Today, the horrors of war seem like a distant memory. I feel a sense of detachment as I hear about SCUD missiles that sail through our skies. Civil disputes in Bosnia and South Africa are simply headlines in the newspaper and a news flash on CNN. War has not penetrated my generation's lives as it did our parents and grandparents, affecting the way they saw life and lived life. War has unimaginable effects that can destroy not only a land physically but socially and culturally as well. Such was the case with Germany after World War II had ended, treaties had been signed and United States occupation had begun. The presence of American forces after the war had both positive and negative effects on the country, but it is debated by people just how much influence U.S occupation had on Germany It is indisputable, however; the fact that the reconstruction of Germany combined with presence of American soldiers gave women a chance never had before to be independent. It provided the women with an outlet, whether a good one or not to escape the horrors that surrounded them in their everyday life.

Looking back to the spring of 1997 this was exemplified to me as I became aware of my 'new aunt". My mother had been contacted by a woman named Missy Conor who was her "sister" that no one had ever even knew existed. As it turns out, my grandmother Seglinda Bruck became pregnant out of wedlock by an American GI soldier, stationed in Germany after the war. Because of hardship and her unwed status, the child was given up by my grandma and adopted by an American couple. Missy Connor is my mother's sister; the child my grandmother gave up for adoption so many years ago, and came to find us. My grandmother's situation was one of possibly thousands that this happened to during that time, mainly due the change that was taking place in her country.

My grandmother was born in Ausburg, Germany on May30, 1930. At an early age she became involved with an American GI and became pregnant. They were engaged to be married, however; but because she was underage her parents would not let her get married. Unfortunately, the young GI was sent back to the United States where he began saving money, as she became "of age" and they could marry. There are letters from my grandmother to an American friend telling of her plans to get married but something happened and the wedding never happened. To this day, no one ever knows what happened. The child conceived was my Aunt Doris McNary. In talking with my Aunt Missy she truly believes that my grandmother loved my Aunt Doris' father very much.

In another relationship with an American GI, again my grandmother got pregnant. However, this time there were no intentions of marriage and the little baby Karl died as a small infant about two years before Missy was conceived. German women, my grandmother being a prime example, were fascinated with the newcomers but more importantly were looking for a ticket of out Germany and the hardships that seemed to inevitably loom in the future, as the country still continued to struggle and grow poorer and poorer. This is not to say, however; that these couples were not in love.

Germans not only had to deal with the horrors of war but with the devastation of their country. "The complete governmental structure of the country, not only at the top but even on the smallest municipal and village levels, collapsed in its entirety" (Pinson 148). Obviously, the German people were not prepared mentally for defeat. They were accustomed to looking up for orders and were at a loss when their superiors were gone. The order and structure that they knew was gone. German morals disintegrated and a severe loss of values resulted due to the strain of war; a 12 year National Socialist Rule, the shock of defeat and the tension of occupation. To make matters worse the presence of the GIs presence increased unemployment since the GI's took jobs that Germans previously had, and housing became even more scarce. People lived "in utter penury; theft, larceny and prostitution were commonplace" (Maehl 32). The only high priorities for Germans became food, shelter and work. Finding hope and consolidation while trying to adjust to life under occupation was certainly not easy

That was especially true for my grandmother. When pregnant with Missy, my grandmother, had just suffered a broken engagement and the loss her father as well. Her father; being a watch maker did not leave behind a lot of money and so her family was forced to sell their house in Ausburg and move to the country side. Again, she was engaged to be married but at the last second another wedding did not take place. The couple even had family pictures made, but something unknown stood in the couple's way. At Missy's birth, on June 8,1955 she was put up for adoption by my grandmother. Those who argue that American soldiers did not may not have known all of the circumstances that affected German women.

The duration of the American soldiers' stay in Germany had a lot to do with how opinions were formed. The period before Germany surrendered to Allied Forces in World War II, the U.S~ forces in Europe were almost exclusive. while many of these troops were sent home after the war; many were destined to remain stationed in Germany for many years after in order ~ create a "security force" The U. S. Military was in charge of the "demobilization of fortifications and supplies of poison gas" which had to be destroyed (Zink 83). At first, American occupancy was expected to be organized and carried out within a short period of time but the death of President Roosevelt proved to be a difficult obstacle for the military. The War Department continued to grow and with that growth came inevitable disorganization. General Eisenhower felt the need for military retreat but many influential people in government denied this request.

