It takes resolute endurance–one of the cardinal virtues–to flee from persecution and political turmoil. Image facing such situations for over a decade, across five countries with individual languages, including the death of a husband and father to four children. Such a courageous quality of mind brought five members of the Hehr family from Russia to safe harbor in Minneapolis, MN, ending in 1951.
The second son, now Pastor Horst Hehr, will share his personal saga as a youngster, during a Sunday, June 28, 2015, Morrison Historical Society program. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. with the program beginning at 1:30. Morrison’s Heritage Museum, 202 E, Lincolnway, Morrison, IL, is accessible to all and comfortably air-conditioned. Refreshments will be served.
“Five in 13 Years” will chronicle Hehr’s birth 76 years ago, in Dyhum, in north-central Germany, between Bremen and Hamburg. The family went to Russia, but “were kicked out, because my parents were Christians.” They moved to Austria; fled Poland; located in West Germany, before Mrs. Hehr decided to emigrate with her children to the United States.
In 1951 when Horst was 13, Ellis Island was sending American doctors to major ports of emigration to examine possible new residents. If deemed unhealthy or contagious, they were not allowed to depart.
“In Hamburg we almost didn’t make it,” he stated.
He recalled boarding the General Sturgis in Bremenhoffen in December. “We docked in slip #42 in New York City. Some people there knew German,” and the family was assisted to a train, headed to their sponsor family in Minneapolis. “The new mode was to have a sponsor guarantee housing and employment for three years.”
Young Horst was given material to memorize in order to pass a citizenship test. After five years he, his mother, and and an older brother became United States citizens. Two siblings were not old enough. “One year later” his sister and younger brother became Americans.
Pastor Hehr is a retired minister and the chaplain at a Clinton, IA, hospital. He serves as interim pastor in various churches in Iowa, Queen Creek, Az, and at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Morrison.