Posted September 03, 2025 19:04
· last edited September 03, 2025 19:05
I have a very close friend from Palmy, from the age of 17 in fact. His Dad was Dutch Jewish and he had the number tattooed on his arm. Worked later with another guy who’s dad was Lithuanian and was a camp guard. We used to rib him that he was the son of a war criminal. About 3 years ago I was having dinner with him and his older brother and they reckoned the same and told a story about how one of their Dad’s friends (also in NZ) made some cryptic comment about their joined past and their Dad went off at him and shut him down quick. I bet therevare a lot of stories like that. But we digress….coochiee
ballane
I used to work for a catering company in Wellington and we did food at funerals i liked to listen the eulogies and look at the photos. Have heard some amazing stories of refugees and how they survived the concentration camps and came to NZ. One particular day did a small service for a guy and his son gets up and starts talking part way through he stops and says in German his fathers real name and they then displayed a heap of photos of his father in Gestapo Uniform at concentration camps. The funeral director was mortified they hadnt said a word to him. Seems the father had lived a very quiet life here and was surrounded by like minded people if those that attended the funeral were anything to go by. Was actually quite chilling over hearing some of what they spoke about.
Wow that is an incredible yarn. For the son to do that, it sounds like sadly the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
Once as a Massey uni student in Palmy, I did some gardening for an elderly couple who I think told me they originally came from a Baltic state. I remember seeing a number tattoed on the arm of the old guy. I was too young and dumb to think of what that really meant.
Previous versions
1 version
Unknown editoredited September 03, 2025 19:05
I have a very close friend from Palmy, from the age of 17 in fact. His Dad was Dutch Jewish and he had the number tattooed on his arm. Worked later with another guy who’s dad was Lithuanian and was a camp guard. We used to rib him that he was the son of a war criminal. About 3 years ago I was having dinner with him and his older brother and they reckoned the same and told a story about how one of their Dad’s friends (also in NZ) made some cryptic comment about their joincoochiee
ballane
I used to work for a catering company in Wellington and we did food at funerals i liked to listen the eulogies and look at the photos. Have heard some amazing stories of refugees and how they survived the concentration camps and came to NZ. One particular day did a small service for a guy and his son gets up and starts talking part way through he stops and says in German his fathers real name and they then displayed a heap of photos of his father in Gestapo Uniform at concentration camps. The funeral director was mortified they hadnt said a word to him. Seems the father had lived a very quiet life here and was surrounded by like minded people if those that attended the funeral were anything to go by. Was actually quite chilling over hearing some of what they spoke about.
Wow that is an incredible yarn. For the son to do that, it sounds like sadly the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
Once as a Massey uni student in Palmy, I did some gardening for an elderly couple who I think told me they originally came from a Baltic state. I remember seeing a number tattoed on the arm of the old guy. I was too young and dumb to think of what that really meant.