This item contains two interviews, one conducted with Mr. and Mrs. German, and another with Mr. Eichele. M. German was born in 1909 in Odesa, although originally the family came from Germany and spoke German. His parents were farmers. They came on a steam boat from Liverpool to Halifax, they then came to Regina on a train from Halifax where he had an uncle, and moved to Alberta in the Spring of 1910, to Bow Island, an area with many Germans. His dad built a house, which was more like a shack, where they had some animals. His dad grew wheat. He took over his dad’s farm. During WWI, when they already lived in Canada, his family did not have problems because they were Germans, although they did experience tough times during the Depression. Mr. and Mrs. German got married in 1924, then bought the land. In 1940, they came to Calgary. Then sold it and bought the lot and built the place they were being interviewed. Retired in 1968. Have 2 children. Mrs. German's parents came from Russia, too ([Menheim] near Odesa). She was born in the USA, in Mackintosh, North Dakota in 1907. Her parents had a homestead over there. Then they moved into Alberta in about 1908. Her father got a homestead in Alberta. They moved together with a big German community. She had 6 siblings and was the youngest, 2 from the previous marriage of her dad. Her family was Catholic and spoke German.
German, John Lennard