Julie’s Story: A Family Secret
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- Опубликовано: 19 ноя 2017
- Growing up, Julie Lindahl felt an indescribable guilt, a feeling she could never understand (Full story: wbur.fm/2jGhJzY). Once she discovered that her grandfather had been a brutal SS officer during World War II, she decided to devote her life to digging into the truth. Unlocking the secrets of her family showed Julie the worst, and then the best, of humankind.
This story is part of a collaboration between WBUR’s Cognoscenti (wbur.fm/2zmPZrr) and WBUR’s Kind World (wbur.fm/2Aiz4X0).
You can listen to Julie’s story on the Kind World podcast (wbur.fm/1JP8qUZ) and read her essay at Cognoscenti (wbur.fm/2b2Xk2d).
What a warm-hearted compassionate woman Julie Lindahl is.
Have been a genealogist for 30+ years and virtually everyone is descended from good and bad, killers and victims, folks who gave up and others who endured. You are not responsible for the sins of your ancestors no more that you can take credit for their accomplishments.
Offspring are not responsible for the atrocities of there forebears. Never, ever. No you have no responsibility any more than any of us who aren’t the offspring.
What a beautiful woman
Please remember that we DON'T pick your ancestors. You are responsible for your life heading onward. Learn from the past, but it's just that, the past.
She has way too much guilt for something she had no blame for.
Life started with you. Your grandfather was a heartless man, this has nothing to do with you.
What we as humans do to each other is way beyond my comprehension...
You were meant to meet that man. Take care look after yourself. Tomorrow is a new day for us all 💚
The kind world we live in needs to be protected by each one of us who are seeking a kind world deep in our heart.
My grandmother was German and very abusive could not be more of a mean person and I've always been afraid to get my genealogy done because I'm afraid who's in my family tree. I know though that we are not responsible for what past Generations did. We can only try to make a difference in our world and you sound like a super nice lady so I'm sure you do and we can just pray for the people...
Very moving story . We probably all have ancestors somewhere in the past we would be ashamed of today !
Omgosh I was crying the whole time. I too would have felt that guilt if it had been me. God bless her.
Such a courageous sharing of a family story. Many people would have just held this as a family secret. Blessings to Julie and to the man who was injured as a child (in many more ways than just his eye I'm sure) and still had the grace to look her in the eye and tell her the truth, that it was not her guilt and shame to carry. We are only responsible for our own thoughts and actions yet by telling her story she is taking the additional responsibility of trying to mitigate the sins of the fathers. I salute you.
I can tell that you are a good person by the way your face portrays the pain you feel because of this. THAT'S ALL THAT COUNTS !!!
I am the granddaughter of a merchant sea captain from Boston who heroically shipped supplies to the UK and France, during wartime, until February 1942. His ship was eventually torpedoed by a Nazi U-Boat off the coast of North Carolina. The captain and crew froze to death in lifeboats after the U-Boat shelled what remained of the ship to the bottom. For sport, apparently. I never knew him because my father never knew his father. The captain was killed when my father was only 3 years old. These things do carry grief and weight for generations. Thanks to Julie for telling her own family story.
It hurts my heart to know the cruelty that we humans perpetuate on each other and on the animals that we are supposed to care for as well. About 45 years ago I remember once saying to God that I offered go to hell if He would just stop the cruelty to innocent and defenseless children and animals.
Thank you so much for sharing your story !!
As a jew I can understand her guilt my Jewish ancestors were from Poland all deported first podrums she was disgusted of belonging to such family at least she came clean on her past to free her from that guilt
God bless you. I too have felt shame for the actions of some of my ancestors.