PolishOrigins(TM) Forum

Re: German settlers forced to leave in 1944

Henryk — Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:15 pm

Author: Henryk

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:15 pm

My first cousin and her husband settled in Kłodzko about 1945. She said it was like the Wild West. It was dangerous to go out at night. The Germans trained the Poles. As a Pole became capable, the German departed. She was given a house which had the deposed German owner's household effects.

Another first cousin, her brother and husband, settled in a large village near Wrocław, about 1945. She was settled in a large house which previously included the village post office. The previous German occupants were two old maids. The house retained the household effects of the German occupants.

Ethnic Cleansing after WW II of Europe

Tina Ellis — Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:46 am

Author: Tina Ellis

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:46 am

Germans were not the only ones expelled. Other ethnic groups were expelled from other countries. It was the largest ethnic cleansing project done in history. This map shows the other ethnic groups who were expelled. between 1944 and 1948.

I came across this map several years ago, and found it to be quite interesting. It tells you a greater story about what transpired after WW II. People had no place to go after being expelled. They were not wanted where they were, and were not welcome in other parts of Europe. They became "Displaced Persons" after the war. I remember many of them coming to America when I was a young girl. It took into the 1950s for this project to be completed. Every country on the planet were asked to take refuges. Iran expelled all the people who fled for their lives when the Germans were advancing. At the beginning of the war Iran took the refugees, but at the end of the war, they were no longer welcome to remain in that country.

http://www.danube-swabians.org/hrastovac/historical/Images/map_ethniccleansing.jpg

I'm not trying to take anything away from this story, but just pointing out it as a bigger one when you consider the entire landscape this map covers.

Re: German settlers forced to leave in 1944

BobK — Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:13 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:13 pm

As the original question was asked by DGAWELL, he's looking for stories.

Descended of both, Germans (in Poland) and Polish ancestors, I have heard some, and read much of their 'stories'. I would not attempt to make sense of their different 'histories'.

The "Stories" that Germans tell is quite different than what the Poles tell of the war and it's aftermath.

Henryk gave a basic of when and why Germans left Poland, but their 'stories' will be vastly different depending on which you read.

Good luck with your novel, try posting some of it here for comments.

Re: German settlers forced to leave in 1944

Henryk — Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:06 pm

Author: Henryk

Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2018 2:06 pm

There were three phases of departures by Germans:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_and_expulsion_of_Germans_(1944%E2%80%9350)

Quote:

The removals occurred in three overlapping phases, the first of which was the organized evacuation of ethnic Germans by the Nazi government in the face of the advancing Red Army, from mid-1944 to early 1945.[11] The second phase was the disorganised fleeing of ethnic Germans immediately following the Wehrmacht's defeat. The third phase was a more organised expulsion following the Allied leaders' Potsdam Agreement,[11] which redefined the Central European borders and approved expulsions of ethnic Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary.[12

Phases 1 and 2 were primarily driven by fear of reprisals by the Red army, because of German treatment of Soviet citizens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuation_of_East_Prussia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_evacuation_from_Central_and_Eastern_Europe

Re: German settlers forced to leave in 1944

BobK — Sun Jan 28, 2018 6:17 pm

Author: BobK

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 6:17 pm

There are numerous sites with that information.
Be aware that controversy STILL exists.

German settlers forced to leave in 1944

dgawell — Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:15 am

Author: dgawell

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:15 am

I am trying to find stories of German settlers in Poland during WWII who had to quickly return to Germany upon the advance of the Russians. I know that there were hositiities between the Germans and the Poles who lost their land and had to be forced laborers. This information is to help me write a chapter in a historical novel set in Poland in 1939-1946. Thanks for any help!