, gesprochen), und das dritte Wort beginnt zumindest mit Ka.., die weiteren Buchstaben kann nicht mal meine Irina entziffern. Dafür habe ich meinen Freund, russischer Übersetzer, morgen hier, und dann hoffe ich, dass wir das endgültig klären.
Grüße über den Teich – Martin
I may not be right, but I feel confident that I am closer to the truth today than I was two days ago when I started.
2 February is one of those days that adds a bit of winter fun to many Americans’ lives. For me though, it is something much more. It was 122 years ago today (2 February 2011) that my grandfather was born. As readers of this site will most likely know, he remains one of my life’s great influences. He is one of those loved people to whom much of my ManyRoads work is dedicated.
Richard Senger was born on this day in 1879. He was born the third child of ten to Michael Senger and Adelgunde geboren Kiehl in Zeyersniederkampen, Westpreussen, Deutschland (a heimat -homeland- that is no more). He survived fighting in the trenches of World War 1 France, the occupation and removal of all his possessions by the allies after World War 2, the abduction and incarceration of his wife in Soviet Gulags. He was a stoic, thoughtful, hard-working man.
The second of February is to me, first and foremost, my Opa’s birthday.
In Zeyervorderkampen during and before World War 2, there was a small Käserei (Meierei) Dairy that was owned, all or in part, by Richard Senger.
Based upon maps and analysis of the region (today Kepiny Male) by Rainer Glodde-Mueller during his 2010 journey to the area, it is believed that the following photos are what remains of that past business. Obviously the buildings had been worked on in the early 1950s (see the photo with the dated stone near the roof peak).
Discussions with Luise Senger Rabideau (Richard’s daughter) were not definitive in identifying these buildings positively. A mystery remains. Are these, or are they not, the buildings that once housed the Papatschen Käserei (Meierei)…
Polish courtesy of Google Translate:
W Zeyervorderkampen w trakcie i przed 2 wojny światowej, była mała Käserei (Meierei) mleczarskich, które było własnościąwszystkich lub części, Richarda Senger.
Na podstawie mapy i analiza regionu (dziś Kępiny Male) RaineraGlodde-Mueller podczas jego podróży do 2010 na obszarze, uważa się, że poniższe zdjęcia są co pozostaje, że w przeszłościfirmy. Oczywiście budynków została opracowana w na początku 1950 (na zdjęciu z dnia kamień w pobliżu szczytu dachu).
Rozmowy z Luise Senger Rabideau (córka Ryszarda) nie byłyostateczne w identyfikacji tych budynków pozytywnie. Tajemnicapozostaje. Czy te, lub nie są one, budynki, które kiedyśznajdowały się Papatschen Käserei (Meierei) …
After searching for more than 70 years for documentary evidence, on 11 December 2010, we finally viewed the image of the birth record of Adelgunde Wilhelmine Senger geboren (born) Kiehl (my great-grandmother- “O-oma“). It was one of those ‘hoped for’ breakthrough findings. Earlier we had uncovered evidence on FamilySearch saying that her birth record was in fact located in Graudenz Mittelbezirk Westpreussen. Just about 6 weeks ago, we ordered the microfilm and sure enough, there it was. We now have the film on permanent hold in our local family history center in Parker.
Her birth was on the 6th of October 1850. Her father was Erdmann Kiehl and her mother was Esther Adelgunde Grindemann. There is additional information on the record we need yet to assess, including the name of her birth town (not very easy to read on the photo we currently have). We also hope to find evidence of her parents births, ideally in the same church/ area.
On the 22nd of October, 2010, I received an email from a long-time (since 1762) family friend (more on that later).
Rainer and his family were in Poland looking at the alte Heimatland. AND… they had been to visit the street where my mother lived as a teenager with her Onkel Robert and Tante Olga. The email I received contained these photos. I was visiting with my mother when the photos arrived. Es war wirklich eine Ueberraschung! (It was truly a surprise!) Meine Mutter war sehr froh alles wieder zu sehen (My mother was happy to see everything again.). She had not seen her Onkel’s house since the mid- 1940s, and here it was. Someone I knew was there and had sent photos.
As Rainer surmised, the buildings had been significantly rebuilt. My mother’s old bedroom window was exactly where he placed in the photograph(see photo one).
If this complex of building is where your mother lived, then, referring to the present structure, her room could have been the one on the third floor above the passage…. but I cannot exclude the possibility that the whole structure / everything changed in a way that nothing can be identified any more.
Vielen dank Rainer und Familie.
Was kann ich sagen? Nur das ‘es war einmal’ so fangen alle Maerchen an…
(What can I say? Only that it was ‘once upon a time’; that’s how all the fairy tales begin…)
Thursday the 7 October 2010 was one of those spectacular days for a family genealogist!
I went to the Parker Family History Center to do research in the Ladekopp/ Pietzkendorf Evangelische Kirche records. I had no idea what, if anything I might find. What I found was both amazing and joyful. I found my grandmother’s baptismal record (birth record):
Frieda Auguste Recht
I also found the records for two of her siblings, Ella and Ernst.
Ella Selma Recht
Ernst Hermann Ferdinand Recht
Based on the information I uncovered here is what I believe to be the situation.
The Hermann Recht- Auguste Kunz family moved to Pietzkendorf, near Ladekopp, after the birth of their eldest daughter Erna in November of 1892 but before the birth of their son Ernst in December of 1893. I also discovered that a Ferdinand Kunz of Neuteicherwaelde was in attendance at the baptism of Ella Recht in December of 1896. My thoughts are that this might be either the father or brother of Auguste Kunz. The search continues!
This page is under development; research is on-going
Note: additional source materials are currently being obtained.
The Otto und Ella Wedhorn history is unusually sad one. It is also one of resilience. Otto and Ella were Luise Senger’s Aunt and Uncle (Ella was sister to Frieda Recht). Our families had basically been lost to each other until 2011 when Norbert Grohmann contacted me here on ManyRoads.
Otto Wedhorn was born on October 17, 1878, location under investigation.
Ella Recht was born in Pietzkendorf, West Prussia on born: 21 Dec. 1896 – baptized: 21 Feb. 1897
The Wedhorn’s and their family, like the Senger’s, were severely impacted by World War 2; many did not survive. Here is what we know:
Otto Wedhorn Senior was fortunate and survived the conflagration. Otto and the surviving members of the Wedhorn Family, with the exception of Frieda, lived in the German Democratic Republic (DDR- Deutsche Demokratische Republik; the Soviet Zone of Germany). In 1963, Otto Wedhorn (Sr.) died in a hospital near Fichtenwalde, a few days after having a stroke (Gehirnschlag). He was 84 years old. His daughter Kaethe was with him up to his end; but his daughter Frieda, could not visit him any more after the Berlin Wall was built in 1961.
Ella Recht was raped by invading Soviet troops in her home in Orlofferfelde. In that same time period, Ella Recht’s deportation to the Russian Gulags was not undertaken because she had contracted typhus. The Russians let her go due to the risk of spreading infection. Ella died in a hospital in Elbing on May 18, 1945. It was her silver wedding day.
Like so many German women, Frieda geb. Wedhorn was deported into a forced (slave) labor camp (Gulag) in the USSR in 1945. Frieda managed to survive the ordeal and in 1947 was finally released to a reception camp in Frankfurt/Oder.
