Remembering our roots ~ Fred & Maria Wutzke

John Godsman
Times Contributor

 

Fred can trace his family history back to the early 1800’s, where they farmed in a German speaking district near the Wista River in Poland.
Fred’s family had moved to Poland from Germany, after being hired to construct a dam on the Wista River. It took many years to construct, and afterwards they remained in Poland to farm.
Fred was born in Poland in 1932, and was part of a large family of four brothers and six sisters. Fred, his parents, brothers and sisters were forced to leave Poland in December 1945, and travelled by train to Schleswig Holstein, Germany, which is located in the middle of the northernmost of the 16 Federal States of Germany, close to the southern border of Denmark. The trip took four months to complete, because the train had to stop so often. Remember this trip was made right after the end of WW2, with movement of people and vehicles very much restricted. They settled in Schleswig Holstein, Germany until March 1951, when Fred, his parents and five siblings boarded a ship bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Five other siblings stayed in Europe. On arriving in Halifax, they then boarded a train that would take seven days to reach Lethbridge, where they had a contract through the Lutheran Church to work for sugar beet farmers in Picture Butte, for two years. However, they had such a great relationship with the farmer that they stayed for three years, before moving to Calgary in November 1953.
Maria’s family originates from Romania, near Constanta on the Black Sea. She can trace her family back to the 1850’s where there were farmers in the area. Maria was born in September 1933, and moved with her family to Germany in October 1939. Her father worked in a huge airplane plant in Dessau, Germany. As such he was pardoned and did not have to fight as a soldier at the beginning of the Second World War. However, in 1944 he fought in Russia with the German Army, but after six months was wounded and sent back home to Germany. This saved his life because many who fought in Russia did not make it back home. Maria’s mother and five children had to leave their home in January 1945. They lived through some really bad times, including being homeless for eight months, and travelling on foot, or on railway box cars. They decided to return to Romania, but on the way, their nine-month-old sister died of starvation. After 18 months they moved back to Germany, where with the assistance of the Red Cross, they were finally reunited with their father. They lived in Osnabruck, Germany until August 1953 when they boarded a ship bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia then travelled across Canada to Calgary where they had relatives. Fred and Maria met at a dance in Calgary in 1953, and were married in 1954. This wedding produced three sons – Gordon (born 1960), Jeffrey (1961), and David (1963), and they now have two grandsons Joshua and Rory.
Maria was a seamstress in Germany, a job she really enjoyed, and she had no difficulty getting a similar job in Calgary where she spent six years. She had spent a year working at the Calgary General Hospital, before the boys were born. Fred was a ‘Jack of all Trades,’ and worked at many jobs including the railway, in a packing house, and in construction, before purchasing a farm located 12 miles south of Strathmore, in 1964. That was a big change, as everything was run down and needed repair. They worked very hard, assisted by many very helpful neighbours. They built a beautiful ranch house in 1969, and enjoyed raising their family on their dairy farm. By the time they sold it in 1979, they were milking 100 dairy cows, daily.
Fred and Maria then moved to Strathmore, where the population was around 1,000. Here they built the carwash located behind what is now Storefront School. They sold this in 1991, and retired, except for Fred who helped Wayne Risdon with haying for the next 20 years.
Their community activities mainly took place whilst they lived on the farm. Fred was a member of Carseland Lions Club for 45 years, and served on the board of Carseland Community Association. Maria was a member of the Carseland PB Club. But, she was also kept very busy with the chickens on the farm, looking after the farm workers, and raising those three rambunctious boys. They’ve always loved gardening, and continue to enjoy working the large garden at Arlene Holdahl’s farm. Both Fred and Maria were avid curlers, and attended bonspiels throughout the area. The biggest changes they have seen is the population growth from 1,000 in 1979, to over 13,000 now, and having all the roads paved.
They both enjoy travelling, and their most memorable trip was in 1993, when they went to Poland, along with other family members, to visit Fred’s sister and the old family farm. They have spent 14 winters in Yuma, Ariz. which has given them many wonderful memories.
They are very happy living in Canada. It is a great country!