RE: Why being political is a very personal thing. The story of the Russian Germans - from my family's point of view. Part one.
Wow, Erika! So many have come here to read your words of wisdom :)
I enjoyed reading about your family history and couldn't agree more that we learn so much more about politics and religion when we also understand the human experience and surrounding psychologies.
When I first started reading, I scratched down two sentences you wrote, thinking what incredible values there were coming from your grandfather: Maintaining integrity during times of conflict and To be without a hint of bitterness Thank you for these gems.
I love family history and have shared many stories with both my grandparents and my own parents. I grew up L.D.S (Mormon) and as a group they are very much into family histories and lineage.
I had the genetic testing done (I know a lot of people are against it, but...) and have some German lineage as well as 2% Caucasus & 1% or less from one of the stans... maybe, Kazakhstan!? We're probably very distantly related. The last photo, young man on the right, looks very much like my father!
So much that your family has endured--I can't imagine chopping wood in the winter woods like your mother did, or hiding under floor boards while the guards are above. As they say, you come from strong stock and no wonder you're so strong and independent :)
With love, kinship and admiration,
Kimberly
:) Hey, distant cousin! LOL!
It's typical for you that you exactly found those sentences. For it's the message I wanted to transport to people and not aggravate them.
I've never heard of the genetic testing you made. Is it a controversial thing?
The photo with the three men shows my father on the very left. That yours looked like the one on the other side, is really funny!
I guess, I also inherited my moms stubbornness but in comparison to her I made a little more progress in calming it.
I would like to read more about your Mormon background. It's of deep interest to me to understand peoples history and the system they grew up in. I see a lot similarities between the two of us, in particular the religious influence.
Love that it's your Dad on the left--sitting at the same table, so to speak, just as you and I do :)
The genetic testing is a spit test to determine your genetic make-up. Controversial because many don't want the genetic information known--some say you may be cloned or match some rich person's who needs your organ? I don't know, I'm nearing fifty and think there are probably many others smarter, stronger THEY'd want to clone ;)
There are different companies and I did mine through ancestry.com which I believe was started by some L.D.S. people? Many on the site have linked their family trees and many of these are part of the L.D.S genealogical archives.
Most interesting because the test will link you to other close and not so close relations. My parents have both taken the test and it links me to them as parents, also a few of my nine siblings and the same is true for them, and my son and I show up as his mother. But, even if we're from the same parents our genetics are matched as relatives, but none of us the same. Think about a litter of puppies and how each one has different markings. Out of all of my family who has taken the test, I show up as having the most Scottish/Irish/Welsh at 33%! Second was Western European (German) at 29% and then Scandinavian. The surprising results for all of us have been the less than 1% because these have been different for all of us. That's the one that included Asia Central: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Nobody else in my family had this one! Your history here made me think with my German heritage, it would be likely I also this Kazakhstan connection you write about?
Or, could be much early when those from Afghanistan migrated north into the Scottish area?
All very fascinating and a way in which to demonstrate how we're all connected. It does help to hear political histories in order to re-frame the limit beliefs we have about others and the wars and trauma's they've endured as well as the resulting psychologies.
Yes, perhaps some time I will sit down and write more about my family in this historical way.
Having grown up Mormon comes up much in my freewrites, sometimes in ways other's might deem negative or derogatory, but I love my ancestors and their strength, courage and faith and so many aspects of the church will always be with me and I am indeed grateful though I have left the fold.