THE FACE OF HISTORY AND TOUCHING EVENT

 The Möltenort U-Boat Memorial (U-Boot-Ehrenmal Möltenort), 1939 and today.  Located in Heikendorf near Kiel, Germany, the impressive 65-foot tall monument commemorates the sailors who died serving in U-Boat units during the First and Second World Wars, along with all victims of submarine warfare. It was originally built in 1930, but after suffering structural damage, it was rebuilt in 1938.  In an arched gallery area behind the monument, the names of fallen German U-Boat men of the German Imperial Navy and the Kriegsmarine, along with those who died serving in the postwar German Navy, are displayed on 115 bronze plaques. The U-Boot war badge is attached to the pillar; until 1945 its position had been occupied by a swastika.

They had nothing after their luggage fell off the back of the overloaded evacuation truck, but they managed to make it to Austria where Gabe's mom & dad scraped together a living for 6 years until they could get accepted as US immigrants.  Gabe's 2 older brothers were sent to Belgium for 2 years during this time to be "fattened up" by Belgian families that wanted to help refugees. In this photo, left to right, are Gabe at age 6, his mom (who looks so thin & worn out), and Gabe's siblings Endre (Andy), Henriette and Martin. The ship was the USS General Harry Taylor. Gabe’s mom published a beautiful short story called “Flight Into Egypt” (and later a book) about their harrowing experiences during their escape from Hungary  and the difficult years that followed. Their first home in the US was a cramped two-bedroom apartment shared with an aunt’s family in Port Jervis, NY.  One of Gabe’s memories is of the adults walking around the living room carrying umbrell...