Opa

By OMA, Opa, Reiner Norpchen and Shirley Norpchen

Opa and Oma on their 45th wedding anniversary

Opa and Oma met at a Missouri State Society Dance in October 1956 and married in August of the following year. We both have a very strong faith in God, and believe that faith with a lot of prayer has carried us both through out our life time.

Opa and his family were able to make it safely through WW11, and afterward. Many families died even after the war, of starvation. His story tells you just how many times they were so close to death. Each member of Opas family survived without injury of any kind and we both believe that God was with them, keeping them safe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477201794

OMA

I was born in Indonesia at the onset of WWll and grew up in the Netherlands. With my husband and three children I moved to Canada via New Zealand where our youngest was born. Originally, I wrote this bilingual story originally for my grandchildren, who either speak Dutch or English. I currently live in BC. Ik was in Indonesie aan het begin van de WWll geboren en groeide in Nederland op. Met mijn man en drie kinderen verhuisde ik naar Canada via New Zealand waar onze jongste was geboren. Ik schreef dit tweetalig verhaaltje aanvankelijk voor mijn kleinkinderen, die Hollands of Engels spreken. Ik woon nu in BC.

Book preview

© 2012 by Reiner and Shirley Norpchen. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/19/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-0181-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-0180-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-0179-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012908271

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Opa’s Outline

Opa has always had a strong faith in God, and his faith with a lot of prayer, has carried him through out his life to the ripe old age of 82 years, and hopefully for many more years to come.

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German names: Mutti (Mother)

Papa (Dad)

Grossvater (Grandfather)

Grossmutti (Grandmother)

Fuhrer (Leader)

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Contents

Opa’s Outline

Mutti’s story

MUTTI’S STORY

Chapter 1

Opa’s Story

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

When Oma and I was first married, Oma told me, you should write your life story for our children and our grandchildren—so they can know the story of your life.

After our 50th wedding anniversary Oma informed me, she was going to write it for me. I have listened to the many stories told by Mutti and your family and I want to put them down on paper, she said. Oma signed up for a class to learn how to write and actually attended two whole classes, but because it wasn’t what she had expected—all she did was lessen to other people’s stories (some were even published)—she was almost ready to give the whole thing up. But when she came home from the second class she stated, I talked to the teacher after class. He told me, You should get a three ring binder and start putting the stories on paper. Don’t try to start from the beginning and go to the end, he told her, but just put the many stories that you have heard down on paper—placing them in the binder in the order that they had happened. Oma decided to try—she wrote a few of the stories she had heard, and started placing them in the binder—first asking my help with some of the details. Make any corrections and additions that you think necessary to tell your life story," she told me. After awhile the stories started to grow into a book of sorts. I myself began to get more and more into it as time went on, reading about my life and adding things that I remembered into them, began to make my story start to come alive. I then began to realize that I really did want our children (Reiner Jr. the oldest, Erika our daughter and Christopher our youngest), as well as our grandchildren (Adam, Ryan, and Lucas), three adorable young boys, to know my life story.

When Oma started writing, she decided to start with stories Oma and I had heard over and over again from my Mutti, and my life story began to come to life . . .

Mutti’s story

MUTTI’S STORY

Opa’s grandparents on his Mutti’s (German for mother) side was Elizabeth Maria Kramer born in Dusseldort, Germany, and her Vater (German for father) was Louis Karl August Kohrs, also born in Germany.

The young Elizabeth and Louis met in Germany in the early 1900’s and fell in love but the Kramer family was very wealthy and felt the young man was not of their social standing and would not allow their daughter to marry Louis. When it was found that young Elizabeth was expecting there was a hasty marriage and young Louis was forced to leave Germany where he no longer could obtain a job—thanks to the influence of the Kramer family. He migrated to America in 1903, landing in New York where he obtained a job on the New York Herald newspaper. Shortly after this Opa’s Mutti was born (Maria Elizabeth Kohrs). After getting settled in the United States Louis sent for his wife and child, only to find that the Kramer family had secured a divorce for their daughter. Later Louis met and married Agatha Boos, a chef in New York City. Later they moved to Long Island and Louis eventually became the editor for the New York Herald.

