Escaping Communism to seek freedom and a new life in Canada
On Good Friday in 1959 my fiancé Helmut and I left our village in East Germany on the bus going to Leipzig, hoping to escape to West Germany via West Berlin. Since it was Easter weekend, we would not be missed at work until Tuesday. We were 24 and 26 years old at the time and Helmut resented the lack of personal freedom in communist East Germany.
From Leipzig, we travelled by train to East Berlin. There we took the subway, which at that time still served the whole city, and got off at the Berlin- Marienfelde station in West Berlin, where one of the refugee camps was situated. Here, thousands of refugees from East Berlin were screened for their acceptability to West Germany.
Our screening process took 12 days, after which we were flown to Frankfurt, West Germany. At the next refugee camp in Worms, a city in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, we were assisted in finding employment. We found work, two rooms to live in and got married that fall. The following spring, Helmut became restless once again. He resented being a refugee in his own country and began thinking of emigrating. Where to? Canada. Why? It looked and sounded as if there were lots of space to live, opportunities to work, and many other immigrants to feel equal with.
ON THEIR WAY
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Denne historien er fra February/March 2018-utgaven av Our Canada.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Day & Night
Clive Branson of Ottawa explains the fascinating psychological effect of seeing the same scene in daylight and then at night
BACK-ROAD ADVENTURES
Capturing the history and beauty of Quebec’s Eastern Townships in winter
A Very Merry Christmas
Waiting for the turkey to roast has never been so much fun!
BEAUTIFUL BERMUDA
This lovely island nation boasts friendly locals and incredible views
Room with a View
This window on the natural world brings a sense of peace and joy
Sled dog Salvation
Tracing the incredible journey of a musher from Edmonton who fled her abusive spouse with her dog team and made it all the way into Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Christmas on Display!
Unpacking and showcasing the family collection of Santas, snowfolk and village scenes is an annual labour of love
SOLITARY PURSUITS
Enjoying brisk winter days in the great outdoors
WILLIAM POPE: An Artist for the Ages
A tribute to Norfolk County’s Naturalist
The Intrepid OJIBWAY
The story of a man, and a community, who fostered a sense of pride and dignity for those to come