Hanna Abaszidze (nee Trebert) 1916-1950
Hanna was born in Warsaw, and married in 1937 to Wachtang Abaszidze, a Captain of the 13th Division of the Polish Army. She is a distant relative of my wife, whose family history I am researching. I hope this post may generate some additional info about Hanna.
Wachtang was Georgian, having fought in the Russian Civil War 1917-20 on the White Russian side, and escaped via Constantinople to be recruited into the new Polish Army. Captured in September 1939, he was released in December 1939. Hanna and Wachtang passed the war in Warsaw, but so far as one can gather they drifted apart towards the end. Hanna managed to get away from Warsaw before the Uprising broke out on 1st August 1944, and at the end of the war found herself in the area east of Munich. As she spoke several languages fluently, she quickly found herself employed by the American forces as an interpreter, and then soon joined the International Refugee Organisation as a welfare officer (see photo below).
She worked in various camps from 1945 to 1950, so far as I can identify, as follows: Hammerau, Murnau, Freilassing, Laufen, Ainring and Bad Reichenhall. She was employed at Bad Reichenhall twice, and this was her last posting when on Saturday 13 May 1950 she drowned in a river above Bad Reichenhall trying to save the dog of a friend which had fallen into the river. She had a very large funeral, and people came long distances to attend. She would have been very well known in the camp network, being an outgoing and gregarious personality. She was buried at St Zeno Church in Bad Reichenhall, where a stone on her grave was maintained by someone until about 2006. I found the site of her grave a few years ago.
I have asked for this information to be posted on the Dpcamps website in the hope that it may ring bells with people interested in any of the camps listed. Maybe fragments of information exist here and there which will help me build up a richer picture of this young woman whose life was cut off so prematurely. Eamonn Judge ejjudge@googlemail.com
Minden
(a city in Westphalen region) is the closest city where
you can find archives. Lahde in now a community (See also: http://www.lahde.de),
part of the city of Petershagen (see http://www.petershagen.de/ ).
Dear Olga,
Absolutely wonderful website. Do you have anything at all related to DP Camp
at Lahr in the French Zone. I am researching Australian Immigration Post WWII
and have not been able to find anything about Lahr anywhere. Thanks for your
help. tpsoft@iinet.net.au Kindest
Regards Tom Stiglmayer, Australia
Lampertheim, near Stuttgart;
City archive: Stadtarchiv Lampertheim
Römerstrasse 102
68623 Lampertheim
1,100 resided in homes taken from German families. This led to lot of hostility against the DPs. (Wyman, p. 42), Jews
Landsberg, (U.S. zone)
DP refugees from Soviet
Union and Baltics. After the war, Landsberg became a displaced persons
camp for about 6,000 people, 5,000 of whom were Jews. After December 1946,
the prison held 1,600 Nazi war criminals awaiting trial and sentencing
in the American zone of occupation. For more, see http://www.holocaust-education.de/?site=archive&mode=glossary&dsStartSite=5&q=&lp=en
Book: Heymont, Irving. After
the Deluge: The Landsberg DP Camp, 1945. McLean, VA: Gen Rsrch Corp, Jul 1981. 195 p. D809G3H49. Diary of camp commander, 19 Sep-7 Dec 1945.
City archives: Stadtarchiv Landsberg am Lech
Lechstr. 132 1/2
86899 Landsberg am Lech
Tel: 49-8191-9457-16
Fax: 49-8191-9457-29
EMail: stadtarchiv@landsberg.de
Submitted by: w.strobel@netcologne.de,
author of Post der befreiten Zwangsarbeiter - Displaced Persons Mail Paid
in Deutschland 1945 - 1949.
City archive / Stadtarchiv Landsberg am Lech,
Lechstr. 132 1/2,
86899 Landsberg am Lech
Photos at United Nations archives:
We have photo #UN22338: Jewish DPs in DP Camp of Landsberg, Germany
Please let me know if you would be interested in obtaining hi-res scans ($3 each) or prints ($ 7 each). Best regards,
Clara Gouy, Photo Librarian, United Nations, photolibr@un.org
Hi, Olga,
I, too, was in a number of displaced persons' camps in Germany from 1945 to 1948. In 1948, however, my father was employed by the U.S. Army as a translator for the Polish troops at the kaserne in Landsberg am Lech. He was part of the 7317th Labor Service Squadron, Landsberg Air Force Base APO 61. Would you know anything about that squadron? Any information that you could provide would very much appreciated. Sincerely, George M. Hayward
From city chronicles 1945-1948, Kriegsende bis Waehrungsreform (From End of War to Monetary Reform), Mr. Walter Brand, author, registered in city archives:
• In Landshut in summer
1945, over 2000 Displaced Persons were accommodated. By middle of 1946, the number
arose up to 3000 persons - then it became slowly dwindled to less people (page
45).
