M
mhrischuk
Guest
I grew up in a 200+ year old farmhouse. It was originally a one room log cabin. It had been added onto over the years, becoming a three bedroom, two story home with an enclosed porch. It had a lot of interesting features you don't see today. The upstairs bedrooms had a landing at the top of the steps with doors to only two rooms. The steps were super steep and the stairwell was very confined. The third room was accessed through either of the other two rooms . In other words, if you were in that room, you had to go through one of the other rooms to get to the stairway. Plaster and lath throughout. Knob and tube electric wiring mixed with successively more modern forms of wiring. Porcelain push button light switches and a few two prong electrical outlets right where you don't need them.
My parents were from the "Old Country" as they called it. Dad was from the Ukraine and Mom from Germany. They met in the late 40's in Germany right after the war was over. Dad was a DP (Displaced Person) who ended up in Germany to work. We never knew a whole lot about Dad's family and life. He was 23 years old when he met Mom and swept her off her feet. Mom was 19 at the time. Life was very hard over there during the first half of the 1900's. Mom has so many stories from her younger days. My Grandfather worked in a brick factory and was drafted into the German army. From what we know, he served his term and returned to the brick factory. He was a family man who took great care of his people. Mom tells of the day when she was in school... the teacher gathered everyone together and they walked to the train station. There they saw Hitler and his entourage on the back of the train waving to the townsfolks. She was around 7 years old at the time. The regular people had no idea what was to come. She was there ... heard and saw the bombers... heard the whistling bombs coming down, warning sirens blaring. Mom tells of the Americans coming in to liberate the towns. She saw a paratrooper fall to his death when his chute failed to open. They (American troops) commandeered their homes to use for cooking whatever else they needed and went on their way. She said the Americans were very good to them. Mom was out of the house and working as a housekeeper at the age of 14. It was survival. They used wood in the cook stove and to heat. Light was mostly by oil lamp. This was in the late 40's where in the US everything was well on it's way with electricity, oil and coal. Needless to say there were no indoor bathroom facilities besides the tub. It was filled by hand.
When Mom and Dad met at the end of the war, Dad convinced Mom to marry him and leave on a ship to either the US or Australia. They choose the US. Mom's family was devastated and urged her not to go. The boat trip was an experience in itself. She said they had to clean the entire ship on the way over. Unfortunately everyone got seasick the whole time. I think it took a week or so to get across the Atlantic back then.
They arrived in New York on Christmas day in 1951. Neither one spoke a word of English. They had a sponsor over here and were given a small amount of money to get started.
Picture this couple... Mom... pure German speaks German only. Dad... Ukrainian and knows some German. They moved into an apartment in Chester, Pa. I think the rent was like $35 a month. Both got jobs right away as the area was still booming with manufacturing. Dad became a steelworker albeit mostly a laborer. He worked at General Steel, Baldt Anchor, Baldwin Lima Hamilton, Phoenix Steel and other smaller factories over the years. Mom worked in Ship and Shore garment factory pressing and folding new shirts for packaging. It was piece work.
Both had to deal with the language barrier 24/7.
Mom quickly learned Ukrainian because Dad's friends were "Ukies" And she learned it well. She began learning English, mastering it as well. So Mom knows three languages... very fluently. Today most people only detect a slight accent.
Dad never learned English well at all... people had a lot of trouble understanding him and his inability to fit in to the American way was very difficult for him. He became a jealous man.. eventually drinking consumed his daily routine. Another story in itself. Physical abuse in the midst of four children. Stopping at bars with the whole family in the car... leaving us on the street while he drank himself to sleep at the bar.
They "bought the farm" so to speak in 1960. Even with Dad being an abusive alcoholic, they some how managed to continue on with life. Mom just always said "I can't leave him, I love him" Go figure. Back then it was really easy for immigrants to get "fronted" .. They went to a car dealer. The dealer gave them the keys and told them to pay what they could just pay regularly. The salesman said "We know you will pay". It was their experience that the European immigrants were good with their word.
The farm they bought was the remnants of an old apple orchard. They paid $7000 for a 2-1/2 acre piece of land with the original old farmhouse. The rest of the farmland and out buildings had been subdivided and sold off years prior.
Life was good. I was 6 months old when we moved in. From the city to the country. All of the old friends loved to visit because it was like a trip to the country. Dad was a pioneer to them.
