50 Years Ago: The Legend Begins...
Emil Freiny, attempting to start over his life with his wife of 12 years after a long, destructive World War II, decided to seek opportunity and a life he had read so much about and dreamed for. You see, my Grandfather (OPA) met my Grandmother (OMA) a mere 8 months before he had to leave to go and fight for a country he loved, but a cause he was against. They were wed only 3 weeks prior to his departure, not knowing if they'd ever see each other again. My Opa had no choice. His options were a) fight for Hitler and risk killing innocent people or worse, his own death OR b) decline the draft and flea the country, in hopes that he got out before the Gstappo tracked him down and killed his entire family. So he fought, and was captured by Russians just outside of Paris, France. He was shipped to a Siberian Prisoner-of-War camp, where he was held captive for 8 years. There, he got one meal every 3 days and the opportunity once every three months to write a letter to my Oma letting him know that he was still alive. 25 words; thats all he got. And thats all she needed. The fact that my Oma knew he was still breathing was enough. The war ended a full 2 years before my Opa was released from prison. He had no idea that the war had ended, or that Germany had been defeated. So he returned to my Oma and they made a decision: to get out of war-torn Germany and head to America with their infant son (my father) to start over...
June 10th, 1953: After 8 days on the USS America, my Opa, Oma, and 2 1/2 year old father arrived at Ellis Island, New York. My dad says his first image of America was the sun rising and glistening off of the Statue of Liberty. I can only imagine...
So, 50 years later here we are. The Freiny family made it. I am more proud of my German heritage than anything, and I have all this opportunity thanks to my Opa & Oma who never gave up. My Opa fought a ruthless war and nearly starved to death, my Oma spent month after month runnning and watching her home/shelter become obliterated because of Russian bombs, not to mention patiently waiting for a letter no longer than 3 sentences letting her know to keep running and hang on, theres someone coming home for her soon.
Thank you, Oma. And while you arent here anymore, thank you Opa. It means more to me than you will ever know.
June 10th, 1953: After 8 days on the USS America, my Opa, Oma, and 2 1/2 year old father arrived at Ellis Island, New York. My dad says his first image of America was the sun rising and glistening off of the Statue of Liberty. I can only imagine...
So, 50 years later here we are. The Freiny family made it. I am more proud of my German heritage than anything, and I have all this opportunity thanks to my Opa & Oma who never gave up. My Opa fought a ruthless war and nearly starved to death, my Oma spent month after month runnning and watching her home/shelter become obliterated because of Russian bombs, not to mention patiently waiting for a letter no longer than 3 sentences letting her know to keep running and hang on, theres someone coming home for her soon.
Thank you, Oma. And while you arent here anymore, thank you Opa. It means more to me than you will ever know.