Erika Hertel Danner

Alumni Type: Immigrant
Country of Origin: Germany
Ship Name: Seven Seas
Port of Entry: 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. Walli, the youngest, passed away at eleven years of age in 1955 in Poland. The family lived in Zaosche, Kreis Loewenstadt, Poland (what is now called Zaosie near Lodz). Zaosche was a German speaking village for many years in the German speaking district of Warthegau.

Erika’s father, being a German citizen, was drafted during the Second World War by the German Army. In 1945 when most of the German Nationals had to leave Poland, Erika’s mother did not leave. She was afraid that her husband would not find his family when he returned from the war. Erika’s family lived in adverse conditions in Poland until 1957 but her father never returned.

Her extended family living in West Germany and through a donation to the Red Cross, helped Erika’s mother and family to migrate to West Germany as refugees (Familien Zusammenfuehrung). They arrived on June 22, 1957.

In 1960, Erika decided to immigrate to Canada by the ship, ‘Seven Seas’. She arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia at Pier 21 on March 31, 1960 and continued the journey via Montreal, Quebec to Toronto, Ontario. In Toronto, Erika was picked up at Union Station by 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 and her friend Hans, Erika met her future husband Frank in the fall of 1960.

Erika and Frank married and were parents of three lovely children (precisely detailed in Frank’s biography).

Erika was called home by her Creator in April of 2004.