Otto Wedhorn and Ella Recht were married in Ladekopp, West Prussia. The date of their marriage was May 18, 1920. Their marriage was unhappy and produced four known, named children:
Otto (According to Frieda geboren Wedhorn: In 1945, Otto Wedhorn, Jr. was together with his mother Ella in an assembly camp where the Germans to be deported were rounded up; but due to [a] typhus breakout in that camp, the Russians didn’t want Otto even though he was not infected and so they told them to go away. Otto Wedhorn (Jr.) when relating his Vertreibung ordeals to Frieda mentioned that the Soviets acted as if they were almost afraid of him, a 15 year old boy. In truth it was probably because he came from the typhus infected assembly point where Ella Recht died. Later after the Soviets discontinued their initial deportation program of German civilians, they even gave him bread to eat and treated him almost nicely. But Otto Jr. had to be very careful with the Poles who were rather aggressive when they discovered he was German. Otto Wedhorn (Jr.) remained in Elbing until he had buried his mother Ella, and then he went home to find his father and sister.)
Research is underway in the ev. Kirche Ladekopp to determine what, if anything, can be found. This history is based upon a verbal history from Luise Senger Rabideau as told to Mark Rabideau. As noted above, on 6 October I was contacted by Norbert Grohmann, Frieda Wedhorn’s son. He, his sister Monika and I have been actively sharing stories with an eye towards more accurately describing what happened to the family during and after WW2. Below are the photos I have of the family from Norbert & Monika Grohmann.
Erich Senger was born in Zeyervorderkampen, West Prussia on 10 Dec 1921 to Richard and Frieda Senger. He spent his youth growing up on the Senger farm along with his sister Luise.
Erich was a mischievous, precocious and inventive child. As a children he and his sister Luise walked from their home across the Schulweg to attended a small public school in the village of Zeyer. When they were out of school they both helped work the farm, as best they could. However as with most children their love was with their pets, a chicken and a little dog named Fifi.
Among his early childhood adventures, Erich built a small electric generator to power a radio and other small electric devices on the farm; the generator power was obtained by conscripting his little sister, Luise, to sit on a modified bicycle and peddle. Without a battery to store the generated electricity, things only worked while Luise peddled. It was a project that pleased Erich but frustrated Luise.
Perhaps Erich’s most audacious escapade involved Erich and his best friend Willi Foellmer building an airplane out of left-over construction lumber. They dragged the plane to the top of the barn, got it out onto the roof and were going to ‘fly’ it off the roof. Onkel Rudolph (Senger) who was in his room (upstairs in the house) saw them on the roof getting ready to fly. He went and got Papa (Richard Senger). The men rushed into the barn and up on its roof and stopped the boys before they launched the plane; saving both Erich and Willi from severe bodily injury.
By 1939, Erich had been enlisted into the Deutsche Luftwaffe. As a Luftwaffe enlisted man, he rode as a rear gunner on a Stuka fighter. Early on in the war he was stationed in the East, first in the Georgian Soviet Republic and later on the Eastern front itself, ultimately obtaining a severe and lifelong injury from freezing in Stalingrad.
After he recuperated from his frostbite injury, he was sent to fight on the Western front; again as a rear gunner on a Stuka. In 1944, his plane was shot down over France. He was captured by the British and as a Prisoner of War (PoW) he was transferred from France to England to serve in a PoW Camp. While in transit on a British PoW truck through Paris, he was machine gunned in the back by members of the Free French. The wounds he received in this incident were ultimately the major contributing factor to an aneurysm from which he died some 35 years later.
After being wounded, Erich was transferred to England for recuperation and incarceration. He spent the next 3+ years in a Prisoner of War camp in England, mostly working as a cook.
Finally in late 1947 or early 1948, Erich was allowed to return to Germany, joining with his parents and sister in Murnau, Bavaria. When Erich returned to Germany he needed a job. Luise (his sister), who was working as a secretary to the US Military Community Affairs officer went to her boss Frau Pichler and asked for her help. Frau Pichler located an American Army Captain (we believe his name was Captain Knight) who was married with three children and was looking for a nanny and household help. Based on Frau Pichler’s recommendation, Erich was given the job, where he rapidly became the Hausmeister and basically ran the household. He took care of the three children (who loved him dearly), did the gardening, and generally kept the household running smoothly. He did his job so well, and the children were so attached to him, that when Captain Knight was given orders to go back stateside he tried to convince Erich to go with them.
After the American family went home, Erich again, needed a job, Luise and Frau Pichler were able to help Erich find a job working in the US Army motor pool as a mechanic.
In 1949, he married Jutta Goldbrunner and adopted her 7 year old son Robert. Due to his frostbite injuries, Erich was never able to father children of his own.
In 1956, Erich rejoined a reconstituted Deutsche Luftwaffe as an air traffic controller. Most of his post World War 2 service took place in Penzing Air Field near Landsberg in Bavaria. He was finally forced to leave his beloved Air Force in 1974 due to age. By that time Erich had attained the highest rank available to an enlisted man in the Luftwaffe.
Sadly on the 26th of June 1981, Erich Senger died of an aneurysm; one caused by the wounds he had received those many years before in France.
this account is a composite of stories related by:
Luise Rabideau, Fred Rabideau and Erich Senger to:
Mark Rabideau and Linda Ziegler
The Senger Family appears to have had a long term link to the lands around Zeyer (see below). I guess it is no wonder that my mother is still so ‘mentally’ attached to this land and region (Es war einmal…).
Thank you to Rainer Mueller-Glodde for this note & excerpt:
Two years ago (2008) a Dr. Glodde from Berlin, [...] tried to find out the meaning of “Glodde”, [and] sent me a shot he made of a document from about 1805 [located] in the Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz. The subject is the estimation of the size of the Grosse Jacob Glode Buden Kampe [in the area of Zeyer, Westpreußen].
Zum Plan von der Großen Buden Kampe
Kott Kampe und Lange Hacken, Sämtliches Land gehörte ehmals dem Einsaßen Glodde, wovon derselbe an die Sengers und Barwigs die Kott Kampe und Lange Hacken verkaufte welche damals betrugen 8 Huf : 12 m : Cut welches aus der unten stehenden alten Berechnung auch zugleich aus der neuen Vermeßung Berechnung zu ersehen ist wie viel die außen Kampen sich vergrößert haben.
Elbinger Adressbücher
Mark Rabideau hat auf seiner privaten Webseite zahlreiche Elbinger Addressbuecher (1847-1930) veröffentlicht. Auch ein Telefonbuch von 1937 ist dabei. Zahlreiche weitere Adressbücher aus Westpreußen (Graudenz, Thorn, Konitz) sind auf der Webseite zu finden. Einwohnerbücher von Danzig, Graudenz und Zoppot stehen zum Download bereit. (GJ)
Tommy was an English war prisoner who spent most of World War 2 working on the Senger family farm in Zeyervorderkampen. He was originally captured by German forces at Dunkirk in 1940 and he spent more than 4 years of the war working on and about the Senger farm. As you might gather from the photo, he was a good looking young man in town with few during a time of total war and mobilization.
This image gallery contains images of all the Senger family records we have been able to identify thus far, and have available for publication. As you will note, some of the documents are a ‘bit difficult’ to read.
