Chapter 1: The Journey Begins!

I've decided to start investigating my family history on the Niemar side.  It's something that I've been thinking about starting for quite some time now.  I guess the Who Do You Think You Are? marathon I watched over the weekend finally gave the me the inspiration I needed.  There are lots of reasons why I've chosen to start this journey by focusing on the Niemar side (for now).

Christmas, 1983 or 1984.  Tara, Dad, me & Oma...and...Ferdie and Nanine, of course!

1. I already have a strong connection to my mum's side of the family, thanks, in large part, to the efforts of my mum's brother, Jack, and cousin, Jean, to research and compile a pretty detailed Fraser family history & family tree.  My mum's dad, Robert Charles Fraser, was one of 12 (I think), and she has more than 30 first cousins, and at least as many second cousins.  I've been attending Fraser family gatherings my whole life, and while the family is smaller and more geographically spread out now than I was when I was younger, it never really seemed as large as it actually is.  I think that has a lot to do with the effort that all of the first cousins make to stay in touch, and the vitality of my grandfather's surviving brothers and sisters.  There's just something about hearing your 100 year-old great-aunt share stories about the past that automatically makes you feel more connected to your family...who wouldn't want to be related to a woman that shows up for her 100th birthday party on the back of a motorcycle?!

Aunt Peg arrives for her 100th Bday party in Kelowna (July, 2013)

On the Douglas side (mum's maternal side), my grandma filled in lots of details there.  Tara and I spent a lot of time with my grandma when we were younger, and she always entertained us with stories not only of my mum's childhood, but of her own as well.  My grandmother has even convinced me that the stories of the Black Douglas Clan, and their connection to Robert The Bruce, that she made me read are really a part of my own family's story...perhaps that's something to investigate further once this leg of my journey is over.

2.  I feel like I don't really know a whole lot about my dad's side of the family, relatively speaking.  My parents' separation likely played a significant role here, as Tara and I just didn't spend as much time with my dad and his family as we did with my mum and hers (no judgement here...that's just the way things worked out).  Secondly, my dad's extended family weren't really in Winnipeg.  I remember attending a few family gatherings for my Opa's side when I was younger, but those were out of town, as much of my dad's father's family lived in Saskatchewan or elsewhere.

Neimor Family Reunion - on the family farm in Sask., 1981 (I think)...more on the last name change in another post

More from the farm in 1981, I'm in the front, on my dad's lap.  Oma is front row, far left.  My cousin Jason & his mom (my dad's sister) Ellie are also in the front row.  My uncle Len (dad's brother) is in the back, holding my cousin Shanna...sorry about the unflattering pic Uncle Cal, it was the only one I have :-)

Another Neimor Family Reunion - Boyle, AB, 1992.  I'm in the back row, 5 in from the right side.

Furthermore, my Oma had fewer siblings than my Opa, and none of them lived in Winnipeg.  Her younger brother, Joe, visited Winnipeg the most.  Joe moved to NYC after WWII.  Her sisters, Elly and Maria, stayed in Germany.  I remember them coming to visit once, but my Oma used to go back to Germany to visit quite often.  I have no memory of meeting Oma's brother, Frank, who lived in BC.

Uncle Joe and Dad (Winnipeg)

Finally, I think the difficult, and sometimes tragic, events of my Oma's life in Germany during the inter-war period & WWII was just not something she wanted to re-live and/or talk about with many people, let alone her young granddaughter.  By the time I was old enough to start to understand and appreciate what her life as a young woman must have been like, it was too late; my Oma was tragically killed by a hit-and-run driver in 1993.  

Since my own father has passed away, just over six years ago now, I think I feel more motivated to find out more about my Oma, and her family, because I know that the number of people who know her, and with whom I can talk about her will only grow smaller over time.  I have had conversations with my Aunty Hedy & Aunty Ellie (dad's sisters) about Oma since dad died, but I never really wrote any thing down, and so some of my (limited) knowledge now seems a bit fuzzy to me.  

Here's what I DO know, for sure:

School photo from Germany.  I'm not exactly sure how old she is here, but Oma is in the front row, second in from the right.

• Oma (nee Hedwig Wachowiak) was born in Essen, Germany, on September 21, 1921.  
• She had two brothers (Frank and Joe), and two sisters (Elly and Maria)
• Oma's mother passed away when she was quite young.  Shortly after that, her father (Karl), left the children (to an orphanage, I think) in order to join the Russian Army, and fight against the Germans on the Eastern Front.  I don't know what happened to him, and it's definitely something I want to learn more about.
• Oma didn't attend school much after she was about 13 years-old or so, and at some point, she worked as a domestic, I believe for an opera singer & his family.

• She met my Opa (Charlie) in Germany, after the war, in 1945.  They were married in London, England in 1948, where my Uncle Len was born, and moved to Canada shortly afterwards.

Oma & Opa's wedding photo; London, England, 1948

WHAT'S NEXT????

I'm headed to Winnipeg in August.  When I'm there, I hope to find out a bit more about my Oma's life in Germany, and about her parents & then I will determine where to look next.

Thanks for reading!