There are no Kressa's left in Nova Hradečná today.
There are no Kressa family members remaining in Nova Hradečná, Czech Republic. The two remaining children of Theodor and Cecilia, Cecilia and Aloisia married and had families. Theodor had a sister, Theresa nee Kressa (b. 26 Jun 1838), but we don't know anything about her adult life.
Those who stayed in the area were much later expelled from Czechoslovakia in 1947 in one of the little-known tragedies of WWII.
Why? Read on.
In 1947, following the end of World War II and the defeat of Hitler and the Nazi's, a wave of anti-German sentiment swept the world, especially in Europe. The Kressa's were German-speakers in the culturally diverse area of Moravia and nearby Silesia (part of the Sudetenland). Most German-speaking Bohemians were sympathetic to the German government at first, before the "cleansing" of Jews, homosexuals, and people with disabilities.
The Potsdam Conference, a meeting of President Harry S Truman, Russian General Secretary Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill attempted to settle many issues, including how to "punish Germany and establish post-war order." The Russian Red Army was occupying Czechoslovakia. This agreement, among many other things, mandated the "orderly and humane expulsions of the German populations remaining beyond the new eastern borders of Germany, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary."
The German Empire had originally introduced the idea of collecting all German-speaking people in Germany and getting rid of those who were not, which led to the death camps that killed millions of Jews and other "undesirables." Now it was being done for them in defeat.
With the Red Army advancing into Czechoslovakia, records show that the Soviet soldiers committed numerous rapes and other crimes. Atrocities, such as the Nemmersdorf massacre, in October of 1944, the Russians shot and killed German civilians at close range, about 50 noncombatant POW's were summarily executed, women were stripped naked, nailed cruciform to doors and raped. "Some 72 women, including children and one old man were dead; some babies had their head bashed in." - Wikipedia.
Many German-speakers fled as their villages were turned into "internment camps." Efforts were made to make arrangements to receive the "expellees," but it was anything but orderly. The husband of Anna Weixler, daughter of Aloisia, was Karl Riedl who had joined the German Army. After the collapse of the Third Reich, Karl became a prisoner of war of the Russians. He did not survive or return home, even though he survived the war.
Those who stayed in the area were much later expelled from Czechoslovakia in 1947 in one of the little-known tragedies of WWII.
Why? Read on.
In 1947, following the end of World War II and the defeat of Hitler and the Nazi's, a wave of anti-German sentiment swept the world, especially in Europe. The Kressa's were German-speakers in the culturally diverse area of Moravia and nearby Silesia (part of the Sudetenland). Most German-speaking Bohemians were sympathetic to the German government at first, before the "cleansing" of Jews, homosexuals, and people with disabilities.
The Potsdam Conference, a meeting of President Harry S Truman, Russian General Secretary Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill attempted to settle many issues, including how to "punish Germany and establish post-war order." The Russian Red Army was occupying Czechoslovakia. This agreement, among many other things, mandated the "orderly and humane expulsions of the German populations remaining beyond the new eastern borders of Germany, including Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary."
The German Empire had originally introduced the idea of collecting all German-speaking people in Germany and getting rid of those who were not, which led to the death camps that killed millions of Jews and other "undesirables." Now it was being done for them in defeat.
With the Red Army advancing into Czechoslovakia, records show that the Soviet soldiers committed numerous rapes and other crimes. Atrocities, such as the Nemmersdorf massacre, in October of 1944, the Russians shot and killed German civilians at close range, about 50 noncombatant POW's were summarily executed, women were stripped naked, nailed cruciform to doors and raped. "Some 72 women, including children and one old man were dead; some babies had their head bashed in." - Wikipedia.
Many German-speakers fled as their villages were turned into "internment camps." Efforts were made to make arrangements to receive the "expellees," but it was anything but orderly. The husband of Anna Weixler, daughter of Aloisia, was Karl Riedl who had joined the German Army. After the collapse of the Third Reich, Karl became a prisoner of war of the Russians. He did not survive or return home, even though he survived the war.