This write-up is my effort to document the circumstances and images surrounding the Gulag complex to which Frieda Senger was assigned and interned after World War 2 by the Soviets For more information see:
Chelyabinsk was the location of a Soviet Gulag. Chelyabinsk ITL (Work Improvement Camp) was in existence from November 1941 until October 1951. At its height, it held 15,400 persons who were employed building a smelter used for Industrial, Highway, Civil and Residential construction, as well as in open-cast mining.
Additionally there was a Prisoner of War Camp #68 for German POWs in Chelyabinsk. Severely ill POWs were treated in POW Hospital 5882. A German POW mass grave was found about 12 km (8 miles) East of the city.
Today when I arrived home a letter from the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz- Suchdienst awaited me. I have to admit the contents were, for me extremely exciting!
19 August 2010 Update: Thanks to my good childhood friend Sharon we now have a translation of these records.
Based upon the Suchdienst records, we have identified photos from one of my Oma’s camps (see below). More information on the Camp is also available at: Gulag Memorial DE.
Here are the documents (with the translations I have in English and German).
(See bottom of page for the complete text.)
Frieda Senger before her incarceration in Soviet Gulags, circa 1940.
Translation:
German, member of fascist organization (abbreviation in the left corner)Dossier/Document
about Frieda Senger German Civil Air Defense.
Start: 17th of March 1945
End: ….. 19…
Übersetzung:
Senger Frieda
40 176 876
Reichsluftschutzbund
Anfang 17. März 1945
Ende:….. 19….
Hr. Kireev Manager of the operations Group of the NKVD (People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs- Stalin’s Secret Police) in the Region of Chelyabinskaya and a Major responsible for National Security. 07.Juli 1945
Hr. Kireev Leiter der operationellen Gruppe NKWD (Volkskommissariat für geheime Angelegenheiten)im Region Tscheljabinsk, Major für nationale Sicherheit genehmigt:
07.Juli 1945
Bill of Indictment:
I, a worker of the operations group Concentration Camp number 507 under the command of NKVD Lieutenant Hr. Makarov, sentence, with the complete authority of the NKVD of the USSR, number 00315 Frieda Senger born in the year of 1898 in Pietzkendorf Kreis Großwerder and currently living in the village of Zeyervorderkampen into the 48th Army “Sideras” category Gulag effective 18 April 1945.
Anklageschrift:
Ich, Mitarbeiter der operationellen Gruppe des Bewährungskonzentrationslager Nr. 507 der NKWD Leutnant Hr. Makarov, verhafte mit Bevollmächtigung der NKWD UdSSR Nr. 00315, Senger Frieda geboren im Jahr 1898 in Pizchendorf Kreis Großwerder, wohnhaft im Dorf Zeyervorderkampen, von 18. April 1945 an die 48. Armee “Sideras” Kategorie Gulak.
Finding:
That Senger Frieda was a member of the German Civil Air Defense, a Fascist Organization, since 1935. Her husband was a member of the NSDAP.
Genealogist Notes:
The Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) was a civil defense organization founded in 1935; after WW2 it was deemed not to be a Nazi Organization, see Wikipedia article on the subject.
Richard Senger was not a member of the NSDAP, although one brother was.
Ermittelt:
Dass Senger Frieda seit 1935 in einer fasch. Organisation “Luftschutz”war. Ihr Mann war ein Mitglied der nationalsozialistischen Partei.
Decision:
Senger Frieda is sentenced for further punishment to a workers battalion of mobilized Germans.
Beschluss:
Senger Frieda wird für weitere Inhaftierung dem Arbeitsbatallien mobilisierte Deutsche zugewiesen.
Signed:
Worker in the operations group of Concentration Camp 507
Lt. Hr. Makarov.
Unterschrift:
Mitarbeiter der operationellen Gruppe
Konzentrationslager Nr. 507
Leutnant Hr. Makarow
Mark F. Rabideau
711 Nob Hill Trail
80116 Franktown/Colorado
Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika
Munich, 15.01.2010
Senger, Frieda, born: 19.03.1898 in Zeyervorderkampen/Werder
Dear Mr. Rabideau,
Thank you for your inquiry of 07 September, 2009.
The research in our archives, which included the records received from The Central Archives of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation on German prisoners of war and civilians in Soviet captivity, revealed the following record for Mrs. Frieda Senger:
She was taken a prisoner by the Soviet Army on March 17, 1945.
Since 1935 she was organized by the Empire antiaircraft union [ger.Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB)].
On July 7, 1945 she was transfered from the camp 507 (Cheljabinskaja region/ Satkinskij district/ village Bakal) to the working battalion No.1083 (Cheljabinskaja Region/City Kopejsk/ Station Potanino) of mobilized germans.
She was discharged for repatriation on July 1, 1947.
Unfortunately, further data are nonexistent.
According to our record cards dating back to the post-war-years, the last known address of Senger Frieda was from January 9, 1955: Lindenburgweg 202 (or 262), Weitheim/Murnau.
Enclosed, please find a copy of the file in the original Russian language. Due to the quantity of the documents, which come to us to work off, we cann’t unfortunately translate these records . We ask kindly to excuse us.
At present we dont have any other records from The Central Archives of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation on your other relatives: Richard Senger, Frieda Senger, Erich Senger und Luise Senger.
The information from our record cards you will receive in a separate letter.
Sincerely yours,
Anna Repa
case worker
German Red Cross
Tracing Service Munich
Generalsekretariat Suchdienst
Standort Munchen
Zentrale Auskunfts- und Dokumentationsstelle
Chiemgaustrasse 109
D-81549 Munchen
Tel. (089) 68 07 73-0
Fax (089) 68 07 45 92
www.drk-suchdienst.org [email protected]
It pleases me beyond words to say that I have successfully identified the grave of my Great Uncle and made certain that his grave stone in the battlefields of WW1 France is now updated and complete.
Were it not for the wonderful help of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge this would never have been possible. However, with their initial work and my good fortune in finding Albert’s birth record in the Zeyer ev. Kirche; we have made certain that Albert is fully identified and honored.
In October I received this note:
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Antwort: Re: Antwort: Re: Albert Senger, + 03.12.1914 – Vg.Nr. 847.278
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:28:57 +0100
Hallo Mark,
kurz möchte ich Ihnen noch mitteilen, dass es sich bei dem von Ihnen genannten Datum 27.05.1888 um den Tag der Taufe handelt. Als Geburtsdatum ist im Kirchenbuch der 31. März angegeben.
Mit freundlichem Gruss/best regards
Ilka Borowski
——————————————————————
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge
Werner Hilpert-Str- 2 34112 Kassel
Tel.: 05617009169 Fax : 05617009246
http://www.volksbund.de
Today on their website you can see the following record:
Zum Gedenken
Nachname: Senger
Vorname: Albert
Dienstgrad: Reservist
Geburtsdatum: 27.05.1888
Geburtsort: Zeyervorderkampen
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 03.12.1914
Todes-/Vermisstenort:
Albert Senger ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in Noyers-Pont-Maugis (Frankreich). Endgrablage: Block B Grab 2148
Es freut mich sehr dass dies fuer mein Ohr-Onkel geschaft ist. Vielleicht ruehrt er jetzt ein bischen besser.(It pleases me to know that this was accomplished for my Great Uncle. Perhaps he can rest a bit more peacefully.)
