We all grew up in the so-called former “protected zone”. There was no missing piece to my family history growing up. My great-grandfather, a libertarian, sold his own boat. They never lived in the camps. Still, we’re a part of this community. Sometimes, in research, I find one of the names that I’m always watching for: on documents of a forced boat sale, or of a stay in the Angler prisoner-of-war camp. These very rarely offer explanations. But everything I learn about this story is connected to my family and to me in some way. I do my best to understand how.
