“Family Archaeologist” explores a century of family letters, diaries, and artifacts, and how they illuminate history and our shared humanity. To get an overview of the blog, click: “Welcome to Family Archaeologist”
LATEST BLOG POSTS
Anger begets anger
Theresia and Paul Müller, parents to Therese Woschkeruscha, maternal grandparents to Luise Woschkeruscha Last week, we learned that Lil’s mother, Louise, was sinking into mental illness just before Lil and Fred’s wedding. (See More than I could stand.) While the origins of Louise’s mental illness can’t be pinpointed, some facts about her childhood may [...]
More than I could stand
Lil and Fred professed their love to each other on May 17, 1942. ( See He Really Loves Me!) They were happier than ever as they entered that summer. Lil’s parents knew that she would soon be married–that Lillian would no longer be living with them for the first time since her birth. I believe her engagement was [...]
The Happiest Days of our Lives!
Fred Gartz, silhouette created at Riverview Amusement Park, summer 1942 The Summer of ’42 was one of bliss for Fred and Lil. They went to Chicago’s iconic amusement park, Riverview and had several profile silhouettes cut out. These are two. I’m sure they rode the boat through “The Tunnel of Love.” Here’s what Lil [...]
Seven Tips to Meet the Family History Writing Challenge
The Armchair Genealogist Lynn Palermo over at The Armchair Genealogist is sponsoring the second annual Family History Writing Challenge. Today Lynn has been kind enough to invite me to be a guest blogger on her site. Given the vast amount of materials I have in my family archive collection, I wanted to write about how to [...]
He really loves me!
Just one week after Fred’s May 10, 1942, letter to his mother, detailing the trauma of his dismissal from the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant in La Porte, Indiana,(see War & Bigotry & following three posts) he was back in Chicago. Perhaps his raw emotions from that encounter made him appreciate Lil and her support more than ever. It’s a [...]
I-Gene Awards 2012-And the winners are…
Thanks to Jasia, at Creative Gene for once again hosting the annual I-Gene awards, an opportunity for the genealogy blogging community to look back over the past year and salute each other’s best posts in five categories. Here are my choices for Family Archaeologist for 2011 Let the awards begin! […]
When love and science collide
North Ave. Beach 8/27/1941 Fred (my dad) sent this amusing “scientific analysis” of two “aquatic species,” probably based on a photo (he says “illustration” but I think that’s part of the joke) that was enclosed with the letter. He typed it up almost exactly 70 years ago, on January 27, 1942. It was written [...]
Anti-American hobbies
Der Prozess, The Trial by Franz Kafka The last two posts have detailed the anti-German bigotry my father faced in his work at the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant in La Porte, Indiana, where he had begun work on March 30, 1942, as a blasting powder blender. Similar to the character, Josef K. in Kafka’s novel, [...]
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