STRANGE GERMANY

Once I explained my Ukrainian parishioners trying to shame them, that hating Germans according Soviet Propaganda tradition and calling all of them fascists is incorrect.

I explained that they are out brothers in faith and that they have given big price for some sins of their ancestors or better tell sins of their politicians.

I was explaining that looking on history from polish side is time to ask some excuses from soviet politicians or their successors in Moscow. The same other vision and understanding of II World War have Finland and Baltic countries. For them the craziest aggressor was Stalin Soviet Empire attacking in 1939 from East and destroying freedom independence or steeling territories.

I realized that old generation of post soviet people even the middle one is still as zombie under influence of Moscow propaganda. They are not ready to hear peaceful talks about the past. They are not ready to hear that Red Army was also committing crimes.

From another hand I try ever talk about "good Germans" which are numerous examples in both Polish and Russian history. Yes as neighbors we were ever in conditions of competitions but many times we were allied people even relative. In Polish History the most significant persons were: saint Bruno from Kwefurt (Queffurth) and saint Hedwig Silesian Princess!

Many Germans in our countries were simple citizens like mother of great Nicolas Copernicus and her native brother bishop of Ermland in East Prussia Lucas Watzenrode, Germans without doubt, but Polish citizens. Similar story with genius Chopin, his Fathers roots are from German speaking Alsace or Lorraine.

In November Insurrection 1830 became a hero one Lutheran so perhaps German roots man, Polish patriot general Sowinski, defender of Warsaw Wola. Now we have another big friend of Poland in Vatican Benedict 16-th, even knowing that in the past he was forced to serve in German Army or even to use his gun against our ancestors...

1. Evangelican Parish in Rypin

When I traveled as a child with my mother to grand-fathers in Lubianki, on our way was beautiful new gothic style Lutheran church in my native city Rypin.

Mother was telling me "look son, it is German church", or "Lutheran". It stayed in my brain that Germans have to be Lutherans, and their God or saint is some Martin Luther.

I needed much time to make order in my head. The story about "Four panzer-men and one dog" made as nice movie for large public was teaching us very inadequate way who are Germans and who are Russians, even one Georgian was hero of childish story from II world war. I saw it as 5 years old boy first and later each second year this serial movie was played in TV again and again. Later I got to know that in all Soviet Russia that movie had same big success. After seeing children were only happy playing wars with "bad Germans".

2. Bodenschatz from Zielun

Except stories about "Bad Schwab" in TV, I had opportunity in my childhood to observe from small distance old, ever drunken, but very funny loving children man. He loosed in a fire his house and he was staying few months in our house on the second floor in Agronomic House. My father was friendly with him and me with my sister also. We were visiting him in his flat and playing funny games during he was cutting his beard.

3. Cementery in Rak

In our school was hanging some marble shield remembering our teachers which were killed in so called Rak forest near Skrwilno. We were visiting that forest ever in 9-th May to look on soldiers shooting in memory of 3000 victims of war. About all these events I was able to hear once in Rypin Movie Theatre. All the day we schoolchildren were hearing only sad stories about German crimes in Rak.

My grand-father Czeslaw was telling me that during a war all their familly was hidding in "ziemianka" the place for conserve vegetables winter time.

German soldier opened the door. He had the gun but he had no intention to shoot and asked only two things: civil dressings and something to eat. He got what he was asking for, so he has gone and never returned. His body people find few days later lying on the road. Nobody knows, he killed himself or Russian soldiers shoot him. Grand-father recognized him.

4. Czarski Family in Skrwilno

During mentioned meeting in Rypin Movie Theatre old people were talking about two German Organizations: Volksdeutsch and Selbschutz. I got to know that members of these movements were local Germans, polish citizens. Many of them had even polish names so it was impossible recognize them as so called fifth column.

I became for short time bit suspicious from that time to my classmates. For example in my class were three Meller family names. The names as Schwarz or Schulz, Olwert never before were disturbing me. These people were good pupils and neighbors.

Later I realized that I have also relatives with similar names so perhaps with German roots. So it was nonsense to be ever suspicious with so funny ideas or memories about fifth column.

