Women of War…..
While working at the health
care center (otherwise known as a nursing home)
I took care of a French woman.
She still had some of her accent even though she had been in the USA for over 30
years. One time while waiting for her to
go to the bathroom we got into a discussion about her life in France. What she told me, kind of surprise me, yet it
didn’t. She talked about how at the age
of 14 she work in a hotel as a laundry person.
And how when the Germans came in to town and took it over, that the
adult French workers all disappeared and ran for it. She was left alone. Her parents had died
years before. And she lived in the
hotel basement. Being she was the only
native there, the Germans put her in charge as she was the only one who knew
where everything was. Because she was
living there, she had helped out in many other dept. Restaurant and etc. And she also knew the
local shops and etc. She worked there
until the war was over which was when she was 18. She told how the Germans were good to her,
with the exception of being raped from time to time from some of the cruder
officers. She explained, that you do
what you have to do to survive. She also
told how the locals after the Germans left, had shun her because she worked for
them. She later saved up just enough
money to come to the USA…
she had met some one in Europe who sponsored
her with a job. In a hotel. She saved everything she could and moved to Seattle. Took secretarial
classes and got a job, ending up being the head of a business office.
Another person I know, was
born in Czechoslovakia.
And she too was there during the take over of the Russians and the German at
different times. After some time of
trying to get along, she ended up buying a way out over the mountains. As she got ready to ride the bus to the spot
where she was to walk and meet up with the guide she was robbed of her
suitcase. She only had the money left to
pay the guide. There was an old couple
who she stayed with in hiding… who felt sorry for her, and gave her extra
clothes and some food. It took 8 days to
get over the mountain. It was snowing and she only had small shoes. Long and short of it, she made it across went
to France and then England to get a ship to the USA. She made
it to New York.
But the place she was suppose to go to, to get help, was locked for the night.
She slept in the door way with just a small jacket. And it was snowing. She finally got in and
got a job for a short time. Then got a ride to California with a friend. She worked many
different jobs and saved money enough to buy a house. Later sold it and bought
an apartment building.
She was never a rich woman..
and pinched pennies to make due. Even getting scammed by a country man she trusted
to sell one of her properties. She
worked many different jobs over the years, always saving money.
These woman went thru hell
and back, yet was able to survive. And made it to the USA, with
little to no money, yet worked jobs where they better themselves.
Amazing women.. and there
were many more out there. We have no
idea of the sacrifice some gave to have what we take for granted. :
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