The Longing: A Canadian Family's World War II Odyssey

​A Canadian family caught behind enemy lines in World War II and a mother's longing to bring her family home.

A Trip To Germany

​"In that year (1939) they decided to make a trip to Germany, where Werner's mother is still living, in Hamburg. They did not sell their land, as this trip was intended as a visit rather than a migration. They sailed on the ship Hansa from New York. Ten days after their arrival in Hamburg, World War II broke out." Jacob Ulmer 1956

My grandfather, Jacob Ulmer, saved over a hundred letters written by my mother, to members of her family during our time in Germany.

On our return to Canada, when he offered to give them to her, she accepted reluctantly because the memories were still too fresh. Many years later, when she wondered what would happen to the letters after she died, I told her I would take care of them.

In translating the letters I attempted to preserve my mother's voice in words and expressions she would have used.

I was surprised by the flood of memories of ​the many happy and crazy times of my childhood, and I had no trouble writing those stories. The dangerous and frightening times were more difficult. I was reluctant to delve into them but reading my mother's words and remembering her courage and endurance in keeping us safe made it possible to tell the hard stories as well.

In 1989, Richard Dixon, the Minister at Hope Lutheran Church in Nanaimo, asked my parents to talk about their lives in a videotaped interview. I only heard of the existence of the tape after both my parents had died, and I was reluctant to look at it. I knew how frail Dad already was at the time of the interview. I was well into writing our story before I worked up the courage to watch the tape. I am grateful that I was able to tell part of the story in their voices.