Family Tragedy:
German-speaking Czechs citizens expelled and sent to concentration camps in Germany
Photos above: German Bohemians force marched to Germany, second photo is a concentration camp in Dachau, recently vacated by the liberated Jews, now the only place the Allies could find for large numbers of refugees.
The German speaking population of Czechoslovakia was almost 3.5 million people in 1939. "Transfer according to the Potsdam agreements proceeded from January to October 1946. 1.9 million ethnic Germans were expelled to the American zone of what would become West Germany. More than 1 million were expelled to the Soviet zone which later became East Germany. About 250,000 ethnic Germans crucial for industry were allowed to remain in Czechoslovakia. Male Germans with Czech wives were expelled, often with their spouses, while ethnic German women with Czech husbands were allowed to stay. After 1948 skilled Sudeten Germans were forced to remain." - Wikipedia.
Some Kressas descendants were a part of this expulsion, as is evidenced by letters received by Adolf Kresha, Sr. in 1947. Let's look at what was happening:
Wikipedia articles describe the conditions. First, the homes and most property, including money was stripped from the German-speakers. There are many films and photos of German Bohemians being murdered, raped, and beaten as if they were Nazis themselves, in part becasue they were perceived as in sympathy with the Nazis. Upon arrival in West Germany, the American Zone, conditions were bleak:
Some Kressas descendants were a part of this expulsion, as is evidenced by letters received by Adolf Kresha, Sr. in 1947. Let's look at what was happening:
Wikipedia articles describe the conditions. First, the homes and most property, including money was stripped from the German-speakers. There are many films and photos of German Bohemians being murdered, raped, and beaten as if they were Nazis themselves, in part becasue they were perceived as in sympathy with the Nazis. Upon arrival in West Germany, the American Zone, conditions were bleak:
"Those who arrived were in bad shape—particularly during the harsh winter of 1945–46, when arriving trains carried "the dead and dying in each carriage (other dead had been thrown from the train along the way)". After experiencing Red Army atrocities, Germans in the expulsion areas were subject to harsh punitive measures... in post-war Poland and Czechoslovakia. Beatings, rapes and murders accompanied the expulsions. Some had experienced massacres, such as the Ústí (Aussig) massacre, in which 80–100 ethnic Germans died, or conditions like those in the Upper Silesian Camp Łambinowice (Lamsdorf), where interned Germans were exposed to sadistic practices and at least 1,000 perished. In addition to the atrocities, the expellees had experienced hunger, thirst and disease, separation from family members, loss of civil rights and familiar environment, and sometimes internment and forced labor. Thus, many expellees were traumatized and carried a psychological burden for years, which especially the young and elderly were often unable to cope with."
Wikipedia
One Czech citizen, Karl Riedl, who married Anna, daughter of Aloisia, had gone to Germany to enlist in the German Army. After the war, which he survived, he was held in Soviet prisoner-of-war camps and is believed to have perished in the manner noted above. Anna Riedl, now a widow with three daughters, found herself expelled to Germany with no husband and no assets.
Anna and other family members began to send handwritten letters to Adolf Franz Kresha, Sr , explaining their plight and asking for help. Below are some of the translations of the letters Adolf received and kept in his "Black Box." They were written in 1949, but not translated until 1988 for the "Kresha Families in America, 1888-1988" book. The translator was Ida Graening, a friend in Nebraska.
Anna and other family members began to send handwritten letters to Adolf Franz Kresha, Sr , explaining their plight and asking for help. Below are some of the translations of the letters Adolf received and kept in his "Black Box." They were written in 1949, but not translated until 1988 for the "Kresha Families in America, 1888-1988" book. The translator was Ida Graening, a friend in Nebraska.
"Letter #5 is missing the first page and date is not available, but seems to be an appeal for help. They spoke of their good situation and financial condition until the war and now it was necessary to ask for help of any kind. Funds which had been set aside for the youthful members of the family to use for education had to be used for daily livelihood. A prompt answer was requested and good wishes sent. Signed by Anna Riedl... residing in the USA zone of Germany."
