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Dec 2020/Jan 2021

THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF HORST, A GERMAN TEENAGER DURING WWII From Prisoner of War to US Merchant Marine, Part I

There are some journeys through life that are so incredible and so rarely imagined, we feel lucky to ever hear of them. As we begin a new chapter in 2021, I know we may still feel swells of uncertainty from 2020. Yet, whenever I feel isolated or alone, I always think of a time someone told me their own amazing journey that made me feel a little less alone — and a little bit luckier — in the world. Let me explain how I met this very unique person. In June of 1969, I graduated from Maritime College at Fort Schuyler in New York. Two days after graduation, I joined my first merchant ship as a 3rd Officer. The ship was called Vantage Venture, a jumboized T2 tanker and a WWII vintage ship that had been mothballed (aka put out of commission), then put back into action. We were headed to Bombay, India, now known as Mumbai. The circumstances of this voyage were a bit different than I would’ve expected at the time. First, the sea captain actually owned the ship. While it might’ve been common for merchant sea captains to own their ships in the 1700s or 1800s, it was a very rare occurrence by the mid-1900s. Second, I was 21 years old, and much like the ship itself, nearly everyone aboard was a WWII veteran. They ranged in age between 50 and 60. The age difference wasn’t necessarily challenging but did present a social barrier that might’ve not been there if I were closer in age to the crew. Third, the ship had many navigational deficiencies. Its radar did not work, and it wasn’t required by law to fix it. The gyrocompass, which is common to all ships,

is highly accurate, and requires power to use, was also broken. This meant the autopilot feature on the ship didn’t work either. Thus, while relying on a magnetic compass exclusively, our crew had to take shifts navigating the ship. That’s how I got to know the second youngest crew member, a 46-year-old named Horst. While sharing a late-night shift on the bridge of the ship, Horst immediately captured my attention. He was younger than the other men, and I’d never heard a name like Horst before. He also had a thick (but understandable) accent. After talking a little bit, I realized that he was German. Remember, we’re on board a ship of WWII veterans. I was amazed and questioned him: How did he become part of the U.S. Merchant Marines, and my subordinate, no less? Thankfully — for reasons that may become clear later on — Horst was willing to share his fascinating, painful journey with me. To this day, it’s one of the most remarkable stories I’ve ever heard about a man. I’d like to take you back to 1940. Horst began his story when he was 16 years old, a German youth with a desire to go to sea. He got his first opportunity when he joined a German merchant ship on April 7, 1940. It was a short, two-day voyage to Norway and Horst’s first time ever leaving Germany. Since it was late in the day upon their arrival, he went to bed onboard the ship. Only, when he woke up in the morning, he was being arrested by the Norwegians and sent to a prisoner of war (POW) camp alongside the entire crew of the German

merchant ship. It was a preemptive move on Norway’s part — that same evening, the Nazis began their assault on Norway.

He’s 16 years old, and his story only begins there.

Within a few months, Norwegian officials realize they’re not going to be successful in fending off the German attack. Not wanting their POWs to be liberated back into the German army, they took the German POWs they had and quickly shipped them by plane to England, where Horst and the crew were reincarcerated. Horst wasn’t sure exactly how long he’d spent in England. Maybe a year. However, the situation was very dire because the English couldn’t withstand the Nazi air raids without a strong potential of being overrun. To be safe, the British decided it’d be best to relocate the POWs once again. This time, they’d be sent to Canada and the crowned colonies.

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How to Spend Less Time Clearing Your Driveway Every Winter Everyone loves the snow — at least until it settles on the driveway, a barrier between your car and the open road. Shoveling snow off your driveway and walkway can be so tedious that you might be tempted to just hope and pray that the sun melts it all before you have to shovel it — which, of course, almost never happens. However, there are a few tools and methods you can use to clear the snow away that are faster than shoveling for hours on end. Check them out below. CREATE A NONSTICK SHOVEL. Wet, partially melted snow might work well for packing snowballs, but it’s a pain to shovel. It has a tendency to stick to the scoop and not let go — unless you spray it with some common household cooking spray. This will make it a lot easier for the snow to slide off your shovel. Just remember to wipe your shovel down afterward! MAKE YOUR OWN SALT ALTERNATIVE. Sometimes you start shoveling, only to find that the snow concealed a layer of ice that you can’t scoop up with your shovel. However, if you combine 1 teaspoon of dish soap, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon of water in a bucket, you can spread the mixture over the ice and melt it away, much like the salt you see on major roadways. SNOW SHOVELING HACKS