• In 1948 US Army confiscated
for themselves, the IRO and Housing Project, a total of 152 houses with 448
flats and 2038 rooms. The breakdown was:
- for the US Army 63 houses with 140 flats with 742 rooms;
- for Housing Project 59 houses with 167 flats with 693 rooms; and
- for the IRO 30 houses with 141 flats and 603 rooms
(page 47).
• On May 23rd 1945 Seligenthal, Zisterzienserinnen-Kloster Seligenthal
(a nunnery school or convent in Landshut), was confiscated by the US-Army
for accommodating 1250 Polish Displaced Persons. On July 17th/18th 1945 the Displaced Persons were transported to a camp in Oberpfalz (another district in Bavaria) (page 163).
• Hoehn-Kaserne (Hoehn Barracks), former names were Schwerreiter-Kaserneand Max-Zwei-Kaserne:This must have been a huge building, but it does not exist anymore.
• Other camps were
in: the sports hall in Wittstrasse(Witt-street)
and in the government building (page 44).
• There were DP-Camps
in many schools from the city and district and the schools of Seligenthal (page
153): In the Boys' School was a Lettish DP camp from fall 1945 (page 160) and
in the Elementary School was a Polish DP camp also (page 159).
•The Jewish Community`s
DP camp was in a guesthouse: Gasthaus "Zum Silbernagel(page
43). • DP-Camps
in confiscated private houses: in villas at Annaberg, the residential areas at Hammerbachweg, in Clemens-Brentano-Strasse
Mitterwoehr, at the Niedermayer-Strasse (page44).
With many thanks to Ms. AB and the staff of the City Archives Landshut, Germany,
1/16/05 Dear Olga,
My parents were both Lithuanians. They were taken off the streets in Kaunas together with their young son. My mother talks about being in Landshut and a hospital in Eishtett. We know they must have been in a DP camp before coming to Australia. However, how do we find out what camp they were in. Mum talked about her camp, where she was taken out to housekeep for some officers and there was a Red Cross orphanage next door for the children of the camp and others. This orphanage was subsequently bombed by the Allies who thought the building was being used for more sinister activities.
My parents were JUOZAS GUDONIS and MORTA MOCKUS their children at the camp were PETER and IDA.
Thank you Algis Gudonis witchgoose@qldnet.com.au / Australia
Langenberg (British zone)
Stadtarchiv Zürich
Haus zum Untern Rech
Neumarkt 4
CH-8001 Zürich
I was just looking thought your amazing website and thought I might contact you
in regards to finding family histories.
My grandparents were (as far as we know) from Polish/Ukranian heritage.
My grandmother Helene Kucharyk gave birth to my mother
in Laupheim Germany.
She then emmigated to Australia from Bremerhaven, with
my mother and her sister Helene.
My grandfather Terenty Morhulski/Morgulski travelled to Australia
from Naples.
Do you know how I can find out about their lives prior to leaving Germany/Italy?
Any websites or links would be truly appreicated.
When I googled "Lager Lehrte" (camp
Lehrte) I came to: http://www.enercity.de/include/Downloads/Publikationen/hannoversche_lager.pdf
This seems to be a research project on forced labor camps in that region. Perhaps you can try to get information there. Submitted by: Wolfgang Strobel, author of Post der befreiten Zwangsarbeiter - Displaced Persons Mail Paid in Deutschland 1945 - 1949.
11/16/05 Dear Olga
would you have any information at all on a camp called Lehrte?
