Lindemann family at home in Mascherode in 1942

http://lod.ehri-project-test.eu/units/us-005578-irn560130 an entity of type: Record

rico:history

Hans Wolfgang Lindemann (a German) married Ethel McGloclin (an American) in Philadelphia in 1929. He had come to the US looking for work, but had a strong German family heritage and served in the German army in WWI as a radio operator. After his father died, the couple moved to Germany (Braunschweig), toured Europe, and started a family (Oda b. 1934 and Karin b. 1936). Wolfgang joined the German reserve as he found that the least difficult way to protect himself and his family. He worked in a truck factory which was vital to the German war effort. Later, he became a Wehrmacht captain as an automotive engineer. He was discharged in November 1944 and later became a prisoner of war of the Americans in France. Wolfgang's two brothers also served in the German military in WWII. Ethel raised their two girls in a small farming town in Germany. She exchanged letters with Wolfgang as well as with her brother who was serving in the US Army. She kept a diary in English during the war period. In 1946, Ethel and the girls returned to the United States (Oda was 12 and lives in Philadelphia; Karin died in 1976 at age 40).

rico:identifier

irn560130

rico:title

Lindemann family at home in Mascherode in 1942

rico:scopeAndContent

In Mascherode, Oda rides a bike, passes her baby sister Karin. Lindemann family walks down an avenue (repeat from earlier). Children on a residential street. Ethel walks with the two children. Sleds on the snowy street. Houses. Man on bicycle. The family in a different part of town. Large hall, Field. More rows of homes, mostly identical. “ENDE”

ehri:notes

Ethel kept a diary in English documenting her experiences raising the girls in Germany while her husband, Hans Wolfgang Lindemann, served his country as Wehrmacht captain. Refer to USHMM Film and Video files for a copy of the diary. For example, on April 16, 1945, Ethel writes:"Yesterday there was fighting in Bamberg, so I supposed that exquisite structure will also fall to ruins. What does it matter one church more or less. This war has not only destroyed churches, it has undermined the foundation of Christendom. Years ago I denied the devil and hell and sought God in whose existence I firmly believed. Now I am convinced that there is hell and a devil and have lost faith in the existence of a God, else how could he suffer such terror and injustice to reign on earth? How shall men keep to their moral principles who have become accustomed to the flying death, to destruction, to a carelessness of human life, for whom human beings are only common feed or so many animals to torture at will? Can order and justice return to the world? Is not civilization set back a thousand years or more already. Life has become primitive, men live in cellars or caves and their household implements destroyed, are taking to constructing primative …. Last week Hans made a kerosene lamp out of two bottles and a peice of brass pipe. We are learning to make our own butter, cheese, and soon will have to bake bread as the village baker is captive, the Mill in Rummingers which supplied our flour is destroyed. I have made starch out of potatoes all winter. We still have supplies but where shall more come from when they are gone"

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