The German POWs. From the book I am never going to write.

[oneighty]

Between the New York Central RR tracks and U.S. Route five there is a very large building. It is empty now with a for sale sign begging for a buyer.

During word war two it was a processing plant belonging to Welch Grape Juice. In the fall hundreds of tons of tomatoes and Concord grapes were brought here by the local farmers. It was a place of great activity.

One day there appeared American soldiers carrying machine guns. They were guarding German Prisoners of War. The Germans were working in the plant loading and unloading produce.

We children were very excited at such an event. We would sit and watch the German Soldiers and the American Soldiers guarding them. We were not allowed to get very close to the prisoners though. The Americas would shoo us away.

One day a prisoner was cutting down tall grass at the edge of the vast parking area. He shouted out "Is it poisonous?" and he ran from the grass scared by a snake.

We kids laughed. A long time ago.

180

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. I am presently reading a book

about another prisoner of war , in another place

Hiroshima Joe---

recommended by oneighty

Did it remind you of this ?

[oneighty]

2. No it did not

These POWs were well treated by all appearances

180

[Cleita]

3. Here's one for you.

I once knew a young German fellow who was touring our country on a bicycle. He told my husband, who was Irish, that his father was a POW in Ireland. He evidently crashed his plane in Irish territory so the Irish not knowing what to do with the Germans since Ireland was neutral in WWII, didn't want to send them to England and they didn't want to send them back to Germany. So instead his father was allowed to attend Trinity University in Dublin. He got his degree and when the war ended went back to Germany. As a result he learned English, which he taught to his children.