Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin

Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin: One Woman's Remarkable Escape from Nazi Germany | Mildred Schindler Janzen, Sherye S. Green

Today we celebrated w. a short documentary of her life. Last year our Bookclub met w. the 94 yo American born German descent author. She & family in East Germany were 1st displaced by Russia during & later by Poland after WWII. As a teen, she survived Russian work camps, displaced persons camps, & ocean voyage to America. 7 yrs later Mom & brother joined her in KS. Her strength, joy, & gratitude abounds. Here is the suitcase she brought to USA.

LeahBergen How wonderful! 1y

AmyG Amazing! 1y

tpixie @LeahBergen @AmyG she is smart as a whip & spry!! Her story is unique since she‘s American (although she did not know that until she was 17, because the family moved back to Germany when she was an infant) & a protestant. The Nazis would count their chickens to make sure the family was providing enough eggs to them. 1y

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tpixie Then, when Russia became part of the Allies, they kicked her family off the farm, and they went to camps. Then, after the war, Poland was given that part of eastern Germany as reparations, and so they were kicked out of their home again! There are just so many untold stories. 1y

Librarybelle What an amazing afternoon! 1y

tpixie @Librarybelle yes! I then took my husband to an evening event at her home church (75 years!) about 50 minutes away. Whew! Luckily he enjoyed it & was impressed with her and the documentary! lol makes up for some of the ball games I watch with him! 😃 1y

Suet624 What a life. 1y

tpixie @Suet624 yes! She‘s still coming to grips with her earlier years, but she is very positive. 1y

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tpixie

Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin: One Woman's Remarkable Escape from Nazi Germany | Mildred Schindler Janzen, Sherye S. Green

#12booksOf2022 #February

Very ugly cover, but interesting book of a Christian German family that suffered after WWII under Stalin‘s rule. Not a concentration camp story, but a different WWII story.
The author is a very gracious woman who lives about 1 hour away, so our IRL bookclub was able to have a luncheon with her.

Andrew65

Andrew65 This does sound interesting. 2y

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tpixie

Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin: One Woman's Remarkable Escape from Nazi Germany | Mildred Schindler Janzen, Sherye S. Green

We had a wonderful get together w. the 93 yo author. She‘s American born German descent. She & family in East Germany were 1st displaced by Russia during & then Poland after WWII. As a teen, she survived Russian work camps, displaced persons camps, & ocean voyage to America. Finally after 7 years, her Mom & brother joined her in KS. Her strength, joy, & gratitude should never be forgotten.

Sills

Chrissyreadit What a great day!!! 3y

Cortg Amazing! Our library just hosted a holocaust survivor last week. ❤️ 3y

AmyG Sounds amazing. 3y

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LeahBergen Oh, wow! What an incredible day! ❤️ 3y

tpixie @CoverToCoverGirl we had a great time!! 3y

tpixie @Chrissyreadit @Cortg @AmyG it was amazing. And her story is different than what I‘ve heard, being a German displaced by Russia! They were Christians, & not Nazi sympathizers, but imprisoned by Russia. Then as reparations, Poland got Eastern part of Germany, so they got kicked out of their home again. Unfortunately they ended up in Russian Occupied Germany (not US, British, or France Occupied), so they were prisoners again! Then her mom helped her 3y

tpixie Escape to American occupied Berlin. There it was discovered she was actually Americsn born (her parents were in Kansas from 1922 to 29) & so at 18 yo, she was able to come to USA. Her mother & brother, Germans, were allowed 7 years later. Dad never seen after being taken away by Russians in WWII. WE had a very insightful lunch with her! 3y

tpixie @LeahBergen yes! My husband‘s cousin‘s wife is going to be the new school superintendent of Ellsworth Kansas where Mildred lives. I‘m going to buy her the book. I‘m hoping it gets into the school curriculum & she can visit the school! 3y

CoverToCoverGirl Amazing! How lucky you were to meet and spend time with this incredible woman. So very sad for her to have lost her Dad in such a horrific way. Thanks for the update! 💟 3y

tpixie @CoverToCoverGirl I do feel blessed. Your welcome! 3y

Cathythoughts Great picture ♥️ 3y

tpixie @Cathythoughts thanks. We had a great time! 3y

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tpixie

Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin: One Woman's Remarkable Escape from Nazi Germany | Mildred Schindler Janzen, Sherye S. Green

Can‘t wait for book club tomorrow. We are meeting with the author. She lives nearby in Kansas.
She was American born of German parents. They got displaced from their family farm in Germany during World War II by the Russians. After World War II they got displaced again by Poland and were sent to Russia Occupied Berlin. Once it was discovered that she was actually a US citizen, she was able to come to America!

#FriendsWithBooks

Sills, JoanehSmith

CoverToCoverGirl That‘s exciting and it sounds very interesting! 3y

tpixie @CoverToCoverGirl yes! They were not pro Nazi. it‘s very interesting to hear about World War II from a German family‘s viewpoint (edited) 3y

CoverToCoverGirl @tpixie I can‘t wait to hear how this goes. Please give us an update. 🙂 3y

tpixie @CoverToCoverGirl ok!!! 3y

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tpixie

Surviving Hitler, Evading Stalin: One Woman's Remarkable Escape from Nazi Germany | Mildred Schindler Janzen, Sherye S. Green

Starting this memoir for my IRL book club #FriendsWithBooks. We are meeting with the author in early April. She lives nearby.
I‘m planning to read as a companion book
The Redhead of Auschwitz
❤️‍🩹💝❤️‍🩹
#WomenInspiringWomen

JoanehSmith

DivineDiana Sounds like a model Book Club! 3y

tpixie @DivineDiana yes! 3y

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