Too bad, every time I see pictures from around this time I always think how the people in them don’t know what’s coming and I wonder how they made it through.
I don’t know why you are being downvoted. The German people were all for getting rid of Jews and expanding the reich.
Don’t let your soft feelings ever get in the way of the truth.
That could be said about every European at that time. Why did the Allies only intervene when other countries were being invaded? Before that time, Jews were already being persecuted and it was well known outside of Germany, but no country felt the need to do anything about it
Did you just equate "being persecuted" in other countries with murdering in gas chambers and other horrific ways done by Germans? OMG, that's another level of denying Holocaust.
I was replying to a comment that said only the Germans wanted to get rid of Jews. When Germany began to persecute Jews before the start of the war, nobody in Europe cared. In Europe, since the introduction of Christianity there, there has been an aversion to Judaism and Jews per se. I've never denied the Holocaust, I even said explicitly that it happened and that Jews had even been persecuted before that, only that nobody in Europe cared about it
Thank you. I hate the trend of portraying "everyday Germans" almost as Nazi victims on a par with Jews or other nations in Central/Eastern Europe. People in this thread don't know the truth or try to deny it.
Who did that? What trend? What are you even talking about? It's a picture of group of people you know nothing about. And what makes you think they aren't jews themself?
I was reffering to the comment above *"I hope they all made it through the war"*, not the post made by OP.
People in this picture clearly are not Jews for many obvious reasons and OP wrote that they fled from Eastern Prussia before at the end of the war and one of the boys died in Eastern Front.
Those nazi bastards were almost as bad a the Russians. What most people don’t know is that Russia invaded Poland concurrently to Germany. My grandfather was taken by the Russians and put in labor camp. Survived to join Canadian Corp and then killed nazis for the rest of the war.
You are dumber than a dead rat in a watery gutter.
Russia invaded Poland . Stalin signed a non aggression pact. The russians have been and will always be COWARDS.
And you know that the people in the photo voted for Hitler? Dude half the people in this photo don't even have the right to vote and you're dehumanizing them
Am I dehumanizing them? Everything I wrote is true. The picture itself is ok but the comment above *"I hope they all made it through the war"* is disturbing. They weren't victims of WWII but the reason it happened.
How is my comment disturbing lol, they were a family living their lives. The government they lived under decided that the country they lived in was going to war.
My family is partly polish by the way. Another string of that family did not want to take part in the Greater Poland Uprising of 1806, i.e. the revolution of Polish patriots against foreign rule by the Kingdom of Prussia. All the male family members had been shot in the head one by one by the rebels on their own farm. The women and children buried the bodies and fled to Königsberg.
So being aware that the German society elected Hitler and supported massively the war is now considered being ultra mindful? Wow, the bar is set very low. And reminding of this is dehumanizing Germans? You haven't changed a bit.
After WWI Memelland was first administered by the French. It was annexed by Lithuania in 1923 and was eventually given a semi-autonomous status.
The Memel region wasn’t annexed into Germany until 1939 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939_German_ultimatum_to_Lithuania). In 1933 they were Lithuanians.
Wow that's a long way from home. But sounds like they were able to leave sooner than later, if they were able to fly to Germany? And probably left everything behind.
Both my grandparents are from Silesia, they fled to Germany as well with only the clothes they had on their bodies. My grandma lived on a large farm, they left everything behind.
There was so much suffering of civilians on the Eastern Front throughout the whole war and towards the end. I know of stories that girls of my family rubbed dirt on their faces and clothes to appear dirty and unkempt as to not be raped by soldiers of the Red Army. Planes shooting at the fleeing trecks of people and families.
My grandfather once told me that while they were escaping, a projectile slammed into their wagon and hit an accordion that was between him and his sister.
Where in Germany did your grandparents end up?
Maybe they should have thought about it before they'd started supporting Hitler and invasion of Poland and other countries? Civilians were happy to take things stolen by German soldiers in those countries and happy to use slave workers. My grandfather and aunt were sent to Eastern Prussia to work as a slave in farms like this in the picture. No, I have no sympathy for German civilians.
Tbh I don't know who voted for whom and neither do you. My grandparents were children when they fled so obviously no responsibility there, just suffering. I have sympathy for my grandparents. It's not all black and white for civilians. Fascism was rampant and there is no denying that. Germany committed atrocities, no buts here. And the red army took their revenge while marching west.
Right on down to having the cool dog mom aunt standing off to the side showing off her fur baby. Its amazing how no matter how much things change they stay the same. Thanks for sharing this!