BE PREEMPTIVE WITH SOME TARPS. Did you see on the weather forecast that your area is about to get some major snowfall? Throw down some tarps on your walkways and driveway. Then, after the snow stops falling, lift the snow off to the side, and your walkways will be as clear as if it hadn’t snowed at all. BLOW THE SNOW AWAY. If you’re lucky enough to be clearing your driveway while the snow is still powdery, rev up your leaf blower instead of breaking out your shovel. You’ll be able to clear your driveway in a fraction of the time it would take to shovel and dump it off to the sides of your driveway.

With one (or a few) of these methods, you can clear your driveway and enjoy the fun side of snowfall in no time!

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Of course, Horst was extremely disheartened with every passing day and every transfer. He was hoping for a rescue from his countrymen, so he could return to the “fatherland,” as he called Germany back then. However, despite the transfers, he held out hope. He kept hearing very positive rumors that the Germans were winning. So, at about 17 years old, Horst and his crew were shipped to a POW camp in Ontario, Canada. With their famed politeness, it might shock you that Canada ever had POW camps, much less a very large camp that could hold Horst’s entire crew and many more. Though, it may not shock you that Horst said he was treated very fairly as a prisoner there. There was never a concern over food, clothing, warmth, or shelter. Medical attention was always given as needed. Still, Horst was young and didn’t see the treatment as out of the ordinary. Eventually, word came down that the Canadians were going to put the Germans on a train. It created a lot of concern because they had no idea what this meant. They’d heard very good things about possibly being swapped out and brought home since this was around 1942 and the German army was fairly successful.

Now 18 years old, Horst boarded the train and surmised from the setting sun that they were headed westward, perhaps towards Alberta or British Colombia. But what surprised him and the crew the most was that the conductor of the train spoke fluent German. In their own language, the conductor explained that they’d be stopping periodically and sending them off one or two prisoners at a time to various Canadian farms as POW workers. Amazingly, all of these Canadian farmers spoke fluent German as well. Horst couldn’t believe it. The level of communication was immediately reassuring to him. Eventually, he was told to get off the train and was met on a dirt road by a couple of German farmhands who told him to get in and then explained his new accommodations. Horst wouldn’t get much in way of pay, and it was illegal for him to live in the residence of the farmer. However, he would have a room fitted in the barn to stay in. Horst had to wear a shirt with “P” written on it (for “prisoner”) at all times, but he began to grow accustomed to his new life. They treated him very well and even let him break some rules. One day,

the farmer came out and offered him a shortwave radio, a bottle of whiskey, and street clothes to go out into town with the other farmhands. As a 19-year-old, though, he became understandably anxious that this would be his permanent life. He used his radio to tune into a Berlin propaganda station to find out how the war was progressing. He noticed that they were sharing less and less jubilant news but never mentioned any failures. One day, he realized that something was severely amiss among the farmhands — who had been avoiding telling Horst about the truth of the war — and on the radio. Finally, it was clear to him that Germany had surrendered. Even though he was never a Nazi, he was devastated, and, as the Canadian government wanted to take him away, Horst had no idea what was ahead for him. I can’t wait to continue this story with you in the next edition. Please stay tuned, and have a beautiful holiday season, a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.

–Captain Lance

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DREW: 716-946-3598

LANCE: 716-912-9939

Why Clean Water Isn’t Accessible to Everyone … Yet The Task of Fetching Drinking Water As a resident of the United States, it’s easy to forget that there are countries or even people within our free nation who don’t have access to tap water. According to a 2017 UNICEF/World Health Organization study, only about 71% of the global population (5.3 billion people) use “a safely managed drinking-water service.” In actuality, city water is far from perfect, but, without it, many people are forced to access water through much more laborious means.

NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S FRUITCAKE

Fruitcake gets a bad rap, but when made correctly, it’s delicious! Try this recipe to upend your preconceived dessert notions.

Ingredients

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why not everyone has clean water — and, in the spirit of this season of giving, what you can do to help!

