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The Forgotten Genocide Seminar II

April 2011

Viking Conference Center , St. Louis, MO

 

Ann Morrison

 

 

PRESENTATIONS FROM CONFERENCE

Click on Highlighted Titles for Text of Presentations

Photos Courtesy of Scott Dorough

Personal Recollections

Marta Istvan

Historical Accounts I

The Relations Between the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the Germans Prior to 1941

 

Historical Accounts II
Apotheosis of Hypocrisy:

The Ethnic- Germans and the Yugoslav Diplomacy following WWII


Zoran Janjetovic, PhD

Historical Accounts

 

Our Lost Donauschwaben Children

The Most Tragic Chapter of our Danube Swabian Tragedy


Mrs. Rosina T. Schmidt

Fuhr Family Story

 

My Internment by the US Government

 

 

Eberhard E. Fuhr

THE HIDDEN GENOCIDE

 

James Bacque

 

 

ADDITIONAL PRESENTERS

Photos Courtesy of Scott Dorough

ALBERT JABS DIRK VOSS JOHN MESSMER
JULIUS LOISCH SCOTT DOROUGH HENRY FISCHER

 

 

Donauschwäbische

Volkstanz

Photos Courtesy of Scott Dorough

LUNCHTIME FASHION SHOW

Photos Courtesy of Scott Dorough

NEUMAYER FASHION SHOW

Photos Courtesy of Scott Dorough

 

 

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Master of Ceremonies: Mr. Ed Tullius

Ed Tullius is the current president of the non-profit Danube-Swabian Foundation, and is the vice-president of the Cincinnati Donauschwaben Verein.  He has retired from 30 years of public service.  He has worked part-time for 15 years as a ski instructor and continues to enjoy outdoors activities and world travel.

Dr. Albert Jabs

Dr. Jabs began during the cataclysmic events of WW II surrounding his family's farm along the Poland Vistula River (Gross Dembe - near Plock).  The issues of war, peace, expulsion, deportation, racism, dying, guilt, blame, and hatred were germinated at this time and have influenced an academic career as a professor in America and abroad.  He has put much energy into civil rights and Lutheran missions as well as written thousands of publications, and has taught primarily in the context of minority institutions both in the American South and Lithuania.

Dr. K. Dirk Voss

Dr. Voss is a professor at the St. Louis Community College - Meramec and teaches American and World history.  He graduated with a Ph. D. in history from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 and taught at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, Canterbury Christ Church University in England, and Ca Mau Community College in Vietnam.   He specializes in transatlantic history of the 19th and 20th century.  His most recent published article is on the influence of the stationing of American nuclear weapons on German pop music in the 1980s.

Dr.  John P. Messmer

Dr. Messmer is a professor of political science in the Department of History and Political Science at St. Louis Community College - Meramec.  Dr. Messmer's teaching and research interests include American political institutions and behavior, political reform, Constitutional issues, and international relations.  He received his PhD from the University of Missouri in 2001 and has been teaching at Meramec since 2002.  Dr. Messmer is a lifelong St. Louisian and the son of two Danubeschwabian refugees who immigrated to the United States in 1955.

Eberhard E. Fuhr

Mr. Henry A. Fischer

Mr. Fischer was born in Kitchener, Ontario in Canada the son of Swabian immigrants from Hungary.  He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Waterloo Lutheran Seminary.  Following a career in the Lutheran ministry during his retirement he has authorized several books related to history of the Danube Swabians, including Children of the Danube, The Pioneers, Strangers and Sojourners and Emigrants and Exiles part of a trilogy:  Remember to Tell the Children.  He has also translated significant Danube Swabian historical information from German to English which appear on his website.  He is married to his wife Jean and has two sons and four grandchildren the latest manifestation of the Children of the Danube in Canada.

http://www.swabiantrek.com/

http://reasonradionetwork.com/20090916/the-new-nationalist-perspective-sunic-interviews-rev-henry-a-fischer

Mr. Tillmann Hess

Mr. Hess is the director of the Ukrainian branch of the GTZ, Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer technologische Zusammenarbeit, (German Society for technological Co-operation).  GTZ is an independent corporation founded and owned by the German government to provide sustainable aid in developing countries.  It focuses on the development of German minorities in Eastern Europe by supporting German-language schools, job training, and German-speaking cultural institutions.  Tillman Hess graduated in German, Social Studies, and Biology before he began to work for the Goethe Institute in Nowosibirsk, Russia, from 1995 to 2001.  GTZ hired him in 2002, first to lead the program in Novosibirsk and then in Odessa since August 2006.

Gesellschaft für Entwicklung (GfE), Odessa
Geschäftsführer

tillmann.hess@giz.de

http://www.gfe-odessa.org/UeberDieGfE/MitarbeiterinnenUndMitarbeiter/page3.html

Mrs. Rosina Schmidt

Mrs. Schmidt wrote a Families book on her grandfather’s birthplace of Hrastovac. She developed a web page under the same name, which took a life of its own and it is now a home away from home from all those ethnic Germans of that area, which were blown in all four-wind directions during and after WWII. She is active on Danube Swabian Forums in Germany, Croatia and North America.

