The Jennie Erwick Collection
Courtesy of Michael Hart
My mother, Jennie Marie Erwick, without whom these pictures would not be
possible, lived from 1931 to 1993. Born in Ketchikan, Alaska she followed
her mother, Johanna, to Bergen to care for her aging grandparents in 1933. They
were stuck in Norway when the war broke out and returned to the US in
1945. These pictures she purchased and brought back with her at war's
end. They are a small testament to the hell she endured and the determination
she needed to survive.
Several of the photos have to do with an explosion that my mother said
happened on "Hitler's birthday". She recounted that she was on a sidewalk
and saw a man on the other side of the street. When the explosion hit she
was knocked to the ground and the man vanished. Carried away by the force
of the bomb I assume. She also told of the gruesome effects those close
to the blast experienced, one person literally carrying their eye balls in
their hands.
My mother also told me how the explosion happened. As part of the
"celebration" the Germans moored a ship that was on fire next to an ship loaded
with ammunition. It completely obliterated a building close by containing
Nazi soldiers/officers who were having a ball or party.
- Micheal Hart
Additional Links:
For the Konigsberg sinking:
http://freespace.virgin.net/john.dell/sinking_of_the_konigsberg.htm
For the April 20 1944 explosion:
http://www.bergen.kommune.no/byarkivet_/ekstern/20.april_1944.html (site
is in Norwegian)
Deutsche-Zeitung with first-hand accounts:
http://www.deutsche-zeitung.com/....
Other sites:
http://web.hist.uib.no/delfag-h97/trygve/oppgave/nepex.htm
http://warsailors.com/homefleetsingles/rogaland.html
http://web.hist.uib.no/delfag-h97/tormod/explo.htm
Copyright © 2005 Michael Hart
If you have questions or comments, please contact Michael Hart at:
mnmhart1@msn.com
Last update: 03/23/2006.
|
Polish
Campaign
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)