I remember one man with wounded eye. He never was visiting Church and his two sons also. His name was Czarski and later I got to know that they travel in Sundays to Rypin Lutheran Church. Their grand-father was gendarme in Russian Empire times and people feared him.

These people were not dangerous at all they were very friendly and few years later they started to visit also our church, his sons became altar boys. Perhaps some wise priest adviced them to do so. From that moment rumors about them finished.

5. Monique from Rostock

I start looking on Germans totally different way after seeing them in summer camp in Wejherowo. It was full surprise for me. I just finished the first class in Lyceum. Mother forced me to go even it were camps for school children; I was still small size boy so nobody cared... On that summer camp were children from Pomerania, but also from Warsaw. Later came children from East Germany Rostock.

We were having meetings in age groups and Polish with Germans were never mix, but in free time after eating and each evening we got permission to spent time together. Even first lovers couples appeared.

In my case it was really first time, that I liked a girl and I talked to her about it. I was having before in heart some sympathies, but I never was telling them about that. No I opened my secret.

We were dancing together in discoteca time, walking together, much time talking in broken Russian. Later we exchange some letters. She was living on Lusevitzstrasse her family name was Zumpe, and she wrote to me in English. I tried to answer her in German using vocabularies, but perhaps it was very bad translation or not interesting topics, that correspondence stopped after few months.

She was nice blond hairs, younger so perhaps smaller than me. All the myths about "Bad Schwab" disappeared for ever. They cannot be bad when they can be so nice and you may fall in love!

6. Teenager Passion

My passion during Brodnica Lyceum studies was history but not from books anymore, but from life. I liked travel to historical city Torun and to read stories inscribed in entrance of each church which I met on my way...In these places Polish, Prussian, Teutonic Order histories mix together in very interesting ever living book.

The same happened in Brodnica and close cities. In East Prussian times Brodnica was called Freiburg or Strasburg. I liked to discover old names of places. I got to know that Prussia has at first 12 Lands with own funny names in old Prussian language. I got to know also German name of my native town Skrwilno: Riesling Walde, city Dzialdowo in German times was called Soldau, Olsztyn-Allenstein, Malbork-Marienburg, Szczytno-Jomsburg, Elblag-Elbing, Ilawa-Ilau, Chelmno-Culm, Gudziadz-Graudenz, Nowe Miasto-Neu Markt, Elk-Lyck, Ostroda-Osterode, Olecko-Margrabau...etc. I also discovered old names of cities in Kaliningrad Land-Konigsberg on Russian side. I was not afraid at all calling Wroclaw-Breslau or using words Stettin and Danzig. I was thinking in my small brain that the world will be rather nicer if people do not hide such a simple story as historical names of the cities or lands. I had impression that I am traveling in foreign country without visa and passport. These days it seemed for me something impossible to get foreign Passport. In fact Poland was these days kind of ghetto and foreign travels were privilege of Communist Party members and only in socialistic countries. I ever liked to visit "old German" churches, destroyed German cemeteries.

Interesting thing happened to me in Opole. I realized in "polish times" same war as in "German times" happened here with some graves. In German times even in my small town old inscriptions on graves were destroyed and I was told that Germans not liked polish language inscriptions on graves. In Opole in cemetery I saw graves with destroyed "German inscriptions". Many Silesians have to change names or simply change orthography in writing own name according polish pronunciation rules.

Old German towns I ever liked. My nostalgic nature was very inspired when I tried imagine how beatifull they were before communists and red Army does own vandalic job. I was also very inspired by Teutonic Order history. Intuition was telling me that these people were very well organized and very good fro implanting western civilization by building fortresses and churches which time cannot destroy until now. I realized that most the cities were organized according so called Culm or Magdeburg city rules. These people gave us so amazing culture, so there is no need to hate them. Even polish villages were mostly developing after accepting German or Holland colonizers. They gave us ideas how to plant, not only hunting. Because of big amount of people moving to Poland from the West during centuries and mixing with local population we will never know which kind of blood is in our bodies, what king of genetic material, Slavic or German. I believe, most native Polish have both.

My knowledge a bit progressed by sharing memories of fr. Mieczyslaw Olszewski, my German Language professor in Seminary just came from studies in West Germany. He talked much with pleasure about his experience of daily life and customs of Germans. Thanks to him I can talk a bit and may read and understand German.

Our church in Seminary garden in Bialystok was also former Lutheran Church which Catholics bayed from local Lutherans in 1970-ties. Local Diaspora has gone to Germany and church was empty during many years. Now is full of life. When you visit Poland you may see everywhere some German traces.

We have many excuses to know and respect each other.

7. Pastor from Rostow

Working in Rostow I was visiting twice Georgia. I got in my hands during that visit a book of Joseph Schnurr printed in Augsburg in 1978 about German settlements, schools, churches and priests in Russia.

There was detailed message about our parish priests, deans, Bishops, seminarians from Saratov. Most of them were German roots people. Later I got to know that creating diocese in Saratov Russian Secret Police was having intention to give privileges to German clergy and forbade entering in Saratov Seminary more than 10 % Polish candidates. So it was artificial situation. Never mind Volga-German Priests does their job nicely especially in the beginning of last century when they got hundreds permissions on building new churches. They got huge material support from Germany building these churches nicely.

In Novocherkassk parish priest was Johann Lang. Close to his church was Lutheran church which now is restored thanks to Baptist church which got building from state hands. Similar German church I saw in Eysk on Azov See in Krasnodar Land and near Starominskoye in Azov city region.

I got to know old Lutheran Pastor in Rostov on one of Ecumenical meetings and also another young one in Krasnodar. I was looking for them to act together for reestablishing communities and to pray these abandoned churches together.

I had two old ladies in Azov Parish, grand-ma Beata in Bataysk and Luzina Hoffmann in Rostov. For Luzina the big event in her life was the day when Germans came to built wooden chapel in the Park. She and her Russian husband both were working in department of Architecture in local Rostov Administration. They secretly supported the process of giving us land. They also were looking for architect which was able to fight with all difficulties during accepting the project in high level. During building chapel Luzina was translating Hubert Liebherr talk to the people during Sunday Mass. I saw both of them very touched.

It took much time to realize that project, but finally we have nice church, I may tell you even Cathedral size in Park of Chukovski.

The most numerous Germans were living in villages as farmers in Stepnoye and in Kagalnitskaya.

8. Wolgodonsk

Nother numerous community was in Volgodonsk city. Local authorities gave me address of German society Wiedergeburt and leader Eduard Peters phone number.

We were using during long term same flat on the top of 9-floor building near the place called "Pole Durakov" and Atom-mash-fabric producing details for Atomic Energy Stations.

In Atom mash was working as Director Mr. Groo, one of founders of Wiedergeburt in Volgodonsk. His adviser Mr. Weber was also my adviser in construction Parish House. The most patient parishioners were Rosa, which born in Tomsk and her 2 daughters. Sisters Heidinger. One of them was secretary of Wiedergeburt. Peters was few times visiting us in big occasions like coming of foreigners or Bishop. He talked to me that he have to be ever a leader, so when he realized that I got more authority in his organization than he himself he gave up. He was singing nicely German songs and playing accordion.

Another new leader became Mr. Hirsch. His house was just at front of new built chapel. He was native from Sverdlovsk (Ekaterynburg) and came like many others from far away Ural to work un construction of new Atomic Station in Volgodonsk. He had Lutheran roots, but because in the city were no pastors or churches he decided to pray with us.

I was ever trying to attract Peters back but it was not easy. I ever called our community by both names as German Cultural Center and the Roman-Catholic Parish. Some people were surprised why I do so, but I had good reasons, first to attract all the Diaspora, also unbelievers with German roots and secondly to stop attacking me from Orthodox side, that we Catholics are building churches "to convert" Orthodox population, means native Russians. I hope I was successful.

9. Kalmuk Republic

In Kalmyk Republic ever was living good number of Volga-Germans. I was told about it by Bishop Zosima in Elista. I was using his information. In fact 20% of citizens in Gorodowikowsk, (before called Baszanta) have German roots. In the neighbor city Jaszalta even 80% citizens. Rostov had good bus connection with Baszanta so I opened 2 communities there; Jaszalta had no direct bus and for me was difficult to go there. It is still to be down by followers.

10. Kuban

Stanitsa Stepnoye it is big town in north part of so called Kuban (Krasnodar Land). I was visiting there during 6 years. At first I was visiting them twice a year, later once a moth finally weekly. Except Catholics also Lutherans was participating in our meetings.

There was living many people with German roots but most of them had gone to Germany. I remember grand-ma Goering and her sons as the best students of religion and obedient Catholics.

11. Czita

In Chita near Baikal See, I was working only half a year but I got same nice collaboration as in Volgodonsk. Local leader Wagner had no problem with leadership and never jealous when I was successful in my activities in his German Society. Local Diaspora helped me to get permanent staying in Russia after so many years of unusual efforts.

We had few nice meetings with Bishop Mazur. He really liked that parish. On my place later came fr. Romaniuk and some Slovakians which successfully built church and orphanage.

12. Erick

Erick Händeler, young journalist from Bavaria came to me on 2 weeks as voluntary man. He was very interested in these places around Rostov and Volgodonsk. We were talking much about war times and about these poor souls of death soldiers which have none graves or cemeteries. He wrote nice article about my daily life with amazing photo of Volgodonsk children and statue of Merciful Jesus.

I was visiting him once in his flat in Munchen and we were together traveling to Fr. Bentele who liked very much Erick story and contacted me after reading the paper. Visiting him finally I understood why as children we were calling Germans by word "Schwab". His parish in Wehingen was in German Schwabia. Fr. Bentele took us to Claretine Monastery near Boden See to introduce us to old missionary people which was ever working in China.

I was traveling to Germany perhaps 3 times ever with Salezian Priest fr. Mackiewicz who was good driver and we were ever visiting Freising close to Munchen and Konigstein close to Frankfurt. There are two organizations which were supporting our missionary activities.

13. Konigstein

Dortmund was also the city which we visited as Partner city of Rostov, later Frankfurt and Konigstein. We got to know personally Irine Eichmann and Fr. Piwowarski, which were deciding about accepting our projects.

I got from them money for land car Niva. It is important to know that without such organizations like Kirche in Not or Renovabis many priests in Russia will still travel by train or bus to their numerous outstations and also have no money to restore or built churches.

14. Munchen-Altoting

In diocese Freising-Munchen we have second mentionned organisation under German Bishops care Renovabis. It is kind of Holly Trinity day collecta which later have to be send on different projects. One of most interesting projects was "KIRCHE FUR RUSSLAND". We got about 25 churches to all the Russia even some cities in Siberia. In my parishes in Rostov was the first. Later we get two for Kalmyk Parishes and one for Volgodonsk. I know that just after building in Volgodonsk same year two chapels were gone to Bratsk on Baikal see and perhaps to Kansk in Altai. It took weeks of travel for poor drivers on very bad quality Siberian roads...They ever cumulate two chapels in one trip. One chapel is loaded in two big TIR camions. So in each of 4 camions were 2 drivers and after coming to Russia all these 8 people were becoming voluntary constructors.

Each chapel was a gift something about 100.000 dollars. Each chapel had 10 benches, Cross road stations, electric organs, heating system, electricity, bible, candles and even liturgical books. After one week of working about voluntary people priest was able to pray without any bureaucratic headache. In Russia to built such a chapel own forces will take a year. It was really amazing such a job made by small German charitable organization in Bavaria.

The last trip to Munchen we decide to visit these boys and girls working in small carpenter near Allotting. They were very happy from that visit. They show us all the machinery and asked to bless their office.

15. Irma from Sakhalin

On Sakhalin I had very special parisionner... Irma was few years looking for our church. Finally in Easter 2000 she got our address in New Apostolic Church. It was very bad whether rain and snow same time, she was walking by foot perhaps 5 km but finally she find us and visited weekly.

She asked me to be confessed but I was forcing her to come with a husband to make clear if possible to give them first Sacrament of matrimony. She talked to him and he gave a word that when in Sakhalin will be a church built he will go there but not to a chapel in ordinary house in the last forgotten street in the city. She was patiently waiting and he was perhaps playing with her thinking that building the church will take years.