Master of Ceremonies: Mr. Robert Filippi
Dr.  Zoran Janjetovic

Dr. Janjetovic earned a Ph.D. in history at the University of Belgrade in 2004. He is senior researcher at the Institute for More Recent History of Serbia since 1995. He’s taken part in several research stays abroad, participated in three international projects and has taken part in over 40 international conferences. He has published four books (the fifth is awaiting publication) and over 70 articles (almost a half abroad). His fields of research include national minorities in former Yugoslavia (particularly Germans), post-WWII diplomatic history, social history of Serbia and Yugoslavia in WWII and after. He speaks English and German and reads Italian, French, Slovenian and Macedonian.

Mrs. Marta Istvan

Mrs. Istvan was born in Kikinda, in Serbian-Banat and raised in a multicultural heritage.  Her ancestors were Danube Swabians, Hungarians, Serbs and French and she speaks all but French. She spent 25 years as a librarian in Kikinda  and taught German in the elementary school. At present she works as a freelance journalist writing for Serbian and Hungarian journals and represents the Nordbanater as a   correspondent for the Danube Valley Magazine published in Germany.  Her interest lies in the documentation and conservation of her racial heritage in the Banat. She documents the lives and outstanding personalities of the people from her home town and their final resting place.  Mrs. Istvan sits on the board of the Vojvodina Hungarian society; local historian and member of the State Commission for the processing of the Hungarian victims, the 2nd to the mass graves in unknown World War II were buried in Vojvodina and works for and with the Danube Swabian genealogists in Sindelfingen (Germany) in close cooperation.

Mr. Julius A Loisch

Mr. Loisch was born in 1931 in a village in Slovakia called Muhlenbach.  His grade school education began in Unterschwaben in a small Swabian community by the border of Poland. Two of his high school years were spent at Kesmark  in  Slovakia. The school children were evacuated to Austria/Germany in September of 1944. He graduated from high school in Dinkelsbühl/Germany. After Earning his Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering he spent one year at White Sand Missile Range followed by working on Aerospace projects like Solar Wind spectrometer (Apollo 12 lunar landing), various Military defense projects followed by developments in medical instrumentation. He retired in 1992.

Dr. Eleanor Johnston and Rev. Dr. Wayne Fraser

Dr. Johnston and Rev. Dr. Fraser have recently retired from teaching and administrative work in Niagara private schools. She is a chorister and lay leader in the Anglican Church where Wayne preaches the exciting new ideas of progressive theology. They work together on numerous justice issues, and they share the joys of loving each other, their children and grandchildren, reading and writing, dancing, bird-watching, gardening, and enjoying music and Niagara foods and wines with their friends and relatives.

James Bacque

Mr. Bacque was born and educated in Toronto. He attended Upper Canada College and Trinity College, University of Toronto. He has been farm worker, truck driver, construction worker, stagehand, journalist, magazine editor, book editor and author.  His books have sold over 200,000 copies in 14 countries around the world through forty years. His work has been the subject of four TV documentaries, a book and many articles.

Prof. Scott Dorough

Title: Editor

Prof. Dorough  has  been  working  in professional video and independent film since 2002. He is an experienced cinematographer and editor, working on numerous independent shorts, documentaries, and the full length motion pictures RHINELAND and Game of the Year. Scott also teaches audio and video production for Webster University and St. Louis Community College.

Marlene Fricker

Marlene has been a member of the United German Hungarian Club of Phila & Vicinity and active in their Cultural Group since 1965 participating in every cultural aspect of the organization.  She has a BFA in Dance from Adelphi University. For 20 years she was the primary instructor and administrator of Marlene Blank School of Dance. Marlene currently works as a Supervisor at Abington Memorial Hospital. She is furthering her education at Gwynedd Mercy College in the field of Allied Health. She is the mother and step mother of six and grandmother of a 2 year old. Marlene has worked together with members of the United German Hungarians and the Philadelphia and Trenton Donauschwaben Clubs on three Cultural Exhibits of primarily Danubeswabian artifacts.  She was  also instrumental in taking a group of 25 members of her club to visit the Donauschwaebisches Zentralmuseum in Ulm in 2008.

Erika Neumayer

Miss Neumayer  is a Chicago-based fashion designer that has a passion not only for modern and high fashion, but also traditional and cultural clothing and textiles. After her study abroad program in Ghana, Africa in 2007, she realized how much of an impact fabric and clothing can have on a culture. This inspired her to further research the clothing of her own culture, resulting in an honors project focused on the regional differences in dress among Donauschwaben communities.  Since graduating from Dominican University, she has been working hard to build her own line of dirndls. Although not traditionally Donauschwaben, it allows her to be creative and stay active in the community she loves.

Ron Morrison

Videographer/Assistant

Ron Morrison is husband and willing assistant to Ann Morrison. Ron has many years experience in photography and now videography while working on the film “The Forgotten Genocide”. Ron also assisted during interviews while traveling to several cities during the pre-production phase of the film.

