Every year at Remembrance Day I think about how my family’s destiny was shaped by WW2. Much of my family lived in German speaking areas of what is now Poland and the Czech Republic as well as Ukraine. After the War their homes were under Communist control and as such they became Displaced Persons. Both sets of grandparents decided to immigrate to Canada. I also think about my grandfather and his 2 brothers that fought in the War. My grandfather was the only one to return from the War. His brother Josef fell at the battle of Nettuno on March 2, 1944 and Johann, the other brother died in Russia January 1, 1944. Just this week I received a copy of the Remembrance Book of the War Graves at St Petersburg where Johann is remembered. I only know these uncles from the pieces I have been able to put together in my research.
I have read reports that as many as 75 million people died during WW2. That is hard to wrap my mind around. We can’t let this ever happen again.