BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Polish Culture Dear visitor - where do you live?

Bob,

Granby St. Does that name bring back some memories.

There was a location off of the main road that you turned down. When you walked to the end of the road it stopped at the water.

In the evening, and I don't remember what time, they played taps. It was the most haunting sound and at the same time soulfully beautiful. It echoed off the water and sent chills up your spine.

I use to walk there on purpose just to listen to this trumpeter play his taps and extract tears from my eyes. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Hi Jaga and Everyone!!

I don't know if I voted correctly, I voted Germany...I was born 2/1949 in Hohenfels, Germany
but I think it is Bavaria. We came to America
in 1951 and have lived in Chicago, IL most of our
lives. In the last 20 years many of us have moved
to the suburbs of Chicago. I now live in an unincorporated area about 45 miles NW of Chicago.
It is very nice here, we still have some farms around and open land, but we do not have any Polish stores so when I need to stock up on good
food and bread I go to visit my Mother who lives
in Niles, IL and there are many Polish stores.

Barbara

Did anyone visit Yorkville on East 70-80th Streets in NYC in 1950's & '60's? It was a German, Czech & Hungarian neighborhood then. Bremen House was main deli. Now it's mostly Hispanic.

Dear Irena,

An Englander.. Hello from a Bremmer here in Bremen.

Karl

Bavaria is very much a part of Germany. I've always wanted to visit Germany, but Bavaria isn't at the top of my list. I'd like to visit the places my family lives first... Mecklenburg and Schwerin especially.

Hi Eric,

I hope you get the chance to visit your family in
Mecklenburg and Schwerin. When I wrote my post earlier I should have proof read it, I meant to
say Hohenfels, Bavaria Germany near Regensburg. I
would love to travel to Europe to visit some of my family still living there, I have family in
Poland and Ukraine. I was born in Hohenfels but
I don't have any family in Germany anymore. My family survived the Wolin Tragedy, they went to German work camps, my Father's Mother and only Sister did not survive the work camps. My Parents met after the war in Germany, they did not have anything to return to in Poland so we
came to America. One of my Father's brother's
went to Australia, he was in Love with my Aunt. They still live in Australia with their family.

Barbara

That's a very tragic story your family had, I'm sorry to hear it.

I don't think travelling to Germany would be realistic for me. For one thing, it's just too expensive, and I'm not willing to part with all that money right now. Come to think of it, I'm not sure I even HAVE all that money right now!! Second, I don't speak German, and don't know how anything in Germany is done, so I don't have a clue how I'd arrange such a trip to begin with! Third, I've never actually met these relatives, so it would be more than a little presumptuous to simply expect them to show me around!! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Still, I'd like to go. It's too nice a dream to flush down the toilet, but at the same time, one that isn't likely to come true. :rolleyes:

Barbara,

I remember you were telling us about being born in Germany. I am not sure exactly that I know why <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
as for Chicago. I was there twice visiting my friends. It seems that Poles now move out from the traditionally Polish suburbs and they have to commute to the Polish church (now catherdral) and Polish streets at Milwaukee avenue when they want some food.
It may eventually cause that polish community would became too spread out and assimilate too easily and forget its roots <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
what do you think?
but there is no guilty, people just move for work and house

Hi Eric,

I also love to dream about traveling to visit my
family in Europe even though I don't know them very well, some of them have been here so I did
get a chance to meet them. My family in Poland is
from my Father's side and we got along very well
together, I speak Polish but it's mixed with a lot of English words. My family in Ukraine is
my Mother's side, they are family to my Grandmother's sister, they still speak a little Polish but mostly Ukrainian now. I would love to
see my Grandmother's sister again, she reminds me
of my Grandmother who passed away years ago. She is very old and I doubt that I'll get a chance to see her again.
My husband travels to Europe on business but I've never been able to join him mainly because
when he does travel he doesn't get much of a notice, like sometimes he calls me from work and tells me to pack his bags because he is leaving tomorrow for Germany or some other country. If you try and get an airline ticket without any advance notice the price is more than we can afford. Maybe someday we will have that dream vacation.

Hi Jaga,

I hope you had a good time when you visited your friends in Chicago. Was it recently? Many things are changing in the Chicagoland area. My Mother
lives in Niles and that area is mostly Polish people, they have many Polish stores and Churches. On the street were Mom lives everyone is Polish. When you were here did you get a chance to visit Holy Trinity Church on Division Street? Even though this church is in a Hispanic area now, it used to be all Polish, but anyway the Church was saved by the Polish Community, my Mother and most of her friends still travel to this church at least once a month. Polish people
donated money to save this church and have it remodeled, it is just beautiful. I have many memories of this church, I grew up attending mass there and also attended the grade school.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!!

Barbara

Babci,
You revived memories for me from WW2.. I remember the slave laboreres that rescued, Polish, Jews Russians.. It was Sad.. I remember trying to feed one. I fed him my beans.. He was so weak that he could only eat one bean at a time.. I never found out if he ever made it.. The Medics took him away in a stretcher I wonder if Mankind will ever lewarn to livew in peace.. I doubt it.. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />