THE JENA TIMES Olla-Tullos-Urania Signal

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013

1B

From V-Day Fire Storms over Germany to the Shores of Liberty

(Editors Note: Courtney McGuffee, an Olla native and LaSalle High graduate, penned the following feature story about
her Great Uncle Bernd Stahr for a class at Louisiana State University. She is a sophomore Mass Communication major.)

By Courtney E. McGuffee
A young boy sits nervously waiting for the return of his family. Hes alone in a cold cellar, mixed among unknown faces,
all sharing the fear that has swept over them. His mother and
sister had caught a break and snuck back to the upper oor of
their apartment to gather belongings only minutes before.
The night skies had been lled with Christmas Trees and
ares, signs of attack on their beautiful city, used to see where
the American bombers would be bombing. At eight oclock,
they looked out their cold-chilled window to see their beloved
Germany skies full of ares.
We knew from then on its serious, Bernd Stahr said.
Waiting for the return of his family from the bomb-disturbed
upstairs, Stahr viewed an already damaged home.
There were holes in the oors
where the bombs were dropped,
Stahr said. This was very fearful for
me, I was not sure if they would come
back or not.
Valentines Day of 1945 would become a day that would disturb this
six-year-old boy for a lifetime. Stahrs
hometown of Dresden, Germany was
completely turned to ashes amidst
the turmoil and unrest caused by the
American air force. When the thunderous explosions nally ceased, they
knew the second bombing had ended.
Courtney E. McGuffee
Their family wasted no time as
they hastily ed the basements and cellars. As they left with
the burning buildings falling to shambles around them, the
instinct to survive had already taken over.
The town had already prepared for the worst. Prior to the
bombing, 50-gallon drums of water had been placed at the entrances of the buildings. As the refugees evacuated their burning homes and apartments, they would dip their dry, dirty
blanket into the cold drums of water, throw them over their
bodies for re protection and run through the streets in the
direction of safety.
When we got a couple of blocks, our blankets were dry, my
hair was burned, Stahr said.
They continued approximately four blocks through hundreds of blistering re storms. These re storms consisted of
the ames swarming in, quickly disappearing and repeating
in a constant manner. The Stahr family strategically timed
each advance throughout their burning town. They continued
toward the river, where they trusted to nd a safe and open
place.
The decision had already been made to continue to Laubegast toward Stahrs grandmothers house. As they crossed the
bridge, their journey had only just begun. Both sides of the river
had been bombed by the Americans. Cluster bombs had been
used, which made for a very difcult journey. These bombs
consist of a hollow shell lled with many smaller bombs, which
are dispersed on descent toward the ground. If they did not
explode, they simply stuck in the streets or buildings.
For a kid like me, this was very stressful. I never know
when one of these things goes off, Stahr said.
After traveling for an entire day, they nally made it to
Laubegast. A day or two later, Stahrs older sister, Ursel Stahr,
safely joined them. She had been in the city volunteering, passing out blankets and food and was separated from their family
during the bombing.
We were happy she was there, we didnt know if she was
alive or not, Stahr said.
Weeks later, the Stahrs loaded their hand wagon and
started on the road, away from the Russians in the East.
We wanted to go southeast because we knew the Americans were over there, Stahr said.
Their journey was anything but short and painless. The
Stahrs traveled for what seemed like four months but never
successfully made it. They could not travel at a constant pace.
They would stop days at a time because of ghting across the
country. However as soon as possible, the Stahr family would
pick up their journey.
Occasionally the Stahrs would travel with military convoys,
which would attract extra attention to them. This scene was
much like documentaries have depicted. There was a large
mass of refugees, their families and their few belongings on a
beaten path traveling toward safety.
When you see a movie like Schindlers [List] and so, and
you see all of the people, that is how we were, Stahr said.
American airplanes would shoot at their large convoy, misunderstanding that they were not all a threat. These families
and refugees would run to the sides of the road, into the bushes, leaving all of their belongings in the street.
Our little wagon, the bullet went right through there,
through our suitcase, Stahr said as he laughed about his
wagon and the new hole that had been made.
They continued to try and escape the Russians, but they
did not make it. The Stahrs returned to their grandmothers
house and stayed with her for a few weeks. Her city had become occupied by the cruel, communist Russians. The Russian
control changed a lot about their everyday lifestyle throughout
parts of Germany.
There was now no food. Everything was rationed and conscated. Receiving food was complicated and a mess in itself.
Their scrumptious German delectables were no longer anywhere to be found.
The only food we could get was the bad food, Stahr said.
This would include old potatoes, potato akes or any food
the Russians simply did not want to consume. They would cut
the bad potatoes up, dry them and make potato akes. These
akes consisted of the skin and potato mixed together. The
Stahr family learned to make do with what they had available
to them. A family of four would only receive a quarter pound
stick of butter a month!
Not only did the Russians ration their food, they dismantled their town, sending everything possible to Russia. They
took apart their railroad tracks, sent the steel to Russia and
left only a single track. Any resource that could benet their
Russian army was removed and shipped out of the country.
Everything went to Russia, Stahr said
The Stahrs had to continue their journey to the American
west part of Germany. This was not an easy task, and Stahrs

family was separated through the process. His sister, Teddy,

was engaged to a German soldier, who safely transported her
to the West one late night. Stahrs brother Fred had to leave
East Germany fast. The Communists wanted to put him in jail
because their father belonged to the Nazi party.
They were looking for anybody connected to the Nazi party, Stahr said.
Stahrs brother was also a former military man, involved
in the German air force. He had no choice but to leave. The
Stahrs found out through other members of their family that
his brother was in danger. Even
though parts of the family had different beliefs, they were always looking
out for each other.
Some of them [the family] ProCommunist, some of them Anti-Communist they took care of family members in case something happened,
Stahr said.
This left Stahr, his mother and his
grandmother in their one room on the
east side of Germany. They knew they
needed to leave, but this was an immense challenge.
I was so weak from the food. BeBernd Stahr
ing undernourished, I couldnt walk
up stairs, Stahr said.
The entire Stahr family was battling many challenges, especially their frail mother.
My mother, because of the shortage of food and nourishment, her body began collecting water and swelling, Stahr
said.
Immediately the Stahrs had to discover a way to transport
their mother to the West.
We just packed our stuff, and over night we went to West
Germany, Stahr said.
During this time there were various underground organizations that you could pay to help guide you and your families. The Stahrs went toward the border on train but snuck off
before reaching the border. You were required to have certain
papers to travel.
We got them [papers] dealing and wheeling, Stahr said.
The Stahrs paid for an underground guide to bring the remainder of their family over the border. The guide brought the
Stahrs and a group of others over the border during the night.
Russians red upon the underground groups when they were
spotted crossing the freshly cut eld.
We just ran, Stahr said. You use to it sometimes, because we got red on so often when we were refugees.
The Stahrs made it over the border and split up to different
locations for a time being. Later on, the Stahrs were reunited
in Bremerhaven, Germany. For a few years, ve members of
their family lived in a single room 15 feet by 8 feet.

Bernd Stahr and his wife, Birgit, in Germany

Like most German refugees, Stahrs mother desired to
get her and her family away from the Russians and escape to
America. Both of Stahrs sisters ended up marrying American
men and moved to the United States in time. Stahrs sister,
Teddy, worked with the World Church Organization to work
on moving the remainder of their family to the United States.
This organization ran a program for evacuating refugees and
transporting them to our country.
They sponsored for my mother and myself to come over
here, Stahr said.
Stahrs mother immigrated into the United States in April
of 1960, and Stahr followed in May. The Stahr family acclimated and embraced the American society and continued to
push forward. The events of Stahrs childhood affected him
for decades, but he continued to stand tall and strong. He has
lived a full life in America with a wonderful family and has
left his impact on all who have spoken to him. He carries with
him an incredible testimony of chasing the American dream.
Through his eyes we can see just how blessed we are to live in
the United States of America, a melting pot of all cultures.