Requested memoirs
Requested memoirs
We all grow up against the background of the experiences of our parents, grandparents and other ancestors. They shape us. And we are part of our children. They inherit our experiences and characteristics, in order to then pass them on to their children enriched by their own life experiences. So each generation survives in the next. As a rule, we have an awareness of the existence of these traces of family history. If not, then other relatives remind us: "You inherited your interest in mathematics from your father", or: "Your mother always avoided arguments". At the latest now we could ask ourselves why the mother avoided any quarrel. And then we might find that we know very little about their lives. We could ask her why she avoided arguments. But maybe we are touching sore spots with it. Sometimes it is difficult to tell your child right now. We'd better leave it. Another opportunity has been missed.
So the life of Grandpa Ernst, who came from Silesia at the time, or that of Aunt Elli, who always emphasizes how good we have it today, often stays very far away. All that remains are a few anecdotes and myths repeated on certain occasions. How little do we know about the life stories of our relatives because we have inhibitions to ask for different reasons. How little do we let our children and grandchildren know because we are afraid that they may not really understand us.
But actually we want to know and let it know. We want to understand our relatives and their possible inheritance or to awaken understanding for ourselves and what we leave behind. Memories are to be understood as a bridge between past, present and future.