I will now try to do the same for his brother and my Uncle Adolf…(see our 2011 Update)
I have what is for me a riddle. I know that before 1774 Zeyer had a Church, but it held no records. Does anyone know which, if any, Elbing Lutheran Church may have held the records for births, deaths and weddings? The main Lutheran Churches in Elbing seem to have been Heilige drei Koenige, Sankt Marien, Heiliger Leichnahm, Sakt Annen, and Sankt Paulus; does anyone know which might hold the correct LDS microfilm archive?
Any help is most appreciated!
Hallo Leute!
Habe eine (fuer mich, unerlosbar) Frage: ich weiss dass es erst ab 1774 ein unabhaengige evangelische Kirche in Zeyer gab. Wusste es jemand, welcher Elbinger Kirche verantwortlich fuer die Taufe-/Heirats-/Todesregister den Gebiet Zeyer/Zeyerniederkampen vor 1774 war? Ich finde so fuenf evangelische Kirchen: Heilige drei Koenige, Sankt Marien, Heiliger Leichnahm, Sakt Annen, und Sankt Paulus; weiss aber nicht welche LDS Mikrofilme wahrscheinlich die richtige sind.
The Senger family were neither rich nor famous. They were hard working German farmers who tilled the soil and built the land (much like their forebears before them did in Holland). Richard Senger, at the outset of World War 2, was also an owner of the Kaeserei in Zeyervorderkampen (I do not know if he had other co-owners, perhaps one of our readers can help clear that up).
Below you will find images of the location of the Richard Senger family farm and business.
I have had the wonderful good fortune of being introduced to the current owners of the former Senger farm- the Bednarczyks. The Bednarczyk’s love their land and farm as much as my family did in days gone by. They are doing a wonderful job of managing and caring for the farm and lands. I am happy to share the history of the house, farm, and people who preceded them.
Together, we can walk into the future with friendship and a shared history…
Polish translation provided by Google Translate:
Miałem wspaniałe szczęście wprowadzeniem do obecnych właścicieli byłych Senger gospodarstwa Bednarczyks. Bednarczyk miłość ich gruntami i gospodarstwem jak moja rodzina nie w przeszłości. Oni robią wspaniałą pracę w zakresie zarządzania i dbałości o gospodarstwo i ziemie. Cieszę się akcja historii domu, gospodarstwa rolnego, oraz osób, które je poprzedzały.
Razem możemy iść w przyszłość z przyjaźni i wspólnej historii …
Recently I received an set of email messages from a very helpful reader (Vielen dank, Hans!). I have taken a risk and translated the gist of his correspondence into English. I have blended his materials along with my research to reconstruct a view of Pietzkendorf. I will add more information as it comes to light. Hopefully this “accumulated view” will paint a small picture of what Pietzkendorf once was… the neatly mown fields of today’s Poland not withstanding.
In days gone by, Pietzkendorf residents attended schools and Churches in nearby Ladekopp. The population was small, just a few families and homes were located in the village. The area was peopled largely by simple farm families. The Pietzkendorf, and Ladekopp area had been settled by German families as long ago as the 1500s. To quote Gameo:
By 1772 there were some 400 Holländerdörfer established in the Vistula region, but not nearly all were occupied by Mennonites or by Dutch settlers. Felicia Szper (p. 110) lists for 1676 the following villages as “Holländische Hufen” in the two Werders of Marienburg occupied by Dutch Mennonites: Platenhof, Tiegenhagen, Tiegerweide, Reimerswalde, Orlofferfeld, Pletzendorf, Orloff, Pietzgendorf, and Petershagenerfeld.
Horst Penner lists for the 18th century the following villages with a predominantly Mennonite population: Altebabke, Altendorf, Beyershorst, Blumen-Ort, Einlage, Freienhuben, Glabitsch, Gross-Plehnendorf, Gross-Walddorf, Halbstadt, Herrenhagen, Heubuden, Klein Mausdorf, Kozelicke, Ladekopp, Marienau, Neuendorf, Neunhuben, Orloff, Orlofferfelde, Petershagen, Pietzkendorf, Poppau, Pordenau, Reimerswalde, Rosenort, Rückenau, Scharfenberg, Schönhorst, Schönsee, Schmerblock, Schönau, Tiege, Tiegenhagen, Tiegerweide, and Wotzlaff.
The villages located on the Vistula were also characterized by being established in swampy areas that had to be drained. Ditches and canals led to the river at the elevated end of the land. Homes were located along the street, which at times followed the windings of the river. Villages established according to the old “German right” did not have the residence, barn, and shed under one roof, as did the Dutch villages, in which the barn was directly connected with the residence and the shed was attached to the barn, the whole in some cases forming a triangle. At some places the dwelling had an addition for the retired parents called Endenkammer. The porch added to this structure in many cases was of Prussian and not Dutch background.
In some instances the land of each farmer adjoined his yard. This would indicate that the pattern was related to the “Hufendörfer” practice. [...] This village therefore more nearly resembled a Hufendorf. However, it developed peculiarities of its own. For this reason it is best to identify this type of village simply as Holländerdorf.
The streams and nearby river provided swimming activities for those from nearby villages and towns such as Ladekopp. It was a green, verdant area with trees, water, and a very wet environ (the area was 4-12 feet below sea level, even then). Windmills pumped water from the ground and into the drainage streams, keeping the land reasonably dry and arable. When the lowering of the ground water levels by German settlers began some 500 years ago, the main mechanical assistance was provided by windmills. Windmills provided the power to operate water wheels (early simple pumps) to scoop water from the lowest and wettest lands moving it up to areas behind constructed dikes.
In the early 1900s, steam engines in `kalteherberge` performed this task and replaced the original windmills. Toward the end of the Second World War (1945), the entire area was flooded in a valiant but vain attempt to slow and repulse invading Russian artillery and tanks. Today the area is again ‘nearly’ dry but it is much lonelier and emptier than before. The entire village of Pietzkendorf is gone except for its cement roads (see photo below).
The name of the village itself is derived from an old German word “pietzker”. In German, a Pietzker is a member of the fish-family ´schmerle´ which in English is known as ´loach´. Pietzkers are a tasty, flavorful fish that lives in the mud or muddy water of a slow moving river. The Linau running through Pietzkendorf is just such a river. The Pietzkers, in days gone by, were plentiful.
The residents of pre-World War 2 Pietzkendorf attended churches in Ladekopp; Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Mennonites, alike. My family (Recht und Wedhorn) attended the Lutheran Church (Evangelishe Kirche) in Ladekopp. I have found both records of Recht and Wedhorn family births and weddings in the ev. Kirche Ladekopp.
It is worth mentioning that there was at least one Baptist family in Pietzkendorf; almost every Sunday, they bravely and devotedly walked nearly 12 kilometers through Ladekopp to the Baptist congregation in Neuteich. Their names are lost in the mists of time.
Pietzkendorf bei Ladekopp Foto
Milchbude Lage und Pietzkendorf Landkart
The following photos provide images of the area that used to be Pietzkendorf as it appeared in 2010. This is the same area where Frieda Senger was born and raised in the early 1900s. Today nothing remains of the buildings and village that was Pietzkendorf.
Richard Senger was a successful German farmer (Landwirt) in West Prussia. He worked and cared for his family’s farm with the help of his wife (Frieda), children (Luise & Erich), his brother Rudolf (Onkel Rudolf, known simply as Onkel) and his sister-in-law Erna Recht (Tante Erna).
