Quote:
Originally Posted by Klaus
Hallo Kumpel!
Welcome to the forum. Why was your father released in 1952? That's 3 years before my greatgrandfather got released. Now that I come to think of it, I never wondered if any prisoners were released earlier. I'll have to look it up.
Do you speak any German?
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Guten abend, Klaus. I have no clue as to why he was released in 1952, but he did come home with a train load of others. He was sentenced to eight years as a "war criminal", but held for nearly nine years.
I do know he said he refused to sign his name to statements during the war to used against his countrymen and also refused to take part in some Soviet puppet organization he and other prisoners were being pressured to join. Perhaps that is why he had the extra year added on.
I do speak some German, but its rusty. I came over to the U.S. when I was nine months old, and Pop died in 1985. After his passing, I had no one left to use conversational German with, but I am now trying to regain my native tongue. Not as easy as I thought it would be.
I did start posting in the German POW section here and look forward to trading info with you pertaining to your great-grandfather.
Perhaps we both can add more to what we need to know.
We also share another common thread. My mother's side of the family is originally from Austria. I'll have to look up as to where. They relocated to Bavaria after WWI and settled in Bad Toltz.