I feel that this post must be without pics and have it's own entry. We were sitting out in the common room in the hostel minding our business when this German lady showed up. We heard the "ding - ding - ding" of huge hostel doorbell. Soon enough this little old lady showed up to the counter. She spoke no Latvian, no Russian, very little English, and all German. The hostel worker tried his best to communicate with her and we overheard from the next room. Obviously, she needed a room and had a reservation, but for 6 nights. Wow! Most people are in and out of here in a few days, and we thought that we were some of the longest staying guests. Then I heard it....
She is here on a research mission to find info on her father. I got out of it all that she was raised in East Germany and was separated from her father at a young age and is now in search of details of his death. She must be in her mid to upper 70's which puts her at a very young age during WW2. She was torn up emotionally and pulled out her guidebooks and translation books for help. This is a trip that she has been planning for some time, and now she is here. She was in tears talking about this and trying to ask the hostel host more questions.
I couldn't get all of the conversation, but picked up on a few things. After viewing the Occupation of Latvia museum, I have a little better perspective of what happened historically in the area. This is my summation... This place has been ravaged by the Soviets, then the Germans,and then the Soviets again. Her father could have been anyone, but one can only guess. He could have been sent out of here to Siberia in a work camp, he could have been a Jew or a non believer in the political regime and exterminated or sent to Siberia, or anything. Whatever it was, he was probably killed a long time ago, and now she is searching for more information. What compelled me to write this as a single blog post was this women's emotional reaction to the hostel employee's information and their interaction.
I saw an emmotionally scarred daughter in search of her family history. I went into the kitchen with my close to nil German skills and attempted to ask her where she was going and what her plan is. My God, she is a kind lady and tried her best with me. We went back and forth with English, German, French, and even hand signs. I attempted to show her on the map where we were and the location of the Occupation of Latvia museum. That was all cool until I mentioned Stalin and Hitler. She put her hand over her mouth and said "no, no" and started to cry a little. Obviously this is a soft spot with her, and with a few million more! "OK, I understand", I said and left it at that. I was trying to get across that this museum might help her in her fact finding mission. I did not intend to make anyone cry. Oops.
We saw her at breakfast and a few other times. She is mostly just gazing out the window, into the sky and pacing around the hostel.
This evening, she came back and did the same. I wish I had better German skills to ask her how everything went. I can tell a little bit from her body expression. Wow! I can surmise that she is trying to come to some sort of closure in her life, and this trip is something that has long been in the plans. I sure hope she was successful and can still enjoy this beautiful country.
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