I came across some fine photos of my grandfather on my father's side—I always knew him as "Opa." Here he is on his Wanderschaft, a kind of wandering or bumming around that was sometimes expected of young men who had completed their apprenticeship (Opa was a woodworker who soon made models for an airplane manufacturer named Klemm). Opa is at left (c. 1928-30).
Opa's older brother, at the far left, was an ardent Communist. Opa, seen here in a dark coat, was also a member of the party. Here they are in Berlin, I think, with some of their comrades (note the fists: political gestures).
I'm not sure what this is about (c. 1930). Despite the presence of musical instruments, it could be a political gathering. Opa is on the far right. His wife, Louise, my grandmother ("Oma"), is on the far left. They married in 1932; my dad was born in 1933. The two loved to play music with friends in a local band that did traditional tunes. Opa eventually gave his mandolins to my mother, who still has it. I'll dig it up and take some pictures.
(Click on the images to enlarge them.)
Again, don't know what this is about. That's Opa second from left. C. early 30s. He was also active in a wilderness appreciation/protection league/club. My dad has no clue about the activities in many of these old photos. It seems likely that Opa made an effort to hide his former political activities as things grew darker in the 30s. But he couldn't keep his mouth shut and eventually did get into trouble. Friends in town quickly got him into the Wehrmacht, despite his age.
Previously shown picture. Opa is second from left. The flag seems clearly Communist ("We're ready!" with fist emblem). These pictures are likely all pre-Hitler. Communists and Nazis were, of course, mortal enemies and soon faced off in the bloody Spanish Civil War.
Here are my grandmother (left), Opa's sister, and my dad, still a baby, c. late 1933.
The sister's husband died in the war less than ten years later; he was a paratrooper. Young men died like flies. One of my dad's aunts, Frida, lost two husbands during the war! After that, she took up dogs. They lived longer.
The sister's husband died in the war less than ten years later; he was a paratrooper. Young men died like flies. One of my dad's aunts, Frida, lost two husbands during the war! After that, she took up dogs. They lived longer.
7 comments:
I'm really enjoying all these new pictures. Excellent!
Do you mean your grandmother?
What I love is your discovery of familiar Bauer--oops, von Traven--traits such as a love of music and of wilderness, political radicalism and independent-spiritedness, and so on. Fascinating, and it makes me think all over again about the power of genetics and upbringing. It's great that you are bringing Otto/Opa back to life in this way.
MAH
What I meant was, "Do you mean your GREAT-grandmother?"
MAH
I'm not sure what question you're asking, MAH, but perhaps you are referring to the identity of the woman at left in the last photo. That woman is indeed my "Oma," i.e., my grandmother (on my dad's side), who died in about 1972. In that photo, she is about 22 or 23 years old. BvT
As always, I love the old photos and the stories that go with them. Don't know why I like them so much, but I really do. ES
Oh--sorry for my confusion! I was thinking that the baby in that photo was Opa, even though you say clearly that it was your Dad.
Sometimes I t'ink I have no brain at all....
ES and all: that was a riff on a comment that Opa once made about his own little rescue-dog, Slipper, when he observed that she never really learned how to get in the door of the huge RV that Manny drove all the way down the Coast Highway. He clearly loved that ugly (ugly!) little dog, and deserved much credit for taking her in and giving her a good life.
MAH
I get it! I remember BvT noting in a caption under a pic of Opa and Slipper that Opa often said that he thought she "...has no brain atall."
ES
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