A Tribute to My Aunt, Marie Lowrey, A Survivor
Whenever you think you can’t, think again, and remember this story. We lost Auntie on February 3, 2015.
Marie was born in the Sudetenland of Germany in the small, picturesque village of Unter Wekelsdorf, on July 13, 1929, as the youngest of four children born to Alois and Francesca.
Marie's school was beyond one of the surrounding mountains and access required a long daily hike or a cross-country ski back and forth over the mountain pass.
Her father, also my mother's father, was the mayor, fire chief and all round handyman who repaired virtually everything for everyone. Her and my mother's mother, Francesca, was a gentle-spirited, servant-hearted blessing to all. Marie quoted her mother’s wise counsel all through her life even though she lost her to cancer at 42 when Marie was only 10 and my mother not much older.
Marie then moved to live and work on the farm and fee mill business of her aunt and uncle. Marie’s excellent schoolwork entitled her to attend business school with a small group of classmates. However with the beginning of WWII in Germany in 1939, her difficult life became even more challenging.
Friends and family were killed or disabled, and property was seized by the invading forces. The social fabric of the community was forever destroyed.
At the end of the war, many including Marie were deported to either East or West Germany with a single suitcase, and Marie was separated from her sister (my mother), their brother and father in East Germany where she was subjugated to working in a textile mill with enough food, clothing and shelter to keep her alive. She also suffered from typhoid fever that she contracted from a drinking fountain at the mill. She was hospitalized and put into a room to die. But, she struggled to remain alive for three days at which time a nurse decided to begin feeding her again to make her well enough to return to work.
Marie decided that there must be a better life and contrived with a friend to escape somehow to West Germany. They followed railroad tracks to avoid detection and not to get lost in the forests. At one point they were turned back by armed Germans and told never to try to escape again.
The next morning, however, they were relieved to find that by doubling back and moving in the direction they had tried the first time, they had actually crossed into West Germany. Still not out of danger and fearing a return to the East, with threat of imprisonment or death, they decided to board a train going further into West Germany. Alone on a large train station platform in the middle of the night, they anxiously discussed the confusing train schedule options. Suddenly, a little old man appeared out of nowhere.
To be continued…… and I might be able to get the voice recording of Marie telling some of this story in her own words. Her grandson has it and promised to share it with me.
Best, Ron
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