What I love about genealogy or more accurately family history is exploring the lives of my ancestors through photos, documentation, stories and histories. Finding out where they lived, the times they lived in, the family that surrounded them, their occupation, and on and on, all gives me a clue as to who they were and I can perhaps see how they were a part of who I am. I begin to feel I know them, understand them, feel connected to them. I like them.
The couple pictured above are my husband's maternal grandparents. These photos are truly representative of the photos I have of his grandparents. My thoughts are about his grandfather. My husband never knew his grandfather so has no opinion on the kind of man he was. My mother in law spoke lovingly about her mother and all she did and sacrificed for them during World War II in Germany and the following difficult post war years. She spoke little (to me anyway) about her father. Josef Eugen Kränzle died in the fall of Berlin at the end of World War II. My thoughts and feelings about Nazi Germany I'm sure color my opinions, fairly or not, of those who fought for the Axis. However in the dozen or so photos I have of Josef Eugen he is never smiling, even as a young man. He stands straight as a poker and never in any photo does he come in contact with or even touch anyone else. His arms are always behind his back or folded in front of him. Only his wife is seen touching or holding their children. He never stands within touching distance of his wife either. In fact, look at the body language. He noticeably tilts away from his wife and family. Is this merely cultural? The German way? I don't think so. My family is Scandinavian, a group also not noted to be particularly demonstrative with their affection. They however never appeared THIS cold. Is this his character? He was a good looking man, and appears somewhat arrogant. Or did he just not care? Josef married his wife Wilhelmine barely six weeks before their first child was born. Did he feel forced to marry?
I have to investigate his life and times more. I almost wish I had no photos of him because you know what?
I have to investigate his life and times more. I almost wish I had no photos of him because you know what?
I don't think I like this guy.