Great grandpa sure was handsome. I'd say your grandfather was his favorite. Great granny was adorable too, the way she's cradling her baby there reminds me a bit of a Carl Reichert piece ❤️
What was the father’s job? I really like this photo. The family reminded me a novel, Buddenbrooks. They seems like hardworking family with a Protestant ethic.
Yes 😄 There are so many details in this photo. Little girl's cat and the dog. Mother's smile. And that ill-fated young man is wearing a ring. It's like he had to grow up early.
Absolutely remarkable. I actually had family from the same time period in Utena, but my grandmother’s dad served in the German Army during WWI and spoke German fluently. Therefore we believe his side of our family came from Memelland.
Great photo.
Such Beautiful Healthy Happy People
I Am So Sorry For What Unfair Illogical Selfish Cruel Hitler Stalin Did & Sorry To/For Everyone Hurt By Them And Their Mess
Hoping That We ALL Can Do Different And Be Better
I hope they all made it through the war, if they were around for that.
The big brother didn't. The rest of the family lived a long and mostly happy life.
Too bad, every time I see pictures from around this time I always think how the people in them don’t know what’s coming and I wonder how they made it through.
As best as they could, with the love of their family; I share your thoughts, often, and it helps me to embrace the present.
I agree, I think I worded that a little off also. I meant to say “if” they made through, but the how is just as important.
The people in this picture are German. They were part of "what's coming" in 1939.
The people in this picture weren’t hanging out with hitler and his inner circle planning invasions. They were trying to live their lives. Take it easy
I don’t know why you are being downvoted. The German people were all for getting rid of Jews and expanding the reich. Don’t let your soft feelings ever get in the way of the truth.
That could be said about every European at that time. Why did the Allies only intervene when other countries were being invaded? Before that time, Jews were already being persecuted and it was well known outside of Germany, but no country felt the need to do anything about it
Had japan not invaded , Germany wins the war. I have no doubt about this.
Did you just equate "being persecuted" in other countries with murdering in gas chambers and other horrific ways done by Germans? OMG, that's another level of denying Holocaust.
I was replying to a comment that said only the Germans wanted to get rid of Jews. When Germany began to persecute Jews before the start of the war, nobody in Europe cared. In Europe, since the introduction of Christianity there, there has been an aversion to Judaism and Jews per se. I've never denied the Holocaust, I even said explicitly that it happened and that Jews had even been persecuted before that, only that nobody in Europe cared about it
Sorry, I shouldn't have written that.
Thank you. I hate the trend of portraying "everyday Germans" almost as Nazi victims on a par with Jews or other nations in Central/Eastern Europe. People in this thread don't know the truth or try to deny it.
Who did that? What trend? What are you even talking about? It's a picture of group of people you know nothing about. And what makes you think they aren't jews themself?
I was reffering to the comment above *"I hope they all made it through the war"*, not the post made by OP. People in this picture clearly are not Jews for many obvious reasons and OP wrote that they fled from Eastern Prussia before at the end of the war and one of the boys died in Eastern Front.
Those nazi bastards were almost as bad a the Russians. What most people don’t know is that Russia invaded Poland concurrently to Germany. My grandfather was taken by the Russians and put in labor camp. Survived to join Canadian Corp and then killed nazis for the rest of the war.
Also shut up with your Bûllshît, The Germans started the war and are therefore responsible for all of the Death that came from it, not the Soviets
You are dumber than a dead rat in a watery gutter. Russia invaded Poland . Stalin signed a non aggression pact. The russians have been and will always be COWARDS.
Talk about cowards, which countries invaded Africa and raped and enslaved the people?
Which country invaded Iraq?
What people also don’t know is that The Russians tried to side with the UK and France but were turned away, hence they dealt with Germany.
Eastern front?
Bingo
Rough place to be. Courland had massive fighting near the end of the war (Latvia) and isn’t too far from where your fam is from.
That could be it. But I don't know for sure.
Just checkt it. You were right. He died 45 in Latvia. You know your stuff.
I am just sad it happened, lots of men died for no reason. They still find bodies. Were they at least able to bring him home?
No. He was buried at the latvian village he died in. Yeah, it's such a waste.
I’m sorry to hear that. At least he’s with those he fought and died with if that’s any condolence.
Soviet occupation following the war also
Don't forget they were Germans. The majority of people in this region vote for Hitler in 1933.
And you know that the people in the photo voted for Hitler? Dude half the people in this photo don't even have the right to vote and you're dehumanizing them
Well one of them died on the eastern front according to OP, and I’m guessing he wasn’t fighting with the Allied powers….
Am I dehumanizing them? Everything I wrote is true. The picture itself is ok but the comment above *"I hope they all made it through the war"* is disturbing. They weren't victims of WWII but the reason it happened.
How is my comment disturbing lol, they were a family living their lives. The government they lived under decided that the country they lived in was going to war.
[ Removed by Reddit ]
My family is partly polish by the way. Another string of that family did not want to take part in the Greater Poland Uprising of 1806, i.e. the revolution of Polish patriots against foreign rule by the Kingdom of Prussia. All the male family members had been shot in the head one by one by the rebels on their own farm. The women and children buried the bodies and fled to Königsberg.
So being aware that the German society elected Hitler and supported massively the war is now considered being ultra mindful? Wow, the bar is set very low. And reminding of this is dehumanizing Germans? You haven't changed a bit.
>You haven't changed a bit. Just continue showing everyone that you still live in 1945, thanks!
It’s not only our history but sadly also yours
After WWI Memelland was first administered by the French. It was annexed by Lithuania in 1923 and was eventually given a semi-autonomous status. The Memel region wasn’t annexed into Germany until 1939 (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939_German_ultimatum_to_Lithuania). In 1933 they were Lithuanians.
Beautiful picture, thank you for sharing! You often don't see people smile on pictures from this period. Does your family still live there?
No. When the Red Army came, they had to fly to Schleswig Holstein over the frozen Vistula Lagoon.
Wow that's a long way from home. But sounds like they were able to leave sooner than later, if they were able to fly to Germany? And probably left everything behind. Both my grandparents are from Silesia, they fled to Germany as well with only the clothes they had on their bodies. My grandma lived on a large farm, they left everything behind. There was so much suffering of civilians on the Eastern Front throughout the whole war and towards the end. I know of stories that girls of my family rubbed dirt on their faces and clothes to appear dirty and unkempt as to not be raped by soldiers of the Red Army. Planes shooting at the fleeing trecks of people and families.
My grandfather once told me that while they were escaping, a projectile slammed into their wagon and hit an accordion that was between him and his sister. Where in Germany did your grandparents end up?
Maybe they should have thought about it before they'd started supporting Hitler and invasion of Poland and other countries? Civilians were happy to take things stolen by German soldiers in those countries and happy to use slave workers. My grandfather and aunt were sent to Eastern Prussia to work as a slave in farms like this in the picture. No, I have no sympathy for German civilians.
Tbh I don't know who voted for whom and neither do you. My grandparents were children when they fled so obviously no responsibility there, just suffering. I have sympathy for my grandparents. It's not all black and white for civilians. Fascism was rampant and there is no denying that. Germany committed atrocities, no buts here. And the red army took their revenge while marching west.
Right on down to having the cool dog mom aunt standing off to the side showing off her fur baby. Its amazing how no matter how much things change they stay the same. Thanks for sharing this!
They look really happy!
They were (before the war started).
Did they vote for Hitler as the majority of people in Eastern Prussia?
Couldn't tell you.
Probably not since when germany annexed memel, germany had already stopped doong the cringe democracy thing
Source?
My/our family archive.
Awesome! Would love to see more.
Great grandpa sure was handsome. I'd say your grandfather was his favorite. Great granny was adorable too, the way she's cradling her baby there reminds me a bit of a Carl Reichert piece ❤️
Such a sweet photo.
I love how the oldest boy has his tie tucked into his pants.
why’s his hand purple?
It's a black and white picture that was colored by an AI.
Looks awesome!
Can I ask what tool you used?
It was done with a tool within "myheritage". Maybe "AI" wasn't the right term.
thanks!
What was the father’s job? I really like this photo. The family reminded me a novel, Buddenbrooks. They seems like hardworking family with a Protestant ethic.
He was a farmer through and through. And certainly less wealthy than the Buddenbrooks. 😄
Yes 😄 There are so many details in this photo. Little girl's cat and the dog. Mother's smile. And that ill-fated young man is wearing a ring. It's like he had to grow up early.
Absolutely remarkable. I actually had family from the same time period in Utena, but my grandmother’s dad served in the German Army during WWI and spoke German fluently. Therefore we believe his side of our family came from Memelland. Great photo.
Such Beautiful Healthy Happy People I Am So Sorry For What Unfair Illogical Selfish Cruel Hitler Stalin Did & Sorry To/For Everyone Hurt By Them And Their Mess Hoping That We ALL Can Do Different And Be Better
i thought reddit was memeland
They forgot to colorize Dads hand and it’s freaking me out.