The homestead and lands had been in the Senger family since before 1893; when the home was built by Richard’s father and mother, Michael & Adelgunde Senger. The Senger farm was located on the banks of the Nogat River in Zeyervorderkampen (Kreis Elbing in Grosses Werder). At the time of the establishment of Freie Staat Danzig in 1920, the farm was the first farm inside of the Polish corridor as defined by the victorious allies of WW1.
Richard inherited the farm from his parents (Michael and Adelgunde) in 1920, the year of his and Frieda’s marriage. The 50 hectare Senger farm grew apples, cherries, plums, sugar beets, rye, and raised ducks, chickens, cows, pigs. During the Second World War, additional crops were grown as a requirement of the German government, these included rapeseed, poppies and wheat.
Both Erich and Luise were born on the farm; Erich in 1921 and Luise in 1923. Their births occurred during the hyper-inflation years of the Weimar Republic. The hyper-inflation was so bad in 1923 that it cost Richard and Frieda and entire wheelbarrow full of money to purchase a pacifier for Luise.
Luise and Erich were baptized at the Zeyer Evangelishe Kirche (Lutheran); Herr Doebel was Luise Senger’s godfather. Later Herr Doebel became an early member of the National Sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiters Partei (NSDAP, Nazi); ultimately he was to become disillusioned and was imprisoned for his opposition to the NSDAP. It is believed that he served more than 5 years for his opposition (we continue to seek hard information on this event).
From the age of 14, Luise Senger lived with her Onkel Robert and Tante Olga in Elbing on 58 Wasserstrasse (today: Wodna 58, Elbląg, Elblag, Polska) . In Elbing, she attended the Elbing Handelsschule. Robert & Olga Senger owned a small Gasthaus and store on the waterfront of the port of Elbing. Luise had a small room above the Gasthaus. The Senger Gasthaus had 4 guest rooms and was described as being ‘plain’ but friendly. During her years in Elbing at the Handelsschule, Luise used to take long walks to a nearby park (in the city); this is where she watched and ultimately met some of the musicians and other members of the ‘artists’ community who befriended her. Some of these same “artists” were to protect Luise when they met once again, this time in Munich during the final collapse of the Third Reich.
“Onkel Robert and Tante Olga” were the family’s city dwellers. Throughout Luise’s youth, Luise and Erich Senger used to “smuggle” small amounts of food (fruit, wheat etc) from the Senger farm to Onkel Robert’s family, so as to avoid paying taxes to the government. One time, Onkel Robert reversed the trend and sent a bunch of bananas to the Richard Senger family in Zeyervorderkampen as a treat; Luise refused to even try the bananas; she had never seen anything like them before!
During the first years while Luise was living with Onkel Robert’s family in Elbing, her cousin Erika and Erika’s husband (Otto Grawert) and their son Karl-Otto came to live with the Robert Senger family. The Grawert’s came from their home on the Dutch border on a doctor’s recommendation. Erika, Robert and Olga’s daughter, had a severe case of TB and the cold, moist air of Elbing was supposed to help her heal. Erika especially enjoyed the Gasthaus and the customers who frequented it. She and Luise became very close friends.
From 1937 through much of the second world war (WW2), the Richard Senger farm was quite successful. The daily routines continued; the work was hard and the crops were quite good.
During the war years, the Sengers were required to host English prisoners of war. One PoW stayed the entire war; his name was Tommy (last name unknown). He had been captured at Dunkirk and arrived in Zeyervorderkampen at the age of 17. Tommy remained with the Sengers up until the time the Russians took possession of the farm in 1945. He escaped just ahead of the advancing Soviets and Poles by foot towards the North Sea (following the route recommended to him by Richard Senger).
Once the war began, Richard’s son, Erich, fought in the Deutsche Luftwaffe as a rear-gunner in a Stuka. He fought and was shot down on both the Eastern (including Georgia and Stalingrad) and Western (France) fronts. In 1944, Erich was taken prisoner by the British when his plane was shot down over France (it is believed). By the early 1940′s Richard’s daughter, Luise, was a administrative aide and Lieutenant in the Luftwaffe, ending the war assigned to Luftkommando 7 München (air defense Munich).
With all of Zeyer’s young people at war, the farm was managed and operated by the two ‘closest’ Senger brothers (Richard and Rudolf) and Richard’s wife Frieda and Frieda’s sister Erna. Finally in March/ April 1945, the family lands and property were confiscated by the Russians.
composite of verbal stories related by Luise Senger Rabideau to her children Linda & Mark
In late winter of 1944/45, the Senger’s farm was overrun and occupied by a command of the advancing Russian armies. The family furniture and possessions were stolen by non-Germans; the lives and history of the Senger family were unalterably, irretrievably changed.
Only the Senger farm and two other farms in the village of Zeyervorderkampen remained standing following the Soviet invasion and bombardment and artillery attacks which accompanied the destructive attack. Ultimately, the Senger farm was left as the sole ‘undamaged’ farm in Zeyervorderkampen. At first, the farm was used to house Soviet commanders; ultimately, possession of the farm, lands, buildings and few remaining possessions were given over to a Polish family.
By the middle of 1945, it was no longer the Senger family farm and lands. The farm had been confiscated by the occupying communist troops and retribution was never offered by either the invading armies or subsequent settlers; nor was any accepted by Richard when it was finally offered by the post-war German Federal Republic government. To his mind, there was simply no compensation adequate to cover the loss of his family’s lands and history. Ultimately, the German government did provide Richard a pension for both his WW1 and WW2 ‘participation’.
Having lost ownership and possession of his farm to the Russians in 1945, Richard was forced, at gun point and under explicit threat of death, to work as an involuntary servant (knecht) or ‘slave’ on his long-time farm. During this time, his wife, Frieda, was captured, incarcerated, and forced by the Russians to leave their home and was interred as a slave laborer in the Gulags of the Central Asia in Chelyabinsk ITL (Work Improvement Camp). Frieda was arrested and enslaved by the Soviet Army on March 17, 1945 (Her 47th birthday was two days later on 19 March 1945.). These hardships and travails were to continue for more than two years.
During this same time period, unbeknownst to Richard, his son (Erich Senger) was interred in an English prisoner of war camp; his daughter (Luise) had survived the war’s end and was working in the American Zone of Germany, in Bavaria.
Finally one day in June of 1947, at the age of 68, Richard could tolerate his situation and servitude no longer. He resolved to leave or die trying. To his mind he had nothing to lose; so far as he knew he had already lost everything except his life. He packed his few papers and possessions into a coffee can and set off on foot, to reach the West German border. As he left what had been his farm, Russian soldiers shouted, pulled their rifles, took aim at his back, and threatening to kill him. Unwilling to suffer his situation any longer, he walked on into his uncertain, unknown future.
He trekked alone on foot across ‘the new’ communist Poland, and then through the ‘new’ communist East Germany. During the weeks and months he walked, he survived by eating uncooked potatoes and vegetables he gleaned from harvested fields. In Poland, his official identification papers and bank books were confiscated by ‘officials’ at the checkpoints he encountered. Finally after an almost 600 mile ordeal, Richard arrived at Murnau in Bavaria (the American Zone).
Shortly after his arrival in Bavaria, Richard began a search for his son Erich via open letters he placed in German newspapers. He only searched for his son Erich because he thought Erich might have survived the war; he was certain that Frieda (Richard’s wife) had died in the Gulags and that Luise (Richard’s daughter) had been ‘lost’ in the final defense of Munich (where Luise was serving as a Lieutenant in Munich’s Air Defense with Deutsche Luftwaffe- Luftkommando 7.). Fortunately, Erich, having returned from his incarceration as a British (Prisoner of War) PoW in 1947, read one of his letters and they were reunited. During late 1947, Luise found and rejoined her family through the good offices and assistance of her employer- the American Army.
Late in 1947, his wife, Frieda weighing a mere 60 pounds, returned from her two plus year ordeal in the Russian gulags. Miraculously, the family had found each other.
Along with their son Erich, the Sengers built a new life for themselves in Bavaria. While in 1950, Luise went on to live with her American husband (Fred Rabideau) and their soon-to-be new family in the United States.
a composite of verbal stories related by Luise Senger Rabideau to her children Linda & Mark, as well as Russian, German and American Documentation
As the Russians invaded West Prussia near the end of World War 2, they rounded up abled bodied Germans to ‘work’ a slave labor in their Gulags. These ‘unlucky’ Germans (some three million) were shipped by train to forced labor camps in the far East. Frieda Senger, along with her friend and neighbor, Edith Ebel, were among those shipped by rail into the Russian Gulags; in her case trip was to prisons some 1700 miles or 2700 kms east. She, like many others, was deported from her and her husband’s lands (which were now in the hands of the Russians) and forced into slavery; she was not seen or heard from again for some 2 and one half years.
She was taken a prisoner by the Soviet Army on March 17, 1945. She had been a member of the Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) since 1935 (see note 1 below).
On July 7, 1945 she was transfered from the camp 507 (Cheljabinskaja region/ Satkinskij district/ village Bakal) to the working battalion No.1083 (Cheljabinskaja Region/City Kopejsk/ Station Potanino) of mobilized Germans. She was discharged for repatriation on July 1, 1947. Her diligence, hard work and energy made it possible for her to be one of the first Germans released from the camp. Her friend Edith Ebel was not so lucky- Edith died in the camp. Frieda’s two plus years were spent mining rock salt, cleaning the camp floors with broken glass (an activity which left her hands permanently scarred). Her diet consisted of water, cabbage and potatoes.
On 9 October 2011, I received an additional insight into this time from the niece of Frieda Senger, Frieda geboren Wedhorn: [Frieda Wedhorn] [...] mentioned that the deportation of Frieda Senger might have been the result of a mistaken identity, that the Russians were looking for some other Senger, but they went to the wrong farm where they found Frieda Senger and they did not want to continue searching. Frieda Wedhorn remembers her Tante Frieda telling her that the Soviets probably were looking for Johanna Senger who was also called “Tante Hannchen” because she supposedly had not been nice to some Poles. Johanna was the wife of Julius Senger who must have been neighbors of Richard and Frieda Senger. The Soviets just went to the wrong house and discontinued their search because they had found a woman with the name Senger. This Johanna Senger later died of “Fischvergiftung” (fish poisoning) while still living in Zeyersvorderkampen, Westpreußen.
The photo is of Frieda Senger in 1951 following the marriage of her daughter Luise to Frederick Rabideau. She is wearing a coat sent to her by Leona Rabideau, mother of Frederick Rabideau.
Note 1:
The Reichluftschutzbund was placed under the authority of the Luftwaffe and performed mainly non-combat support roles such as ground crew training and search and rescue. The group remained relatively small and, as a paramilitary organization, was overshadowed heavily by the National Socialist Flyers Corps.
During World War II, the Reichluftschutzbund performed in air defense support manning anti-aircraft emplacements in Germany’s major cities. In 1945, the Reichluftschutzbund ceased to exist with the fall of Nazism. The Reichluftschutzbund, however, was not condemned as a criminal organization since the group was technically a branch of the Air Ministry and not a paramilitary group of the Nazi Party proper.
Although, we now know with certainty that Frieda Senger was not interned in Perm-36 Gulag; it does represent a Gulag proximate to her location. The photos in this article represent a good approximation of the Gulags in Chelyabinsk. More
The Senger family had lived in Kreis Grosses Werder area of West Prussia since at least the late 1600′s. Both 20th Century World Wars took a heavy toll on the entire ‘clan’. Many family members and all the Senger lands and possessions were either destroyed or taken.
The those who were not killed in the fighting were forced to leave their homes as a result of the WW2 allies ethnic cleansing pograms following the defeat of Germany. Along with as many as 12 million other Germans the Sengers were either force marched to work in Russian labor camps or left behind to work as slaves on their own lands.
Finally ending up in Bavaria with none of their possesions except their lives… the Richard Senger family were among the fortunate ones, they found each other and survived.
einst Bauer in Westpreußen, feierte 90. Geburtstag
Schwifting(m).
Schnittblumen, Blumenschalen, köstliche Getränke und weitere Präsente schmücken das Wohnzimmer im Hause ‘der Familie Senger in der Schwiftinger Siedlung. Vor wenigen Tagen feierte der „Senior” des Hauses, Opa Richard Senger, seinen 90. Geburtstag. Anlaß genug für dieMitbürgerschaft, um Schwiftings derzeit altesten Mitbürger zu ehren und zu erfreuen, ihm ‘ die herzlichsten Glückwünsche für den weiteren Lebensabend mitzugeben.
Richard Senger stammt aus Westpreußen. In seinen Adern fließt urwüchsiges bäuerliches Blut. Am 2. Februar 1879 wurde er in Zeyersvorderkampe bei Danzig geboren. Wie seine Eltern Bauern waren, so wurde auch Richard Senger Bauer, um einmal das Erbe seines Vaters, einen Stättlichen Hof, zu übernehmen. Mit mehreren Geschwistern wuchs der Jubilar in seinem Heimatort, der über 40 ansehnliche Bauernhöfe zahlte, auf. Im Jahre seiner Eheschliesung, 1920, übernahm er von seinen Eltern den Hof, um ihn mustergültig, in zäher, unermüdlicher Arbeit und in Verbundenheit zur heimatlichen Scholle weiterzuführen und bewirtschaften. Seine Gattin Frieda schenkte ihm 2 Kinder, einen Sohn und eine Tochter. Ueberstand Richard Senger den ersten Weltkrieg als aktiver Teilnehmer heu und gesund, so karnen mit dem zweiten Weltkrieg und den Nachkriegsjahren schwere Zeiten auf ihn zu. Im Herbst 1944 besetzten die vorrückenden Russen Ost- und Westpreußen, auch der Hof von Richard Senger wurde von den sowjetischen Truppen beschlagnahmt. Senger selbst mußte als Knecht auf seinem eigenen Anwesen arbeiten. Seine Gattin wurde von den Sowjetzt in ein Arbeitslager hinterm Ural ge-steckt, von wo sie erst 1947 in die; Heimat zurückkehren durfte. Ohne von den Schicksal seiner Familie etwas zu wissen, machte sich Richard Senger eines Tages auf, von seinem Hof zu fliehen und die deutsche Grenze zu erreichen. Er konnte es nicht mehr ertragen, als einstiger Hofbesitzer von den Russen als gedemütigter Knecht auf eigenem Besitz behandelt zu werden. Im Alter von 68 Jahren begab sich Senger, stets rüstig auf seinen Füßen, auf den Marsch, der ihn über Polen und Schwerin nach Westdeutschland und dort nach Murnau am Staffelsee führte. In Polen sind ihm dabei sämtliche Ausweis-und Wertpapiere, darunter auch die Sparkassenbücher, abgenommen worden. Richard Senger war aber unverzagt und fand dann im Oberbayerischen wieder eine feste Wohnstätte. Die Tochter, die heute in den USA verheiratet ist, bemühte sich damals erfolgreich um die Wieder-Zusammenführung der Eltern. Im Jahre 1963 siedelten Richard und Frieda Senger von Murnau nach Schwifting über, wo die Familie des Sohnes, der auf dem Tower des Flugplatzes Penzing tätig ist, ein Eigenheim erbaut hat. Unter der Obhut von Sohn und Schwiegertochter verbringt der Jubilar mit seiner Gattin nun einen geruhsamen ebensabend.
