• Annelies Schaerer Munzker
    … of five children into a very well off family in Vienna / Austria. After a care free wonderful childhood my life changed with the end of the Second World War when we lost …
  • Hazel L. West
    … MEMORIES OF A WAR BRIDE – a ‘blind date’ in World War II I was not the … when a friend I worked with asked me to go on a “blind date” with a Canadian who was in London, England on leave. He had met with another Canadian pilot and did not have a date. I protested …
  • Rudy Alonzi
    … Frosinone, Italy in 1940. I have one brother and two sisters. My parents were the most honest, lovable and hardworking people ever. … but her main trade was running our grocery store, and my fondest memories was myself, at a very young age working by her side and …
  • Rudolph Goertz and Elfriede Mundt
    … brothers (Henry, Frank and Rudolph) and two sisters (Helen and Maria). My father was Frank and my mother was Katie (nee Thiessen). Because of … was moved to Poland when I was taken to a working camp in Germany. (My father and brothers were lost to the war but in the early 1960's I …
  • My Father’s Music - Ilse Thompson
    … Becoming a Refugee CMIP 21 · My Father’s Music Time 0:03:48 Transcript Ilse Thompson (IT): And, um, we had a wonderful time. But then the day came when I met my girlfriend on the street. A girlfriend, my best friend, on the … My Father’s Music - Ilse Thompson …
  • Maria Teresa DiGiandomenico
    … Story aboard Vulcania, 1956 The adventure began on June 8, 1956 for my mother Elena DiGiandomenico, my sister Vera and me. I was nine years old and my sister was only 3. We left the security …
  • Herb
    … Halifax Date of Arrival: March 23, 1954 Age on Arrival: 32, 29, 5 My parents, Karl Friederich Herb, Anna Katharina (Annekathe) Theresia Sterzenbach Herb, and my brother, …
  • Zbigniew and Stefania Sauter
    … Pier 21 holds some very special memories in my heart - here is the abbreviated version of my story: The outbreak of … precious freedom. My family was separated and we never again had the chance to be together. I spent five dreadful war years in my country, …
  • Share Your Story Guide
    … shortages? How did this affect your daily activities? How was your community affected by the conflict? Do you remember the conflict coming to an end? What was that like? The decision to leave and the … to leave your country of origin? Why did you/your family decide to come to Canada? Did you apply to come to Canada with the idea of …
  • Erika Hertel Danner
    … Halifax, Nova Scotia Date of Arrival: March 31, 1960 Age on Arrival: 26 Erika Hertel was born Sept 23, 1934, the oldest of four siblings. … her cousin Hildegard. Erika’s first job was a live-in domestic to look after three children at their summer residence. Erika met her long-time friend Hertha at the summer residence. Through Hertha …