My Oma grew up in East Germany, amid and after WWII, knowing nothing but poverty and hunger. In her twenties, she worked as a secretary for a German Protestant Church, where she met my Opa. He was an American who smuggled goods across the Berlin Wall and brought them to organizations across East Germany. On November 8, 1968, my Oma got a call saying she could leave East Germany. She, my Opa, and their firstborn son moved to America in February of 1969. Although my Oma left many things behind, she still brought many German cultures and traditions with her, many of which she continues to practice today. She often tells me she’s “too American to be fully German, but too German to be fully American.” Whenever I visit her, she makes Eierkuchen, thin, crepe-like pancakes, traditionally served with applesauce or cinnamon sugar. She has shared the recipe, among other traditions, with her children and grandchildren to educate and give us a better understanding of our roots. Continuing to relate to the place she grew up knowing makes her feel like she belongs in Germany and America. I have bonded with my Oma through German culture countless times, through language, tradition, recipes, and stories. It assures me that even when she’s not around anymore, I’ll still have those unique memories and traditions to look back on and share with future generations, just as she did with me.

– Julia Cates-Addison

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant