Breslau: 1914-1932

I was born - so much is fact - in Breslau, a medium-sized town in Eastern Germany, province of Silesia which after WW II was annexed by Poland and now goes by the name of Wroclaw. It was a thoroughly German town which until the middle of the 18th century had been part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. King Frederick II, "the Great" incorporated Silesia into Prussia following the Prusso-Austrian war. The language used by the educated was good high German, while the lower social classes spoke an adulterated, somewhat harsh, dialect. Both of my parents came from small towns in Upper Silesia. Their background was also German although Upper Silesia was border country, and place names revealed Polish contacts. After Germany’s defeat in WW I some of these towns were taken over by the newly created countries Poland and Czechoslovakia. In accordance with President Wilson's 14 points and his emphasis on self-determination based on national origin a plebiscite was hold in March 1921 to determines the political fate of Upper Silesia.[2] Anyone born there was entitled to vote regardless of their current place of residence. An astonishing number of natives traveled to their home towns, sometimes from very far away and at their own expense to express their loyalty to Germany. I mention this for two reasons. First of all the event made a profound impression on me - a steady stream of relatives stopped in Breslau before proceeding to their respective birthplaces. Most of them I never saw again. I was only six years old - yet I remember vividly the excitement and constant conversation about the plebiscite (Volksabstimmung). Mother and Father also traveled to Gleswitz and Cosel to cast their votes.

My second reason for dwelling on this memory is to point out the strong commitment to Germany by its Jews. But for then the plebiscite probably would have gone in favor of Poland. Would they have voted the same way if they could have looked twelve years into the future ? Of course Poland was an unknown quantity then, a new country put together from portions of the Central Powers and of Russia except that popular and official antisemitism had always flourished in the Slavic countries where Germany was considered “enlightened.”

I have digressed too much. After all this in not meant to be a political or historical essay. But this was a memorable experience which is still vivid in my mind like nothing also from that time. Even my entry into school that occurred a month later pales in comparison. I have two earlier memories, imagery. The first must date back to 1918. My mother, a maid and I were standing by the rectangular white table in my room waiting for my father to come home. There was tension and worry in the air. I suspect that it had something to do with the uprising and insecurity in the streets the end of the war. My father worked in a military hospital and was in uniform which was a hazard at that time. I have no recollection of his return home - but obviously he was safe and sound. Because of his age he was exempt from front-line duty.

The second recollection belongs into the following year (1919) My paternal grandfather had taken me out for a walk. People were milling about in the street quite close to our house. They were watching a band of ragged-looking soldiers marching down the street. They had rifles slung over their shoulders with muzzles pointing to the ground, not up as I had seen soldiers carry their rifles on other occasions. My grandfather told me that these were “Spartakisten" (members of the extremist left Spartacus organization). At my age - 4 years - I had obviously no knowledge of politics and. so for some time thereafter " Spartakisten " were men with rifles slung upside down - a notion which would have jolted Karl Liebknecht, the famous German socialist and founder of the Spartacus League. A few months later, in July 1919, while we were vacationing in the mountains not far from Breslau, my grandfather died suddenly. I have a very hazy recollection of my father leaving us in the resort while he returned hone for the funeral. If I remember right, grandfather died in a summer resort. Somehow I overheard that he had fallen off a kitchen chair and confusing cause and effect I developed respect for kitchen chairs and even feared their power. I was 4 years old when he died, and my memories are very dim. He must have stayed with us for a while, but I think that he had a room or small apartment somewhere else in Breslau. I seem to recall that he was very fond of stuffed cabbage ( which I dislike ) and did not care for potatoes. I never knew my paternal grandmother who had died in 1902, long before my parents' marriage. She had the reputation of a Saint in the family, and I have been told that my father was very close to her. My grandfather was retired by the time I knew him. I am not quite sure what he had done for a living, but seem to remember that he sold mirrors, but he is referred to as bookseller in the document. 

It is truly remarkable how detached children are from social and political events outside the circle of their immediate family.  Those were unstable and trying times - but aside from some odd incidents and. a few fascinating parades with bands and flags I experienced events only as they were reflected. in the faces of my parents, family members or friends.  World War I and its aftermath produced terrible shortages.  Our meals were Spartan.  Some terrible turnips seemed ubiquitous.  They and potatoes cooked in some broth (Bruhkartoffeln)" were alternate standard fare.  My dislike for potatoes may very well stem from that time.  Occasionally my father would get some meat or fresh vegetables from farmers who were his patients, but never butter or eggs because " we ate them ourselves they would state with glee.  I learned. at an early age that the alleged patriotism and self-sacrifice of farmers are no greater than that of the rest of the population.  Of course chocolate did not exist, and I did not see my first banana until I was seven or eight years old.

...

Birthdays, holidays, vacations etc. 

Birthdays were celebrated in great style in our family.  Relatives and friends always seemed to know the pertinent dates and showed up for coffee and cake in the afternoon.  I don't know whether it was the family spirit or the temptation of Martha’s exquisite culinary skill that attracted them - probably a combination of both.  I remember the large extended dining-room table set with all kinds of goodies and the many aunts, cousins, friends assembled around it.  As I have already pointed out, our immediate family was small.  But there were untold numbers of first or second cousins, uncles and aunts of my parents who also lived in Breslau.  My father was exceedingly family-minded.  Sunday afternoons were always devoted to visits to one or another of our relatives unless they came to our home.  I did not always enjoy these outings because usually I was the only child present and most of the relatives seemed ancient to me.  There must have been a considerable hiatus between my parents and some of their cousins, especially my father's family.  Many were considerably older than my father, and their children were already young adults.  On the other hand, some of my mother’s cousins were younger and either unmarried or had very small children.  Throughout my childhood and early teens I had a great deal of contact with grown-ups and elderly persons which may have somehow shaped my adjustments.  I spent those social afternoons sitting with the family or, when it got too boring, I usually found some quaint old gadgets to amuse me or fascinating old books. My own birthdays were really big events.  In addition to the aforementioned relatives and friends there were my friends.  We met in my room for cake and lemonade or hot cocoa and played games In my young years father would join us to show lantern slides or perform magic tricks.  As we got older the parties included supper, customarily hot dogs with potato salad and/or sandwiches.  The games became more sophisticated and my parties were separated from the relatives' visit.

Notes:

1. See German Wikipedia; these are no longer issued.

2. See Wikipedia for discussion of the plebiscite. In Cosel (grandfather's birthplace), 37,651 votes (75.2% of given votes) were for remaining in Germany, and Poland received 12,449 (24.8%) votes. In Gleiwitz (grandmother's birthplace), 32,029 votes (78.7% of given votes) were for remaining in Germany, and Poland received 8,558 (21.0%) votes. See below for letters about the vote!
   
   Also see this master's thesis, which echoses Dad about the atmosphere:
   
   For days before the vote special trains left Berlin and other cities in a festive atmosphere, packed with returning Upper Silesians. President Friedrich Ebert saw off one contingent at Berlin’s Görlitzer station, telling them Upper Silesia owed its “culture and its flourishing industry” to “the larger homeland, Germany”. Berlin’s Vossische Zeitung even invested the event with religious overtones, headlining its report on Ebert’s speech “The pilgrimage to Upper Silesia”.  ... Elaborate preparations were put in place at train stations in Berlin and other cities to provide food and drink, and to cater for the religious ritual needs of the Orthodox. In Breslau alone – the key transit point for arrivals from Berlin, where more than half the Jewish outvoters lived – more than 300 Jewish volunteers were recruited to assist.