Thanking you, Phobe; email:
prettywoman250@hotmail.com
"New duties were added to the old of rounding up P.O.W.s, chasing down small bands of die-hard Nazis who still had weapons and ammunition, rounding up, feeding and controlling displaced persons by the thousands, freeing slave labor, restoring civil government under Allied supervision, helping civilians resume living and caring for themselves, like assisting farmers to find seed potatoes for the Spring planting, restoring order and helping shattered or isolated communities to function again." For
more, see: http://www.35thinfdivassoc.com/CentralEurope/Europe-Page-4.shtml
"One platoon of the company was assigned to guard the remains at Gardelegen, Germany where the horror of the Holocaust touched these soldiers. When a German corporal realized his truck transporting slave laborers was going to be taken by the Americans, he herded the nationals, including Poles and Russians, into a barn, doused the structure with gasoline and struck a match to the building. Outside the Germans waited with machine guns for those who managed to escape. The Americans 'noticed a large fire and much machine-gun and tank action. They investigated and found the ruins of the barn.' George Riley said they were stationed in a building close to the remains." For
more, see: http://www.janesgenealogy.info/army822nd.htm
"The only affidavit submitted with respect to the northern evacuations by any prisoner involved in the forced marches is an affidavit by Thurston Hunter, an English prisoner of war, who deposes that he, with 800 British prisoners of war, was marched from Stalag XX-A, evidently near Thorn [Torun], Poland, to Lehrte, near Hannover, in northwestern Germany." For
more, see: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=62789
Leipheim, (Alija-Kibbuz Bar Kochba) - Balts, Jews
United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration Archives Record Group: PAG 4 Box 18-22: District 5: Mittenwald, Feldafing, Munich, Leipheim
Lentersheim / Lendersheim photos
of the town available here.
My mother was in this camp from 1940-1945. So I am very interested in it. Any
info.
Olga Kaczmar / USA
Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Hesselberg
Wittelshofener Str. 30
91725 Ehingen.
Tel.: 09835-97910)
Dear Olga! (click on photos to enlarge)
I
talked to the guys in - Lentersheim. They say, that they have
the regular registers quite complete (but not much further) and they
told me of an afterwar-camp at the Hesselberg, where DPs stayed there
only for short time, and then they were sent into 'private houses'
like in Lenningen or Dinkelsbühl.
I was on the Hesselberg nearby; it is a wonderfull
hill, marvelous sight to all the area around. I asked a woman for
details. She said: "The Hesselberg
was a fortified place in the very early days of history. One still can see
today the remains of the walls of the fortification. The Nazis wanted to have
this impressing hill as a part of their propaganda and claimed him
"The hill of the Franks (Franken is the name of the region)" and started to build
there a school which never was finished."
It seems, that in these buildings, forced labour took place - and after the war,
it was used as a DP Center to distribute the DPs to private rooms. C.
Maihoefer, / Germany, 2003
I was at a DP camp call Liam, which apparently
was small and comprised of Ukrainians and Lithuanians. I can’t find any
reference to it on the website. Do you have any suggestions where I
can find information about this DP camp. My
mother and I were “traveling” with her in- laws and were
with them in Laim. My grandfather was a Ukrainian Catholic priest,
Rev. Andrew Treshnewsky. I
have to tell you that I was so surprised that there is a website dedicated
to this subject. Surprised and pleased!
9/2/07 Hello Olga
Kaczmar,
I am seeking info on persons
who were at DP Camp 17 DPACS - Lagers not
mentioned in your list show this person stayed at - Lochstedter
Larger Holstein also Linden Prow. Holstein. Then it states - Pichlice Prov. Lodz,
Poland I assume this must be his birth place - his
wife apparently was in Jagerslust 131
DPACS which I found. - Regards, and
many thanks, Anka Kowalczyk Ozzpol88@yahoo.com.au
Lindenfels
City Office: Stadtverwaltung
Burgstrasse 39
64678 Lindenfels
Lingen (Ems) (Muehlenteich
in 1947), #221, Land Niedersachsen (British zone) mostly Balts, Poles, Yugoslavs
City archives in Lingen
(Ems): Stadtarchiv Lingen (Ems)
Baccumerstr. 22
49808 Lingen (Ems)
Germany
Tel.: 49-591-9167110
Fax: 49-591-9167130
Mühlenteich is
a different camp in a different town, namely Oldenburg (Oldb), see letter
O. In Lingen (Ems) a Polish Camp existed from about August 1945 to June
1947. From January 1949 to June 1950 there was a Yugoslav camp "Dover" Gelköstenstiege
and a second camp named Essex camp. Wolfgang
Strobel author of Post der befreiten Zwangsarbeiter - Displaced
Persons Mail Paid in Deutschland 1945 - 1949.
2/1/2010 Dear Olga,
Concerning
DP camp Lingen/ Germany:
- the city archive Lingen has the original wooden boxes of the camp
archive with hndreds of registration card of the british dp camp
1947-1956 in them. I found all the cards of my fathers family there.
