A GERMAN POW MARRIES A LOCAL GIRL
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Helmut Guettler
In 1947,
new legislation allowed POWs to venture outside of the camps, work on nearby
farms and fraternise with locals. One such relationship between a Helmut Guettler
(A German Navy Corporal held at Island Farm 1946 - 1948) and Zena Pickering
led to a marriage on the 31st January 1948. (Note the card spells his name
Helmut but the marriage certificate spells it Helmuth).
I personally, am surprised that society permitted such relationships. The
newly weds would have settled down to live in a street where neighbours would
have lost fathers, brothers, cousins and loved ones etc and here was a local
girl marrying an "enemy". Perhaps people had had enough of
the war and were only too keen to forgive and forget....
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Photos graciously provided by the Guettler family.
On the far left is my grandfather (Helmut Guettler) when he lived in what was Breslau. He (Helmut) told me (granddaughter) that his father died when he was young and his mother managed to get them out of Breslau on the last train before the Nazis took Breslau. |
CLICK ON EITHER PICTURE TO ENLARGE
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Helmut
Guettler - back row far left of photo.
Photo taken in 1946 on the camp football pitch. These men were all employed as cooks or mess orderlies to the generals |
Helmut
Guettler standing in for himself 42 years later (1988)
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"My
Sincerest and heartliest congratulations to your engagement yours Hubert Schmitt and Günter Koball" |
Below is
the hand made wedding card signed by Feldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt !
The Wedding: 31st January 1948
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Rundstedt General-Feldmarschall Mrs and Mrs Helmut Guettler Ne Pickering 21 Bryncoch Road, Sarn Nr Bridgend |
LEFT SIDE: On
the day of your wedding our very best wishesfor a long life full of
happiness and good companionship |
RIGHT:
Günter
Koball |
Those who signed the card (left) Back
Row: |
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Wedding photo
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Copy of Marriage Certificate (Helmut Guettler)
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