During American occupancy in Germany, General Eisenhower mandated non-fraternization rules that limited contact with Germans to a bare minimum. The basic principle behind this mandate was to prove the superiority of the Allies to the German people; in short make them atone for their sins. Soldiers were ordered to not make any contact other than for official duties. On January 1, 1945 Americans troops were instructed there would be no "entertaining of Germans, no visiting in German homes, no shaking hands, no playing games with Germans, no conversing or arguing with them" (Davidson 366). American GIs weren't even allowed to got to a German movie theater until the end of 1946. The media took participated heavily in the propaganda for awhile as well. There was an advertisement in a newspaper presenting non-fraternization policies that said, "Don't play Sampson to her Delilah-she'd like to cut your hair off- at the neck (Davidson 367).

Frederick H. Cramer, Professor of History at Mount Holyoke College wrote his disapproval of fraternization in Forum Magazine in September of 1947 saying; "We began to treat the Germans to a well-deserved dose of their own medicine. Non-fraternization was our policy. Any psychologist, biologist or animal breeder could have told those fine minds responsible for this tomfoolery that young men by the million, or more recently by the hundred-thousand are strangely the desirous of the company of women. To treat the folks of their girlfriends rough has never been an American trait. Small wonder; therefore, that non-fraternization became a howling failure. Step by step it had to be abandoned, until by now planeloads of Frauleins are being flown in this country" (Johnson 15). GI involvement with young German women was just one reason the rules became impractical. Besides, those Americans who were doing military service were forced into contact with German people and because many Americans had German secretaries and office help, friendships did develop.

It was actually in an army office that my grandmother and grandfather met in Germany. My grandmother worked in the ID card office and met my grandfather Ray Bruck, an American GI paratrooper. She was twenty-five, had a six year old girl, one of her children had died, and another put up for adoption. My grandfather was twenty and underage to get married. To fix the problem, my grandmother falsified an ID for him and they were married. My Uncle John was then born and six weeks after his arrival they went back to the states. The young couple had to wait six weeks due to immigration laws at the time. This illustrates the inevitability of how relationships developed and slowly progressed despite the "rules". Finally, my grandmother after much hardship had fallen in love and was able to escape Germany

As the mandates on non-fraternization became less restrictive Americans started to try and "rebuild" the country. Houses called "The America Houses" started in early occupation and supplied Germans with books and literature. Many Germans used the Houses because they wanted to start to see what the outside world was doing while they were under Nazi influence. People were starved with knowledge; watched movies and read translated books by American authors. This was part of the U.S. Plan to help clarify German views of the U.S. and their involvement in the war. Americans also wanted to plant a '¹grass4oots" democracy and so officers set up advisory committees, discussion groups, civic activities and women’s groups for the promotion of democracy (Davidson 371).

American women also became involved in German communities. In Berlin a group of women received permission to buy shoes and stockings for children recovering for Tuberculosis. U.S. men, however, were even more gratuitous, especially towards the German women. There are "no records of the tons of food coming from the American Army supplies and PXs and weren't to the German civilization because of the relationship of a GI with an attractive Frauen, but the supplies flowed..." (Davidson 373).

Yet at the same time as people were falling in love, the attitudes held by Americans in Germany varied. It made "it difficult to assess the results of the contacts of so many different American individuals with the German people" (Zink 90). Interaction, influence, and impressions by Americans depended solely on the individual's attitude. Some U.S. citizens stationed were very bitter and their sole purpose in Germany was to treat the Germans poorly. Then there were the exact opposites who tried to immerse themselves fully into German culture by marrying a German girl. However; most Americans fell in between those lines. Many took no notice of the culture, people or institutions beyond sexual curiosity. Some Germans looked to the U.S. military as a kind of liberator and many times were eager to befriend Americans. For every German person influence varied but it's indisputable that women were affected by American culture and men

This is true because of the changes that German women were undergoing. Most people will forever think that German women are "buxom and a bit frumpish. Forever baking cakes and breeding flaxen haired children" (Ardaugh 121). By now, under that assumption one might come to the conclusion that GIs must have been desperate but an up to date picture must be given of German women. However, partly because of American there arose a new breed of women who were more self-assured, prosperous, slender and well dressed and set on emancipation. German women were longing to break free just at the time of the occupation. German women at that time might not have seemed morally adept, and perhaps that is correct, but it is also imperative to look at the conditions under which the women were living. The economic depression in which they were living them made them scared and unsure about their futures conflicting with their dreams of success and normalcy.