• 1 tsp baking soda • 1 cup sour cream • 3 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit of your choice, chopped

First, it’s important to note that the 2017 study estimates that, globally, at least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated by feces. How is this possible? Often, it’s due to improperly maintained water filtration systems due to a lack of funding or a lack of proper care due to ignorance. It’s one of the reasons why diarrhea can be a death sentence in places with unclean drinking water. Without clean water or food intake, recovery can be impossible. Also, in most countries, the burden of bringing fresh water into the home falls on the women. The study reveals that women, starting as girls in their adolescence, spend a combined 16 million hours collecting water each day. Individually, this chore often requires 4.5 hours or more from the average woman’s week, and 77% of women say they fear for their safety while doing this task. At the same time, even when women bring home water that was initially clean, it can become contaminated and make their family sick. The chore of getting more water can keep women and mothers away from taking care of their family, another task that often rests on their shoulders. When we install access to fresh, clean drinking water in rural neighborhoods, women often spend less time trekking to get fresh water and more time on their families and educational opportunities. That’s why you can help organizations like Generosity, which has helped over half a million people in 20 countries get access to clean water. Donate at Generosity.org and give another family across the globe a healthier 2021!

• 1 cup nuts of your choice, chopped • 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided • 1 stick butter • 1 cup sugar • 1 egg, room temperature • Zest of 1 orange • 1 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with greased baking paper. Ensure the piece running the length of the pan stands 1 inch above each side to form “handles.” 2. In a small bowl, mix baking soda and sour cream. 3. In a second bowl, combine fruit, nuts, and 1/4 cup flour. 4. In a third bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, zest, and sour cream mixture. Then, add remaining flour and salt. Mix, then add fruit mixture.

5. Pour batter into lined pan. Fill up a separate loaf pan halfway with water. Bake both pans in oven for 1 1/2–2 hours or until a skewer leaves the cake clean. 6. Use “handles” to remove cake from pan and cool completely on a rack before serving.

Inspired by SimplyRecipes.com

The Good News “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Titus 2:11 NIV

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INSIDE This Issue

1

From Prisoner of War to US Merchant Marine, Part I

2

Hate Shoveling Snow? Try These Hacks

3

The Task of Fetching Clean Water Not Your Grandma’s Fruitcake

4

5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Extra Eco‑Friendly This Year

5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Extra Eco-Friendly This Year

USE PAPER CONTAINERS FOR LEFTOVERS.

companies will actually let you rent out their dishes for your special evening! You can also borrow tableware from friends and family. But you don’t have to use metal tableware. Try following another culture’s customs and serve your food on local ingredients, like palm leaves, coconuts, or wood. LOCALIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. If you can buy ingredients like fresh meat or vegetables from local farms, you won’t use as much plastic packaging and you’ll support small businesses at the same time! Never buy one-use plastics if you don’t have to. For every holiday tradition, ask yourself: Can I reduce, reuse, or recycle any components to this? We hope you have a happy, eco-friendly holiday!

Captain Lance’s grandaughters

Give your celebration a restaurant-from-home feel by storing and giving away leftovers in paper containers rather than plastic. Paper will dissolve and leave behind much less chemical residue than plastic. Want to make it look extra posh? Stamp the exterior with the family initials! CHANGE UP YOUR GIFT WRAP. Why use wrapping paper every year when you can make your packaging extra interesting, colorful, and creative? Use newspapers, magazines, comics, posters, maps, or even art by your kids to conceal your gifts this year. RENT, BORROW, OR RETHINK YOUR TABLEWARE. If you’re missing proper tableware for your holiday celebration, don’t despair — some

Sustainability is the gift that keeps on giving, so if you’d like to give a gift to the environment this December, make your holidays anti-plastic! Here are five ways that you can use the latest eco-friendly technology to make sure your Christmas is just as convenient as ever. SET UP RECYCLING BINS. Nobody wants to sort through trash on their holiday, especially if you’re hosting all the parties! To avoid dealing with the waste, set up recycling and composting bins before any home holiday festivities. It’ll make your next trip to a local recycling center so much faster because everything will be organized and easier to manage.

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DREW: 716-946-3598

LANCE: 716-912-9939