Stories From my Oma--Kelsey

My Dutch grandmother would often tell me stories of growing up in World War II. This is well known as the bloodiest and most gruesome war in all of human history, however, not all fighting was done on the battlefront. Many families from different races, religions, and countries were affected by the power grabs from multiple nations. This is something that my Oma, Juta Hilton, knows very well; her family was split up and forced into concentration camps created by the Japanese government. “Most history books will not mention the camps created by Japan,” she would often tell me, “But, many governments had prisons for one kind of person or other. It wasn’t just the Germans.” She would explain how multiple countries had used the war to attempt to expand their nations, and some even attempt to create new kingdoms. The Japanese took over surrounding islands to supply their growing military with natural resources. Mrs.Hilton’s family had resided on the Island Java; though now classified as Indonesian territory, the tropical island was a Dutch colony in the 1930’s. It’s lush crops and green ecosystem made it very desirable. Though her family had no connection to the Dutch government, she grew up surrounded by talk of war and separation. I would often sit on her bed as she told me stories that would make me tear up. “My mother had tried to shelter me from the surrounding war, but the Japanese officers soon arrived and began issuing questioning orders. We could not hide from them.” The Dutch military was already preoccupied in Europe, and could not provide enough military power to protect their citizens in their territories. The orders called for all males in the household to report for questioning by government officials. “My dad was a manager at a big plantation, so he was one of the first to be called, but, little did we know, we wouldn’t see him again for over three years.” She paused, “One of my older sisters had just been married before the war, which made it even more heartbreaking when her husband was called in. I remember her telling my mother just after he had left, that she was pregnant and couldn’t bear to tell him because he would feel guilty for not being there.” At that point, she mentioned that Mr. Bish, her father, had been detained for several months. My Oma’s eyes would grow in size as she relived the time she witnessed her mother grab her sister, and instruct her to run to her husband and tell him before he was gone. “Of course by the time she had arrived at the questioning station, the men were already lined up, awaiting entrance the Japanese facility, but my sister waved him down from across the road. Once she had his attention, she made gestures to her stomach until he finally understood that he was going to be a father. That was the first and last time my sister saw her husband cry. He did not survive the camp, though we are not certain if he starved or was poisoned.” As her family was being split up emotionally, Juta’s mother, Adel Bish, received no income to support her eight daughters. “We had no money for food, so my mother started a garden.” Mrs. Bish was very protective for her children, and did many things to ensure their safety. Juta Hilton’s role model was her mother during the harsh years. “I can remember my mom always making huge pots of soup at dinner, but always having so little to eat. I did not know it at the time, but questioning orders had began to arrive for my adult sisters. My mother would not let the Japanese take her children. Since I was so young, I was not told, but two of my sisters had hid for over two years in our back closet. I suppose that is where most of the soup always went.” Whenever I would refuse to finish the food on my plate, she would often bring this up, and tell me that I should be thankful for every piece of food on my place, even down to the last grain of rice. The war had changed her family, but mostly played a key role in her childhood. Though her father did return after the war, he was still sick. He would often have flashbacks and yell his thoughts about having to return home to Juta’s mom, even though he was already home. The Bishes could not return to how life was before the war; yet this was not unique to Juta Hilton, she had been surrounded by the climate for a large portion of her younger years. My Oma changed my life by telling me about her childhood; and, though I never experienced the hardships she lived through, her stories often instilled life lessons that I could not forget.