Knowing that you owe your life to so many strangers from so many different backgrounds is very humbling. I think knowing and realising this made me a better person, more grateful. Eternal gratitude to all tho then fought for our freedom & lives.
Replies
A fascinating retelling of awful times. Thank you for sharing your family's story with us.
aug 15, 2025, 1:36 pm • 0 0 • view
Thank you, Jo. I've had Dutch-Indo friends nearly my entire life. Our family still enjoys foods we learned from them.
aug 15, 2025, 2:53 pm • 1 0 • view
What an amazing story, featuring some astonishing bravery and kindness. Thank you for sharing
aug 15, 2025, 1:23 pm • 2 0 • view
Thanks Jo, what an interesting stort, and what amazing drawings. It's always fascinating to hear about these unfamiliar corners of History.
aug 15, 2025, 12:58 pm • 12 0 • view
Wow. Powerful and moving accounting. I'm *so* sorry your family experienced that and as someone who believes in + experiences generational trauma, my ❤️ goes out to u. Heard a similar story by someone who was in a camp in Philippines. When she + family were liberated no one wanted to hear their
aug 15, 2025, 1:53 pm • 2 0 • view
story or knew how to respond. As a result they stopped talking abt it. Never forgot that. So glad you found the diplomat and were able to tell the story to his family. Growing up I experienced too many traumatic events. So many ppl along the way helped me survive and move on until I got the help
aug 15, 2025, 1:56 pm • 1 0 • view
I needed. Didn't recognize it at the time but sure do now. It's humbling to realize I didn't survive all by myself. It took "a village". 1 person in particular I've tried to find to say thank you, but can't find him. Others have passed. I'm humbly grateful to them all. Can so relate to you. TY. ❤️
aug 15, 2025, 1:58 pm • 1 0 • view
It's awful but everyone back then had to deal with PTSD, so I can't really blame one group not understanding or listening to another group, they had their own traumas. To make things worse the next generation, beatniks/hippies, didn't care at all or were too confrontational & accusatory.
aug 15, 2025, 2:41 pm • 2 0 • view
Really good points I hadn't thought of or considered before. Thank you.
aug 15, 2025, 2:43 pm • 1 0 • view
I've spoken to a lot of people who lived through WW2 and even the common lucky ones who just spend the war going to their office, having a family life and didn't really suffer, had PTSD due to air raids, house searches, etc. I never met anyone who wasn't broken by that war :(
aug 15, 2025, 2:48 pm • 1 0 • view
My family experienced the hatred of Americans towards anyone who came from Germany (during both WWI and II). Often wondered how that affected them individually and as a family unit. Haven't worked that out totally yet, but know the pain was definitely there.
aug 15, 2025, 3:14 pm • 1 0 • view
I was thinking something similar after reading your comment. So much going on in US too. Coming out of depression; rise of facism; waiting to hear abt or from a loved one; rise of hate towards German-Americans; Japanese internment camps. Thnx for the reminder to zoom out.
aug 15, 2025, 3:12 pm • 1 0 • view