Zum 90. Geburtsfest stellten sich auch Bürgermeister Kaindl, zweiter Bürgermeister Nuscheier und der evangelische Pfarrer Uhl mit Gattin als Gratulanten ein, um die offiziellen Glückwünsche zu überbringen. Das „Landsberger Tagblatt” schließt sich diesen Gratulanten herzlichst an.
Michael Senger History -as related to Mark Rabideau by Luise (Senger) Rabideau (Michael’s grand daughter) Jan 2006
Michael was the husband of Adelgunde Kiehl- they married about 1868 near Jungfer/ Zeyer Westpreussen
Their marriage lasted about 55 years
They had thirteen children of whom seven children lived to adulthood and two were killed in World War 1.
Michael died on his son Richard’s farm in May of 1932 after being kicked by a horse at the age of 93. He was kicked in the head, suffered severe (irreversible) paralysis and was euthanized, at his request, by the local doctor.
Michael and Adelgunde built the farm which Richard Senger worked in 1932.
Michael was a “Hofbesitzer” (Farm Owner) who was reputed to have relied on his wife Adelgunde’s ambition and business acumen for the family’s success.
This page is under development; research is on-going
Note: additional source materials are currently being obtained.
Johann Hermann Recht History -this is an account that has evolved significantly from what began as an oral history related to Mark Rabideau by Luise (Senger) Rabideau (Hermann Recht’s grand daughter) on 9 Jan 2006; today this history is augmented with numerous additions and amendments from Mark Rabideau’s subsequent research as well as family information and stories from Otto Wedhorn family descendants most notably Frieda (Wedhorn) Mimietz.
Hermann Recht was born as Johann Hermann Recht on 16 June 1869 in Zeyersniederkampen, Westpreussen. To date, we have not found his birth record.
Johann Hermann Recht’s parents were: Father: Samuel Ferdinand Recht (Hofbesitzer of Zeyersniederkampen) and Mother: Henriette Schepansky (Caroline Henriette Sczepanski of Ellerwalde)
Hermann Recht’s Hussar (Gala uniform) photo is from his military time in Stolp, Pommern (Pomerania). We believe him to be about 20 years old in the photo (below).
Based upon his military photo, we are reasonably certain he was stationed in the military garrison in Stolp, Pommern between the years of 1888-1891. Although research into the military garrison church records of Stolp have produced no clues or information regarding Hermann Recht.
Hermann is said to have come from a very poor family in Zeyersniederkampen. Although, we have no record aside from Hermann’s marriage document indicating that his parents actually lived in the area covered by the Zeyer ev. Church- which would have included both Zeyersniederkampen and Ellerwald at that time.
According to family traditional, after Hermann returned home from his military service, he was once again sent away from home, this time to make his fortune; his plan, it is said, was to go to Russia along with his brother (name unknown) and settle with the Germans there. On his journey, Hermann stopped at the Kunz farm just after the owner/ father, August Kunz, was buried. Hermann took this opportunity to marry Auguste Kunz (the farmer’s daughter). They were married in Neuteicherwalde, Westpreussen 10 March 1891. Note: It is unlikely that this story is accurate: August Ferdinand Kunz died 4 years in advance of the Recht-Kunz marriage; he died on 25 April 1887. Also to date, we have no evidence of Hermann having had any siblings. (Research continues!)
Upon his marriage to Auguste Kunz, Hermann assumed all Kunz family property rights and embarked on a disastrous program which ultimately ended in the loss of all Kunz wealth and lands. Hermann and his family ultimately ended up holding a small piece of land in Pietzkendorf Westpreussen (near Ladekopp). Based upon children’s birth records, it is believe that the family moved to Pietzkendorf no later than December 23 1893 (the date of their son’s (Ernst) birth in Pietzkendorf).
Frieda (Recht) Senger- his daughter- had little respect for her father; she viewed him as being an angry, mean person without business-savvy.
Ella and Frieda (geb. Recht) complained that Hermann Recht liked to order his daughters around. He was seen as very controlling.
Frieda and Ella Recht married in the same year (1920) because Hermann Recht wanted them to get out of the house.
Hermann’s oldest daughter Erna, however, never got married and left his house to work on the farm of a “rich” Mennonite. Frieda Wedhorn said that her Tante Erna was very religious who maybe tried to take her directions not from Hermann Recht but directly from Jesus Christ. During WW2, Erna lived and worked on the Senger farm.
Regarding Otto Recht’s short life (7 months), it is thought that Hermann Recht apparently wanted more sons and so he did not give his wife Auguste (geb. Kunz) any time to recover after the birth of their third daughter Frieda Auguste. As a result, Otto was sickly and did not survive.
Auguste Kunz (Hermann’s first wife) died an invalid in 1916 after a prolonged illness (gout-Gicht). She had been bed ridden for years prior to her death. Based upon Auguste’s death record information, it seems likely that her mother Elisabeth Kunz geb. Albrecht assisted in Auguste’s care prior to Auguste’s death.
Hermann remarried some years after his first wife’s death.
The Wedhorn kids actually liked to be at Hermann Recht’s farm because he never put as much pressure on them as he obviously did on his daughters.
His second wife’s name was Else Auguste Recht (geboren Nahme / maiden name Ekrut).
She is said to have once been a consort of the Kaiser.
Frieda geb. Wedhorn recounts that Frieda geb. Recht once held a temporary job near Danzig. While in Danzig, Frieda Recht visited Fräulein Else Auguste Ekrut, before Else’s marriage to Herman Recht (as his 2nd wife). Frieda attempted to talk Else out of this marriage, without success. Much to the surprise of Hermann’s daughters, Else Auguste did not let herself be ordered around by Hermann Recht. Once, she even walked out on him. Hermann had to travel to Danzig to get Else to come back.
Else Auguste Recht, reportedly, never went out to work on the fields. Instead, she took care of the house, milked the cows and was an excellent cook.
Else’s brother Wilhelm Ekrut was a “Baumeister” in Danzig (it is thought that he either was an architect or owned a building company), constructing one- or two-family houses in a district or suburb of Danzig. Wilhelm himself supposedly lived in one of those houses and Else Auguste lived there, as well, before she married Hermann Recht and came to live in Pietzkendorf. Frieda Wedhorn also remembers that Wilhelm Ekrut and his wife Emma (maiden name unknown; she is the woman in black who is on Hermann Recht’s 1939 birthday photo) had a car, which at that time was fairly significant.
Else’s death/ disappearance:
Otto Wedhorn reportedly said that after the end of WW2, when the Soviets turned governmental administration in Westpreußen over to the Poles and ethnic Germans were being expelled from Poland, Else Auguste Recht (geb. Ekrut?) did not flee with the remaining members of the Wedhorn family to Fichtenwalde, near Berlin. Rather than joining Otto Wedhorn’s sisters in Fichtenwalde, she is believed instead to have fled to Danzig where she likely still had family or friends. It was at this time the Wedhorns lost contact with her.
Another family story reports that Soviet occupation troops “beat, assaulted and threw Else into the Nogat river” near the Senger farm in Zeyersvorderkampen, Westpreussen.
As for Hermann’s fate… One account has it that he was found dead in April 1945 by some fisherman on a side branch of the Nogat River with a stone tied around his mid-section. Another account reports that he died after trying to rescue his Else Auguste from the Nogat River (after Soviet soldiers had attempted to drown her). This story might align with another in which Else reportedly appeared at the Wedhorn home in Orlofferfelde after his death, in April 1945; Else was completely distraught and in shock following Hermann’s death. Shortly after appearing on the farm Else is reported to have fled the area.) Was Hermann murdered? Did he commit suicide? Neither option would have been uncommon at that time and place for an old man whose world had been destroyed. Perhaps some combination of all or none of the stories are true.
What we do know is that no official or unofficial investigation or inquiry was ever undertaken. Hermann Recht was, after all, just an old, lonely, unwanted, ethnic German; and an investigation into the death of someone like that was not something to be wasted by the allied (Soviet & Polish) authorities newly in control of Zeyervorderkampen.
Hermann’s body was taken and buried on the former Senger lands by Richard Senger.
The true fate of Hermann Recht will, almost certainly, never be known.
His official date of death is 24 April 1945
Hermann is believed buried in an unmarked grave on the old Senger farm in Zeyer (today owned by the Bednarcyzk family).
Currently we are seeking additional, official, information regarding Hermann Recht’s death in Zeyer (circa 1945).
We are also seeking information on the death of Else Auguste Recht (Hermann’s second wife).
Futa-Pass ist die größte deutsche Ehrenstätte des Zweiten Weltkrieges in Italien, auf der über 30 660 deutsche Gefallene ihre letzte Ruhestätte gefunden haben. Der weitaus größte Teil der dort Bestatteten ist in den vom Herbst 1944 bis zum April 1945 andauernden Kämpfen gefallen, die zwischen Carrara am Ligurischen Meer und dem Raum von Rimini an der Adria stattfanden. Die Gefallenen wurden von dem erfahrenen Fachpersonal des VOLKSBUNDES aus Feldgräbern und Gemeindefriedhöfen der umliegenden Provinzen auf den Soldatenfriedhof Futa-Pass umgebettet. Die Ehrenstätte wurde am 28.06.69 im Rahmen einer Einweihungsfeier der Öffentlichkeit übergeben.
Information on the battle in which Erich died may be found Wikipedia.
Adolf Senger was the tenth (10th) of Michael Senger’s and Adelgunde Kiel’s 13 children. He was the second of their sons to give his life in World War 1.
Based upon the small amount of information available in the “Deutsche Verlustlisten”, I believe my great uncle fought with:
The 75.Infanterie-Brigade 1. Masurisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 146 III. Bataillon 9. Kompagnie
In July of 1915, units of this organization were engaged with the enemy (Russia) on the Eastern front in what is known as the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive (if you are interested in films of the offensive, numerous are available on YouTube).
To date, we have not found any indication of a military grave for my Uhr Onkel Adolf. We hope some day to find his resting place.
This page is under development; research is on-going
Note: additional source materials are currently being obtained.
Adelgunde Kiehl History -as related to Mark Rabideau by Luise (Senger) Rabideau (Aledgunde’s grand daughter) Jan 2006
She was born to a family of barge owners (the Kiehl’s)– her birth record we know her birth to have been on the 6th of October 1850 and baptized on 9 October of 1850 near Graudenz Mittelbezirk Westpreussen.
It is believed that her mother (Esther Adelgunde geboren Grindemann) died giving child birth.
Her father (Erdmann Kiehl) is believed to have died 6 days after her birth.
Adelgunde was raised by relatives (an uncle?) near Tiegenhof, Westpreussen.
Her nickname was “Gundke”.
When Adelgunde deemed herself of marriageable age she announced her interest in (advertised for) a husband in the local Newspaper (a common practice).
Michael Senger applied and was considered appropriate.
Adelgunde was the ‘brains’ in the family; she was a shrewd business woman and earned much of the Senger wealth through competent business practices.
Like most genealogists, I make mistakes. I think it is safe to say that my mistakes are almost always simple accidents. At least, I can not think of a single situation where I have made an error on purpose. I don’t like admitting that I make errors but in all honesty, I do. Maybe others are more highly thorough and skilled than I and have a differing view. However, I digress.
.jpg)
.jpg "Auguste Alvina Caroline- Birth 1869-complete (small)")
.jpg "Auguste Recht geb Kunz and Elisabeth Kunz geb Albrecht- Deaths 1916 (small)")
, 1940er Jahre.jpg "Frauenbrigaden auf dem Lagerplatz vor dem Abmarsch zur Arbeit- Tscheljabinsker ITL (Ural), 1940er Jahre")
It pleases me beyond words to say that I have successfully identified the grave of my Great Uncle and made certain that his grave stone in the battlefields of WW1 France is now updated and complete.
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_LuftkreiskdoKDR-enhanced.jpg]14820Luftgaukommando VII- München Entrance in WW2from http://www.thirdreichruins.com/munich5.htm#luftgaukmdo Geoff Walden](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/LuftkreiskdoKDR-enhanced.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_LuftkreiskdoMuenchenGT-enhanced.jpg]14490Luftgaukommando VII- München Sideview in WW2from http://www.thirdreichruins.com/munich5.htm#luftgaukmdo Geoff Walden](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/LuftkreiskdoMuenchenGT-enhanced.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_luftgaukmdo1937-enhanced.jpg]14430Luftgaukommando VII- München in 1937from http://www.thirdreichruins.com/munich5.htm#luftgaukmdo Geoff Walden](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/luftgaukmdo1937-enhanced.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_Luftgaukommando VII 1 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg]14291Luftgaukommando VII- München current #1Photo: Ewoud van Eig http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/19580/Building-Regional-Headquarters-Luftwaffe.htm](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/Luftgaukommando VII 1 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_Luftgaukommando VII 2 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg]14070Luftgaukommando VII- München current #2Photo: Ewoud van Eig http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/19580/Building-Regional-Headquarters-Luftwaffe.htm](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/Luftgaukommando VII 2 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_Luftgaukommando VII 3 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg]14020Luftgaukommando VII- München current #3Photo: Ewoud van Eig http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/19580/Building-Regional-Headquarters-Luftwaffe.htm](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/Luftgaukommando VII 3 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_Luftgaukommando VII 4 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg]13940Luftgaukommando VII- München current #4Photo: Ewoud van Eig http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/19580/Building-Regional-Headquarters-Luftwaffe.htm](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/Luftgaukommando VII 4 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg){kind=link}
![[img src=http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/thumbs/thumbs_Luftgaukommando VII 5 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg]13930Luftgaukommando VII- München current #5Photo: Ewoud van Eig http://en.tracesofwar.com/article/19580/Building-Regional-Headquarters-Luftwaffe.htm](http://www.many-roads.com/genealogy/photos/non-family-photos/LuftgaukommandoVII/Luftgaukommando VII 5 Ewoud van Eig photo.jpg){kind=link}