(I was there personally)
- http://www.lingen.de/barrierefrei.php?idart=1648&lang=1&parent=13&idcat=50
You can get the text translated in many languages via http://translate.google.de/
Please do not publish my email- adress
Good luck for all your work!
Lisa
"The barracks at Lingen was
on four sides of a barrack square. Memory has the number of occupants
as Russians 8,000, others 6,000. The Russians, comprising men, women
and children of all ages were under the brutal control of a self-appointed
Commissar who had his staff, bodyguard, and executioners. He has his own
guard at the only gate, alongside the A Squadron guard. The language
problem created very great difficulty and the arrogance and insolence
of the Russian command brooked no interference. For the small A Squadron
party control was superficial and only a brave or foolish man entered
Russian controlled buildings.
No member of A could forget the daily disciplinary court which was held by the
Russians on the parade ground opposite A Squadron quarters. In view of
all the Russians, who were commanded to be there, wretched people guilty
of some offence were tried before the Commissar and dealt with. The platform
at the edge of the square had a crude gallows permanently mounted on which
regularly someone was put to death. Gunshots were often heard - it was seldom
possible to tell if someone had been shot, though this was likely. As the
Russian guards were so heavily armed nothing could be done, though protests
were made.
Some Russians who spoke a little English expressed terror at the prospect of
being sent back to Russia: something none of us British could understand.
It is now only too clear the reason for the widespread fear of repatriation.
[Olga's note: These were probably Ukrainians listed as Russians.
Ukrainians were still fighting for independence at this time in guerilla
combat against the USSR. They feared being repatriated back to Russia
more than any other group.]
Some two million were
repatriated to Russia in early summer, 1945, and most were killed,
tortured, or made to suffer dreadful privation. They were all people
who in some way had incurred the wrath of Stalin. This appalling story,
of which A squadron saw very little, was magnified throughout the free
world to colossal proportions. For purely political reasons, it seems,
the West deliberately returned these millions to certain death. Nikolai
Tolstoy relates the whole story in his book "Victims of Yalta" (Corgi
Books). He describes it as "The
true story of one of the most shameful episodes in World War Two." Submitted
by: Alan Newark Scotland
____________
15 Mar 2006
Dear Alan,
Good to hear from you. Yours is a very interesting
story, and you seem to be doing good work. I wonder how much of my
war writings you have read. Three
chapters (about 47,000 words) were on my regimental website. (http://www.9thrtr.com). Our
Archivist told me that it was being discontinued (because we are all too old
to maintain it) but that the Tank Museum at Bovington were to take it over.
My writings included the D.P. camp at Lingen on the Dortmund-Ems
canal, and also problems in the Harz Mountains where ex Polish D.P.'s were holed
up in the hills and descending at nights (winter of 45/46) to pillage villages,
and assault the population. 9 R.T.R. for a time had to go out on night
patrols, selecting villages at random to 'occupy'. If the Poles knew we
were there they generally kept away, but there was some confrontation and a mate
of mine was asked why we were protecting the enemy. They did not accept
that the war was over and the Germans were entitled to peace.
While at Lingen some of us had contact with the D.P.'s,
mainly young girls. I remember saying to two how wonderful it would be
for them once they were sent home, and they, being Russian [Olga's
comment: Ukrainians required to me listed as Russians or Soviets],
were petrified at the thought. They knew they would be killed by the Russians
- but we could not understand this. Many years later I came across a book "Victims
of Yalta" by Nikolai Tolstoy. My copy is dated 1990, so I don't know
if it can still be bought or seen in a library. If you haven't seen it,
it tells how 2,000,000 D.P's [Ukrainian] were returned to torture and death in
their homeland.
Best wishes for your future, Crombie
Cordiner
Linkerbeck (British zone)
Lintorf now
has its own page. - German site (British zone), #3187, #41/187, Ukrainians,
Poles, Yugoslavs, see also Ratingen
Better late than never.
I am now writing my memories of the was year when I was in camps in Germany.
You mention under Lippstadt that there were mainly Poles. There was indeed
a camp with male prisoners-of-war, most of them Russians. But there was also
labour camp of 750 females, mainly Hungarian working there in the Armament
factory. We came there from Auschwitz in September 1944. We were marched
from Lippstadt at the end of March 1945 towards Bergen-Belsen, I think, but
were eventually liberated by the US Army at Kaunitz on 1 April 1945. Greetings Iby
Knill
