Gertrude Kerschner's Life Story

Born in 1927, Gertrude lived a humble farm life in Kleinzell, Austria where she and her family were dependent upon the animals and garden for their survival. While she was in kindergarten, Hitler began his climb to power. Hitler took over Poland and ordered the farmers to leave or be executed. These farms were then converted into Landjahr Camps for the Jungmädel of the League of German Girls who were initiated into the BDM -- the Bund Deutscher Mädel. (The home still exists and is a B&B called Monte Cassino in Sosnowka.) My mother was separated from her family when she was 11 years old and was ordered into the Landjahr Seidorf camp in Poland or be executed. When my mother was a teenager, she found her way back home with her best friend Hedwig to Mariazell and eventually relocated to Linz, Austria, where she met an American Soldier named Robert Sandor from Greenwich, Connecticut. He was in the Army Corp. of Engineers and was stationed to protect the Danube River from the Russian Soldiers crossing over the bridge in to Linz. Amazingly, my parents met at a local coffee shop, married a year later and moved to America where dreams unfold. This is my mother's story.

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• 1927
• Gertrude Kerschner
• Gertrude Sandor
• Kleinzell
• Austria
• Hitler
• Poland
• Landjahr
• Camps
• Jungmädel
• League of German Girls
• BDM
• Linz
• Germany
• Robert Sandor
• WWII
• Europe
• Greenwich
• Connecticut
• Sosnowka
• Mariazell
• American Soldier
• Army Corp. of Engineers
• Blue Danube River
• Blue Danube
• Danube
• Russian Soldiers
• military
• russia
• warfare
• interviews

[LadyRider2007]

Hello CuostumingInSeatle: Thank you for your kind comment. Mom was really cool. She came to America and worked in the Executive Dining room for a very large company in New York, near Greenwich. She was among the Board of Directors on a daily basis. She would awake at 6:00, go to work until 3:00 then come home and work around the house, sometimes until 11:00 at night! She love America and wanted to be an American.

[LadyRider2007]

My mother returned to Mariazell from Seidorf after her term in the Jungmadel.  From Mariazell she hitch hiked with her friend, Hedwig to Hedwig's mother's house in Lillienfield. I am still trying to figure out 'why' my mother was sent from Kleinzell to Seidorf. I believe she was sent there because she wanted to work on the farms in that area.

[alanheath]

I don't understand how your mother got from Austria to Lower Silesia - nor do I understand how she hitchhiked back there - even today you are looking at a journey of several hours - it is around 600km via Prague, Brno and Vienna. Kleinzell is around 60km south west of Vienna. Are you sure you have the right Seidorf?

[LadyRider2007]

Hi Alan! I am still trying to figure out 'why' she went to Seidorf. I did find the house my mother lived in and made contact with the owner. LR

[dbrooks33607]

This is a fantastic story about true life events that occurred during an extremely sad period in human history. Very informational, motivational and serves as an example of how determined humans are and how we will survive and prosper!

[LadyRider2007]

Thank you Dbrooks for your kind comment on the video.

[CostumingInSeatle]

Ausgezeichnet!!! As a first-born American of a Bavarian mother, also born in 1927, I can relate to much of what your mother and family had gone thru. What a wonderful life story and way to honor her memory. Thank you for posting it. Love to see another vid of her successes as a mother or business woman once she landed here. Did she do voluteer work as many mothers did? Did she wear dirndl like we do, or did she attempt to totally blend in with the American lifestyle? Lady Victoria of Essex

[LadyRider2007]

Thank you for watching the view Bobby. I appreciate it.

[SeriousHIVprevention]

It's nice to see mom and dad in happier times. We were all happy then; the new house, the HUGE parties at the house, going to Europe or having someone come over...

Bobby

[LadyRider2007]

I appreciate you taking the time to look at the video. I am so amazed at the amount of information out there now than there was 10 years ago when I originally contacted you! I've been able to put the pieces of the puzzle together moreso now with the use of the internet. I am looking forward to coming to Poland this year and visiting all the places my mother wrote about in her book. Looking forward to meeting you too! Thank you for passing this along to your local historians.