Donauschwaben in den USA


Home ] Up ] 2008 December Geiser Frohe Weihnachten ] 2008 December Seitz Christmas 2008 ] 2008 November Kopp Urban Soccer ] 2008 November Kuenzli Smile ] 2008 November Schemmel _ Difficult People ] 2008 November UGH Christmas Party ] 2008 November UGH Kirchweihfest ] 2008 November UGH Schuhplattlers ] 2008 October Akron German American Day ] 2008 October Akron Soccer ] 2008 October Brandecker Heritage Festival ] 2008 October Carpathia 95 Year Choir ] 2008 October Carpathia Maifest ] 2008 October Carpathia Recipes ] 2008 October Carpathia Soccer ] 2008 October Cleveland Soccer ] 2008 October Cross Unveiling Mitrowitza ] 2008 October Deutschmeister Brass ] 2008 October DVHH Appreciation ] 2008 October Flotz Podcast ] 2008 October Frey Elderhostel Genealogy ] 2008 October Green White Soccer ] 2008 October John American_Schwob Kids ] 2008 October Jugendfreundschaftslager ] 2008 October Lindenmaier Bernhard Krastl ] 2008 October Lindenmaier Landestrachtenfest ] 2008 October Lindenmaier Wolfgang Drautz ] 2008 October Lindenmaier 50jahrige Bestehen Cleveland ] 2008 October Musikverein Siershahn ] 2008 October Philadelphia Recipe ] 2008 October Rochester News ] 2008 October Scharioth German American Day ] 2008 October Spaan 50th Donauschwaben Day ] 2008 October St Louis Food Day ] 2008 October St Louis Prinz Eugen ] 2008 October Thalheimer Hungarian Germans ] 2008 October Thornton Dinner Anyone ] 2008 October Tindall Austria_Germany ] 2008 October Trenton Bishop Zollitsch ] 2008 October UGH Soccer ] 2008 Sept Kuenzli_Common Sense ] 2008 Sept Stiftung Kulturpreis ] 2008 August Babarc Tanzgruppe ] 2008 August Kopp_Life on Foreign Soil ] 2008 July Gayer_In The Beginning ] 2008 July Lekic Past Horror ] 2008 July UGH Soccer ] 2008 July Pope Benedict XVI ] 2008 July Freeman German School ] 2008 July Stein Europe 2007 ] 2008 July Trenton CJGC ] 2008 July Lindenmaier Generalversammlung Cleveland ] 2008 July Tag der Donauschwaben Lindenmaier ] 2008 May Neumayer_Tracht ] 2008 April Lindenmaier_Banater Chor ] 2008 Feb Bauer Bratwurst ] 2008 Feb Brandecker England ] 2008 Feb German_American Hockey ] 2008 Feb Martini Österreich ] 2008 Feb Trenton Genealogy ] 2008 Feb Trenton Youth ] 2008 Jan Fricker_Stocks German American Day ] 2008 Jan Hermi Abt  Unser Toten ] [ 2008 Jan Mary Stadnyk Blessings ] 2008 Jan Trenton Auto Show ]

 

 

VISITING AUTHOR/EDITOR ARTICLE

JANUARY 2008

The Blessings of a Lifetime

By Mary Stadnyk

(from the "Monitor" Trenton Roman Catholic Diocese about Palankaer Josef Schoen)

TRENTON - One couple that Father Harry Cenefeldt, a senior priest of the diocese, has the privilege of visiting and bringing Holy Communion to is Joseph and Theresa Schoen.

    But the visit he made to the couple's lovely Hamilton Township home Oct. 25 was to congratulate Joseph, who would celebrate his 100th birthday four days later on Oct. 29.

    Seated around the dining room table, Father Cenefeldt, who is a weekend assistant at Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Trenton, marveled at the couple who have been married 73 years.