We had a large flock of chickens. Dad raised pigeons and was a beekeeper. During the good days we really enjoyed the life... but didn't really know any better. Didn't know what we were experiencing until we grew up and moved away. We knew something was different cause all the neighbors had TV's, nice cars and modern amenities. They ate steak for dinner. As children we used to go over the neighbors after school and watch TV from outside the window. Sammy wasn't allowed to let anyone in their house while the parents were away....
Continued...
My parents were from the "Old Country" as they called it. Dad was from the Ukraine and Mom from Germany. They met in the late 40's in Germany right after the war was over. Dad was a DP (Displaced Person) who ended up in Germany to work. We never knew a whole lot about Dad's family and life. He was 23 years old when he met Mom and swept her off her feet. Mom was 19 at the time. Life was very hard over there during the first half of the 1900's. Mom has so many stories from her younger days. My Grandfather worked in a brick factory and was drafted into the German army. From what we know, he served his term and returned to the brick factory. He was a family man who took great care of his people. Mom tells of the day when she was in school... the teacher gathered everyone together and they walked to the train station. There they saw Hitler and his entourage on the back of the train waving to the townsfolks. She was around 7 years old at the time. The regular people had no idea what was to come. She was there ... heard and saw the bombers... heard the whistling bombs coming down, warning sirens blaring. Mom tells of the Americans coming in to liberate the towns. She saw a paratrooper fall to his death when his chute failed to open. They (American troops) commandeered their homes to use for cooking whatever else they needed and went on their way. She said the Americans were very good to them. Mom was out of the house and working as a housekeeper at the age of 14. It was survival. They used wood in the cook stove and to heat. Light was mostly by oil lamp. This was in the late 40's where in the US everything was well on it's way with electricity, oil and coal. Needless to say there were no indoor bathroom facilities besides the tub. It was filled by hand.
When Mom and Dad met at the end of the war, Dad convinced Mom to marry him and leave on a ship to either the US or Australia. They choose the US. Mom's family was devastated and urged her not to go. The boat trip was an experience in itself. She said they had to clean the entire ship on the way over. Unfortunately everyone got seasick the whole time. I think it took a week or so to get across the Atlantic back then.
They arrived in New York on Christmas day in 1951. Neither one spoke a word of English. They had a sponsor over here and were given a small amount of money to get started.
Picture this couple... Mom... pure German speaks German only. Dad... Ukrainian and knows some German. They moved into an apartment in Chester, Pa. I think the rent was like $35 a month. Both got jobs right away as the area was still booming with manufacturing. Dad became a steelworker albeit mostly a laborer. He worked at General Steel, Baldt Anchor, Baldwin Lima Hamilton, Phoenix Steel and other smaller factories over the years. Mom worked in Ship and Shore garment factory pressing and folding new shirts for packaging. It was piece work.
Both had to deal with the language barrier 24/7.
Mom quickly learned Ukrainian because Dad's friends were "Ukies" And she learned it well. She began learning English, mastering it as well. So Mom knows three languages... very fluently. Today most people only detect a slight accent.
Dad never learned English well at all... people had a lot of trouble understanding him and his inability to fit in to the American way was very difficult for him. He became a jealous man.. eventually drinking consumed his daily routine. Another story in itself. Physical abuse in the midst of four children. Stopping at bars with the whole family in the car... leaving us on the street while he drank himself to sleep at the bar.
They "bought the farm" so to speak in 1960. Even with Dad being an abusive alcoholic, they some how managed to continue on with life. Mom just always said "I can't leave him, I love him" Go figure. Back then it was really easy for immigrants to get "fronted" .. They went to a car dealer. The dealer gave them the keys and told them to pay what they could just pay regularly. The salesman said "We know you will pay". It was their experience that the European immigrants were good with their word.
The farm they bought was the remnants of an old apple orchard. They paid $7000 for a 2-1/2 acre piece of land with the original old farmhouse. The rest of the farmland and out buildings had been subdivided and sold off years prior.
Life was good. I was 6 months old when we moved in. From the city to the country. All of the old friends loved to visit because it was like a trip to the country. Dad was a pioneer to them.
We had a large flock of chickens. Dad raised pigeons and was a beekeeper. During the good days we really enjoyed the life... but didn't really know any better. Didn't know what we were experiencing until we grew up and moved away. We knew something was different cause all the neighbors had TV's, nice cars and modern amenities. They ate steak for dinner. As children we used to go over the neighbors after school and watch TV from outside the window. Sammy wasn't allowed to let anyone in their house while the parents were away....
Continued...