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as told to Jessica Domeneck |
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This is the story about my great-grandfather, Herman Grundleger. He was born and and raised in Poland on May 25, 1913. He decided to go to Germany, and from there, he went to Palestine. After living in Palestine for two years, Herman Grundleger immigrated to the U.S. arriving by ship. His father was the first to come, sending for the rest of the family to join him. They arrived in November of 1930. The United States was their hope for a better life. |
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When my great-grandfather came to the U.S, his goal was to earn a living and have a better life. He also wanted to come to a country where his family would not have to suffer for being Jewish. Jews people were suffering in Europe as the world was heading towards war. When my great-grandfather's family came here they moved to the Bronx ( borough of New York City) sharing a very small apartment with other family members (other aunts and uncles). Herman wanted to support his family but it was hard because he couldn’t get a job. He was the only one to try to get a job, because he was the oldest. His sister’s name was Rose and his brother’s name was Manfred, or Freddy as he was called. Years later, his family opened a small grocery store and when my great-grandfather got married, he ran the store. On November 10, 1940 he married my great-grandmother Esther. They had 4 children who were my great-uncles Larry, Mark, and Leslie and my grandmother Lynn. |
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My great-grandfather left Germany because life under Hitler and the Nazi Party was getting worse. My great-grandfather was in World War II and was captured by the Nazi's in France. Luckily he was not harmed or sent to a concentration camp while he was a prisoner. As an American soldier, he was sent to France by the U.S. because he spoke German. He was a translator but once captured,he was held as a prisoner of war. While he was a prisoner my grandmother was born. He was release in June of 1945, when Europe was liberated. My great-grandfather got the Purple Heart for being injured in the War. This medal is given to soldiers injured in the line of duty during World War II. After returning from the war, my
great-grandfather settled down with his family and worked hard. He
said that other than his children, his greatest joy was when my mother,
Stacey was born. She was his first grandchild. Sadly he died
when she was 14 months old on November 18, 1969, so he didn’t get
to see her grow up.
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