During World War 1 (1914-1918) everything became difficult for people all over the world. After the War a depression hit in the United States and in Europe. The depression was particularly hard in Germany, causing great suffering. About this time Mutti’s grandparent’s passed on leaving her mother (Elizabeth) several apartment buildings which were later lost for taxes. The young Elizabeth was very soft hearted and didn’t have the heart to evict people when they were unable to pay their rent.

Opa’s Mutti grew up as an only child, and was spoiled by both her mother and her grandparents. Later, after World War 1, when her mother had lost everything, she experienced a much different life. Her mother had Mutti schooled as a secretary in order for her to make a good living for herself. When Mutti was a very young girl she met a young sailor and fell in love. When the young sailor was shipped out, Mutti found herself with child. The young sailor was never heard from again. In those days it was a stigma to have a child out of wedlock. Mutti’s mother was very soft hearted and took on the raising of the child. The little girl, who they named Inge Kohrs, was introduced as Mutti’s younger sister . . .

Chapter 1

In approximately 1927 Mutti met Opa’s Papa (Eric Norpchen)—a nice young man from Leipzig and was married. Papa’s parents were Hermann and Martha Norpchen who resided in Leipzig, Germany. Mutti told Papa about baby Inge, and he informed her that it would be best if she left the child for her mother to raise. By this time her mother had become very attached to the child. The young couple were then, able to start their married life without the stigma of a child born out of wedlock.

Papa and Mutti settled in Dusselforf where they had met. Papa worked in a printing factory and they were supplied with a small apartment nearby. Now Papa was the proud owner of a motorcycle and he and Mutti would take off every chance they could. On the weekends they would go for a drive through the country side. Papa and Mutti were full of joy—life was becoming quite great for them. Mutti loved sitting on the bike behind Papa, and feeling the wind on her face and enjoying the country side. Papa never allowed anything to get in his way—taking stairs, or any other obstacle in their way without hesitation. His little wife was just as adventurous. She was perfect, thought Papa as he would take on another set of stairs and hear her laughter as they speed along the winding country roads. The young couple went to visit his family shortly after they were married and he introduced his little bride with pride.

It wasn’t long after the couple was settled into their apartment that Mutti was expecting their first child. A son, born October 1, 1928, and was named Eric, after his Papa. A few years later Mutti was once again with child.

Opa’s Story

Chapter 2

On January 13, 1930, Papa once again found himself on the stairs of the apartment house where they lived, impatiently waiting for the mid-wife to arrive. Mutti was expecting again and the labor pains were getting very close. He held baby Eric, who was getting more and more fussy in his arms. He wanted his Mutti and did not understand what was going on and why he couldn’t see her. As soon as Papa spied the mid-wife he Hurried her up the stairs and into their apartment, one again finding himself waiting impatiently out side their bedroom door. In no time at all he heard the first cries of the new born, and breathed a great sigh of relief. A few minutes later, which seemed to Papa like hours, the door opened. He was informed by a very proud mid-wife that he had another baby boy (Opa—born Reiner Herman Norpchen). She also informed him, Your new son will go through life with much good fortune—he was born with a cap over his head, (the water sack), and that is a sign of good luck!

Approximately nine months later, Papa loaded his little family onto his motorcycle, which by this time had an added side-wagon, and took off for Leipzig? When they arrived his family was ecstatic. His parents were very pleased to see their grandsons. Whilhelm (Uncle Willie), his brother, and Else (Aunt Else his sister), were both thrilled with the baby boys.

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Opa’s family on their way to visit Papa’s parents, about 400 miles away. Eric 2 yrs and Opa 9 months.

When little Eric was five years old he started school, (kinder school). Eric and Opa as brothers sometimes do, were always trying to best each other. The first