The Polka Band has been providing happy polka melodies for dancing and listening enjoyment for many years. Our polka roots can be traced back to Pozen Illinois , a small farm community in southern Illinois where polka music was king, and was enjoyed by young and old alike.

 

For many years we have provided music for countless weddings, anniversaries, picnics, dances, and Polka Masses.

 

It is our pleasure to be able to participate in this historically significant conference, The Forgotten Genocide, and to share our music with you.

 

The Polka Band

Rick Romeo – Drums

Clarence Kozuszek – Accordion

Paul Wehrle – Guitar and banjo

Information provided courtesy Ann Morrison

 

 

 

Forgotten Genocide Conference II

Ann Morrison

 

 

 

Forgotten Genocide Conference II

 

          The 15 million German people who were chased out, ran, tortured, put in camps and executed  after World War II from 1944-1948 was the focus of this conference. After the release of my first documentary film I realized how much more there was to this part of history and that’s what brought me to bring this conference to the public.

 

          It took place on Thursday and Friday, April 28 & 29, 2011 at the Viking Holiday Inn in Crestwood Missouri. The cost was $75.00 for two days of speakers, films, art exhibit, traditional clothing show, books & DVD sales, Lunch for the 28th & 29th and dinner was followed by a dance on the 29th. There was a one day ticket for $15.00, that did not include the meals or dance.

 

          You may register at www.annsfilms.com where you will find more information about the event.

 

Forgotten Genocide Seminar 2010
Forgotten Genocide Conference 2011

Ann Morrison

Seminars' Links

On this Web Site

 

Millions Cried…No One Listened

          That’s what happened to 15 million Germans living behind the iron curtain after World War II.

 

          The Second Would War ended in May of 1945 for Germany, but not for the millions of Germans who lived in Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, East Prussia and the surrounding areas. The German people who had lived in these countries for no less than three hundred years were to be expelled from their homes and taken out of these countries according to the Potsdam Conference.  This conference was held directly after Germany surrendered. Attending this conference was The Big Three, Truman, Atlee and Stalin. The decision was made to eliminate the Germans from these areas and send them back to their “Home Land.” The problem was Germany was not their home land and had not been for at least 7 generations. The decision was made and the document signed with one very misleading word. ELIMINATE! Truman and Atlee thought they were giving permission for the German population to be moved from one country to another, but Stalin had a different definition for the word. Eliminate gave him permission to destroy a population and he had a couple of men who would help him do it.

 

          Edvard Benes, the President of Czechoslovakia and Marshall Joseph Tito were right there to lend a hand. They took on the job of sending as many Germans as they could to Russia and Ukraine to rebuild what was destroyed during the Second World War. They chased others across surrounding boarders, put them in camps that were once used for the Jewish people, turned villages in camps, tortured, starved and executed millions and it was all done with a hand shake and a smile from our countries leaders.

 

          The survivors of this horror have told me of their pain which I made into my first documentary called The Forgotten Genocide, but there was so much more to tell. I’ve spent the past year traveling to Europe, Canada and throughout the United States interviewing and researching to put a six film series together that will give the facts of what happened and how it affects us today.

 

          There are so many topics involved in what happened over sixty five years ago and have been hidden all these years that I put together a two day conference entitled the same as my first film The Forgotten Genocide.  It took place April 28 & 29, 2011 at the Viking Holiday Inn in Crestwood Missouri. The topics covered included Humanities, Nationality, Culture, Genocide, but covered many more aspects of what happened and what has come from it. There was an art display from survivors as well as descendents showing what they’ve lived through. Books that range from Biographies to genealogy to historical to political were sold along with DVDs covering some of the same topics. Two fashion shows took place showing the traditional clothing of the Eastern European Germans and a new line of clothing that shows how strongly the people have held onto their traditions. A dance performance from a traditional German folk dance group took place before ending the conference with a dance lead by The Polka Band. The cost was $75.00 for the two days of everything listed above and included lunch for both days and dinner on the 29th. One day tickets were available for $15.00 each day, but did not include meals or dance. Students and teachers were welcomed with no charge with a valid I.D.

 

          You can go to www.annsfilms.com  to find more information about who I am and what I’m working on now.

 

2011 Speaker's Presentation Schedules

Thursday, April 28th

Friday, April 29th

2011 Conference Speakers

Biographies

 

 

"The Forgotten Genocide" DVD now available!

Click on Image for Hyperlink

 

 

Holiday Inn Southwest

 

 

Viking Conference Center

 

10709 Watson Road

St. Louis, MO 63127

(314) 821-6600 or (800) 682-6338

HOTEL DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Exit highway 44 at Lindbergh, exit 277b.

Go south 1 block.

Holiday Inn St. Louis Southwest Hotel

Viking Conference Center

is at the corner of Lindbergh

and Watson

On the right.

Holiday Inn Southwest

 

Reservation Info

Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts

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