In fact we were having good sponsors in USA and church appeared in one year. Byelorussian husband of Irma Fedor keep his word. He came with her in the day of consecrating the church, very solemn day 19-th of August 2001. I was so busy that day, but I blessed them the shortest form possible and I saw them very happy. The man also. Both of them more than 60 years old.

Another extraordinary man from Sakhalin, which I never met is Leo Nurnberger, relative of Rzewuski and Ciechonski Family. I got to know him once by internet but we loose contact for some 3 years. He find me again during my staying in Ukraine and agree to translate most of my stories on German. His cousin Toshiko Furkawa told me that she remembered his fathers shop and even showed me that place on the corner of main street in direction of Konuma (today's Novo-Alexandrovsk) and Dolinsk and her own actually street in private section. When war started he was 7 years old and supposed to go to the school so family has gone to Hokkaido. I was also told by Toshiko that in 1939 there were some hot discussions between Nurnberger and Ciechonski families, because Germany attacked Poland so Ciechonski were attacking Nurnberger verbal way... small Toshiko still remember these times.

16. Siberian Priests

It was decided in Vatican in the moment of restoring structures of Roman-Catholic church in Russia, to elect 2 bishops for Russia with German roots and two with Polish. In diocese of Bishop Werth Volga-German Jesuit priest we have many priests and sisters with same German roots. In Saratov city was bishop Pickel, he has big number of Volga-German sisters in Novice house in Marks but also in his office. His secretary was Rosa Werth, native sister of Novosibirsk Bishop Werth. Actually in Irkutsk diocese we have polish roots bishop Klimovich native from Kazakhstan. He has many polish priests and nuns, but in Far Russian East we have many Americans with German roots.

Fr. Benedykt Zweber, native from Minnesota, st. Paul talking with me in english ever used some German wordg. His friend fr. Edward Schoelmann native from Nada, Texas was telling me once that in his native town were about 40 priests even some bishop. The water in local river they were joking to be Holly Water. In Nada mostly were living Germans but also a group of Czechs which also were target of jokes.

Our dean in Vladivostok was Fr. Effing which we called smiling: Baron von Effing.

Epilogue

In Russia you may meet many bad taste inscriptions with so called "eternal fire" in memory of war victims. The text is more less the same WE REMEMBER WE NEVER WILL FORGET...

Talking about II world war in any occasion during a year looks for foreigner like some maniacal sick. I ask myself, how it happened that victorious Russia is so poor and Germany or Japan has so rich society. The answer of me is: because they were punished and reconcile by hardly work, Russians just sit down and use all their occupied territories without doing efforts to produce goods. The war habit to take goods from other countries as "tropheum" of war influenced people this way that they loosed interest to develop own country. They stay satisfied that they have the best army in the world. Very sad policy.

Concerning Volga Germans, they were really excellent farmers, now in Saratov the land looks abandoned I saw my own eyes these vaste territories which slowly return to be a steppe like 200 years ago.

Russians do not cry when Germans after so many centuries return to native country, but they have to remember, without German officers they will never have such a good army. Marx in his writings was studying very detailed way success of Kutuzov in Borodino.

In 19-th century in Moscow was living very famous Holly Doctor Fedor (Fridrich) Gaaz. He was very generous for prisoners. He opened from own money hospitals for them. He also created orthodox movement of sisters of Mercy, same style as Charity sisters in Catholic Church. He was also parish manager of Saint Paul and Peter church in Moscow. Actually very democratic rulers in Moscow wish not return the building to Catholics because there is "very important" projecting office and...night club! One of the best scientists which codified vocabulary of Russian language Mr. Dal was also native Volga-German from Lugansk city in East Ukraine.

My knowledge is limited and I think everybody may make annotations in same style from his own garden and memory. As a man with polish roots born just 20 years after the War I do big effort to talk about Germans with love. I beg others to do the same. It is also a call of Polish and German Bishops which solemn way were telling in 70-ties these nice words of forgiveness: WE FORGIVE AND ASK TO BE FORGIVEN!

Fr. Jaroslaw Wisniewski
23 October 2006, Beijing