A large part of this fear cam from the ideals that were programmed into their minds during the Hitler regime. Hitler idealized home and family which automatically attracted the support of German women. He devoted much interest to baby-breeding and sent many German girls home from universities and schools Therefore, making many of them unskilled and unable to survive. Naturally, when the war ended and occupation began many of the women might not have know how to survive. Also, abortions were made a capital offense. At the time my grandmother was dating American soldiers, it was a new kind of freedom that she was experiencing, probably exciting yet fearful. German women were doing anything they could to escape the mess that was Germany.

It can not be disputed that many German women did not hesitate to engage in sexual relations with American soldiers during the early period of occupation. One possibility the behavior was so prevalent was due to the high proportions of females to German males at the time. It can only be speculated as to what drove the women to engage in relations with Americans so freely, however. Many Germans were starving to death and women had no other options then to become involved with American men just to survive. Times were tough for women and they were convinced that by marrying American men they would be set free of Germany. There were 15,000 prostitutes along in Cologne alone, and there was an uncountable number of illegitimate children produced. These types of statistics illustrate the terrible situations that German women were getting themselves into as their country was trying to piece itself back together.

German girls and American GIs had an impact on statistics. "Fairly large numbers of illegitimate children resulted, but probably not more than might have been expected" (Zink 372). In 1956 it was reported that Allied soldiers left at least 67,753 illegitimate children behind and that Americans were responsible for more than half of those (app. 37,000). 'Some of these youngsters were accepted by the Germans, but a good many were not and had to be housed in institutions, where in some in stances they were later adopted by Americans in Germany desiring children" (Zink 91). Such was the case with Missy; she was born in Germany given up for adoption and then taken in by another American GI and his wife.

Interestingly enough, religion in Germany after the war actually declined despite the world's predictions. Before the war Protestants made up 2/3 of Germany and Catholics 1/3. Yet, at the end of the war the participants of each religion were about the same. Although, religion had declined there was still a strong presence in some areas. The older Germans obviously did not approve of the conduct of the American soldiers and religious leaders "deplored" the situation. So, abortion was a poor option for my grandmother not only in the sense that it was illegal but also the fact that she was Catholic. Although, many rich German girls went to Holland to get abortions but some poor girls were forced to get back street abortions and had a poor job done. A local doctor at the time said, "Catholic villages round here are incredibly conservative and the pressures of the social environment weigh heavily on any woman thinking of an abortion. Seldom does she go through with it, for she'd putting herself outside her social context and would feel guilty" (Ardaugh 123).

It is lucky for my family today that my grandmother did decide to have the adoption instead of an abortion, for we never would have met Missy. It took many years of searching through old documents for Missy to find us. The German women in my grandmother's time had a very hard time in trying to survive in that country as it was slowly progressing back to normal. I can only imagine the instability that she, and other women at that time might have felt The main reason for such extensive involvement with American GIs is because so many of the women were scared and fell in love in the work place. While some, such as my grandmother, were lucky in the end to find love, there were many women who just ended up as prostitutes. Previously, these attitudes may not have been as prevalent in German society but because there was so much confusion in the country many women were getting a taste of freedom. While some women stuck to the ideals of family, that Hitler had instilled , others strayed away and became reckless. Regardless, the chaos that was occurring in Germany at the time of American occupation affected the lives of German women forever.
 

Ardaugh, John. Germany and the Germans: An Anatomy of Society Today. New York:
Harper Row Publishers, 1987.

Davidson, Eugene. The Death and Life of Germany: an account of the American Occupation. New York: Alfred Knoff, 1959.

Frye, Alton. Nazi Germany and the Northern Hemisphere 1933-1941, London:Yale University Press, 1967.

Johnson, Julia E. The Dilemma of Postwar Germany. The Reference Shelf Vol.20 Vol.3. New York: The H.W Wilson Comany, 1948.

Leonhardt, Rudolf Walter. This Germany Greenwhich: New York Graphic Society Publishers, Ltd., 1954.

Maehi, William H. Germany in Western Civilization. Alabama: The University of Alabama Press, 1979.

Flenley, Ralph. Modern German History. New York and Great Britain: Dent and Dutton, 1959.

Zink, Harold. The United States in Germany. Princeton: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., 1957.

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