    In their conversation, Father Cenefeldt listened as Theresa, who at 95, is healthy and spry, and Joseph, who uses a walker, but does not take any prescription medications whatsoever, talked about their almost 200 combined years of life and life experiences between them. He smiled at the notion that this couple is still living in their own home, although a caretaker was recently hired. He was pleased to hear about the continuous love and support they receive from two nephews and their families on whom they can count at a moment's notice.

    What was most poignant about Father Cenefeldt's meeting the Schoens was listening to them recall having been born in Palanka, Austria-Hungary, and the challenges, hardships and heartache they had faced during and in the aftermath of World War II, and hearing how their Catholic faith sustained them and clearly continues to do so.

    Joseph, who was born Oct. 29, 1907, can say that he lived in four countries without ever leaving home. In 1918, Palanka belonged to Austria-Hungary; from 1918 to 1941, it belonged to Yugoslavia; from 1941 to 1944, it belonged to Hungary, and in 1944 it returned to Yugoslavia. Palanka is now a part of Serbia.

    Throughout this turbulent time Joseph served in the Hungarian Army, members of his family, including Theresa, their young son, Guenther Jakub, his mother and in-laws were sent to Jarek, a liquidation camp.

    A liquidation camp was for those inmates who were unable to work - people over age 60, the infirm, children and mothers with small children. Food was scarce and due to the insufficient hygiene and sanitary conditions, the inmates contracted diseases such as malaria, typhus, dysentery.

    Theresa, who remained in the camp from 1942 to 1945, had the heart-breaking experience of watching three-year-old Guenther Jakub die of starvation.

    "I can remember that as if it happened yesterday," said Theresa, as her husband and guest intently listened. And, with tears welling in her eyes, she rose from her seat, and went retrieve an old family photo, showing the couple with their young child.

    Joseph recalled how he and Theresa arrived in the United States on Feb. 23, 1955, which happened to be Ash Wednesday. Their destination became Trenton because one of Joseph's younger brothers, Michael, who had also served in the war, had preceded him three years earlier and put down roots in New Jersey's capital.

    With time and prayer, the Schoens adapted to their new life in America. While Joseph worked at Circle K, an electrical company, Theresa worked for a cleaning service.

    Driving, however, never posed an issue for the Schoens because neither had ever learned how. They walked wherever they went - to work, for errands, to their beloved Immaculate Conception Parish. In his day, Joseph was famous for hiking several miles back and forth to work and up until a few years ago, he kept up his walking regiment "just to stay in shape."

    As Joseph reflected on his century-long life, he showed his emotions, especially as he remembered his son and his two younger brothers who died earlier this year. Michael, who became a resident of St. Joseph Skilled Nursing Care at Morris Hall, Lawrenceville, died on Jan. 14 at age 98. Another brother, Johann, died two weeks later on Jan. 29 in Germany, at age 95.

    When speaking of how he wanted to celebrate his birthday, Joseph said that "All I want is to go to church."

    And, accompanied by Theresa, his nephews and other family members and friends, Joseph was present for the 9:30 a.m. Mass Oct. 28 in Our Lady of the Angels Parish-Immaculate Conception Church, and at the end of Mass, he was recognized by his parish community and received a special birthday blessing.

    Later in the day, Joseph was the guest of honor at a birthday celebration in the German American Club, Yardville.

    Asked about his plans now that he's made it to 100, Joseph smiled and said he's looking ahead to 105.

By Mary Stadnyk

Reprinted with Permission

Trenton Donauschwaben

127 Route 156, Yardville, NJ 08620

Hit Counter

 

Page Author: DSNA webmaster. The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page remain the property of the author/copyright owner. Some pages will be updated on a regular schedule. Suggestions or fixes are welcome but may take weeks to months to be incorporated. Anyone may link freely to anything on this page and print any page for personal use. However, page contents, structure and format, and design elements, cannot be copied or republished without the express written permission of the page author/copyright owner. If you have any questions or suggestions, please email the DSNA webmaster at: tcthornton1@sbcglobal.net .  © Copyright 2012