Saturday, May 27, 2006

A very special outfit

This is a very special outfit that Daniel is wearing. The overalls were a gift to my father when my brother was born about 38 years ago. The shoes he is wearing were sent to my family in the 1940's from the Becker in Luxembourg. My uncle was killed there during WWII and it was a custom at that time for Luxembourg families to adopt the grave of an American soldier. Mr. Becker's mother told him to find the grave of a soldier who was named Henry in memory of his brother who was taken by the German army and forced to fight in Russia. They never did hear what happened to him but it was assumed he died somewhere in Russia. My uncle's name was Henry so they adopted his grave and began corresponding with my family during the war. Mr. Becker was a shoemaker and these were a pair that he made and sent. Our families have kept in contact all this time, even though the original generation has passed away and my uncle's body was shipped back to the US after the war. Dan and I visited them in September 2004. Mr. Becker's daughter, Henriette, has children about my age. It was a dream come true to be able to meet them in person and visit where my uncle's grave had been.

It looks like he has muscles in this picture!

He looks so grown up here.