Anna Riedl
"Letter #6 is dated February, 1947. It is also a request for aid. Also the address of a ADOLF Pansmal (the poor handwriting makes it difficult to translate exactly)... This family had no heating appliance for three months but conditions were improving for which they thanked God. Greetings were added from Alfred, Maria and Mitzi, with the hope that they would soon receive a reply."
Anna Riedl
"Letter #10 dated April 4, 1947 was written by the step-daughter of Adolf Kresha's brother. Also displaced as a refugee in Germany, her plight is described. The distress endured by all of the family must have been almost unbearable."
Anna Riedl
"Letter #7A is dated November 27, 1947. It is written by Anna Riedl who begs for a response to correspondence. She appeals for a CARE PACKET as conditions have been distressful for her. Her husband had died just as the European war ended. Since she was writing so near Christmas, she wished the family in America a blessed holiday. A postscript is added to the letter stating that Anna Riedl's daughter was writing the letter because her mother (Anna R.) was unable to user her hands for writing."
Anna Riedl
"Letter #8 dated February 17, 1948. Sending greetings and a wish for a joyous Easter. Also very needy. They had written before but received no reply. Acknowledged that perhaps the Kresha family was not prospering. (I give up on the signature of this one...Alfred is the first name.)"
Alfred
"Letter #7B is dated February 23, 1948. This was written by Sophie VINZIMS and Walter Schaffasch (spelling in question. Signatures are impossible to translate correctly). They seem in dire distress and also appealing for assistance. They were niece and nephew of Adolf Kresha (their mother was a sister to Adolf). They speak of the "present great need," etc. The war had destroyed their entire lifestyles and the sad state of affairs forced them to seek whatever help was possible. Other nieces in the family also wrote in this letter and appealed for aid."
Sophie Schaffasch
"Letter #9 dated March 15, 1948 is from a daughter of Aloisia Krehsa, sister to Adolf. She also describes their former days as having been happy ones, but the war had changed everything. They lost most of their clothing when the bombing of their area began. Had been compelled to move to Germany and were living in the USA zone. Her name was Aloisia."
Aloisia Kress Weixler
"Letter #12 written June 13, 1948 is postmarked Helmarshausen. Sofphie Schaffarsch writes her needs. There was nothing to buy in the stores. She writes in the hope that she may receive an answer and hoped that Adolf Kresha might find it possible to visit Germany and come to their aid. Her handwriting is clear and easy to read."
Sofphie Schaffarsch
"Letter #11 has an incomplete date. It was written on August 13th but the year is not stated. This was also written by a niece of Adolf Kresha and relates the circumstances under which she has had to live. Her husband was a prisoner of war in Russia for four years. This letter appears to be incomplete... last page is missing. No name of writer is listed."
Anna Riedl
"Translator's comments: The heartache described in these letters was almost depressing. I think Mr. Kresha saved the letters hoping that some day in some way he could help these dear people, who, through no fault of their own, had been deprived of everything. Some of the men were well educated and held official positions, but the war destroyed any standing they may have had, and their families suffered deprivations as a result."
Adolf died within a year later, age 76, unable financially to help his sister's family.
Adolf died within a year, at age 76.
The letters were from Aloisia's family, her daughter Anna and granddaughter Sophie.
Please also remember that the Kressa's immigrated to the United States, in part to seek their fortune, but also for the boys to avoid the Emperor's draft of 15-year-olds into the Austrian "Boy's Army," where they were often put on the front lines and died in battle. Emperor Franz Joseph I himself was drafted into the Army at age 15, became Emperor at 18, but never was very good at winning wars.
Adolf died within a year later, age 76, unable financially to help his sister's family.
Adolf died within a year, at age 76.
The letters were from Aloisia's family, her daughter Anna and granddaughter Sophie.
Please also remember that the Kressa's immigrated to the United States, in part to seek their fortune, but also for the boys to avoid the Emperor's draft of 15-year-olds into the Austrian "Boy's Army," where they were often put on the front lines and died in battle. Emperor Franz Joseph I himself was drafted into the Army at age 15, became Emperor at 18, but never was very good at winning wars.
