Herta, at left, born in 1905 and her sister Rita (Margarete), at right, born in 1905, sit beneath the decorated Christmas tree in their home with their dolls and other Christmas presents around them. The Christmas tree had real candles. The other decorations on the tree were homemade and consisted of nuts and homemade cookies. These girls were the daughters of Dietrich and Anna (Wiens) Rempel, Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck’s grandparents and Rita was the mother of Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck. Anna (Wiens) Rempel was born in Bachmut and likely both of her daughters were born there as well. It is not known when the family moved to Halbstadt.
Three young women pose standing, outdoors. Left to right they are: Katja Rempel, Anna (Wiens) Rempel, grandmother of Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck, Agatha (Rempel) Regehr. Katja and Agatha were step-sisters.
Anna (Wiens) Rempel, grandmother of Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck, poses, a book on her lap, surrounded by palm-leaf and myrtle plants. An exact date for this picture is not available. We do know that Anna was married at 18 years of age in 1901.
Mr. Hänsel, at left, Anna (Wiens) Rempel in the middle and her husband Dietrich Rempel, share a toast at an outdoor picnic. Anna and Dietrich are Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck’s maternal grandparents. The two daughters of Anna and Dietrich: Rita (Margarete) at the left, mother of Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck and Herta on the right, sit with their parents.
Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck’s grandmother, Anna (Wiens) Rempel poses on the verandah with her two daughters, Herta at left, and Rita (Margarete), sitting on the step.
The photo of this group of women taken in Halbstadt in October 1942 includes Elfrieda (Gossen) Dyck’s grandmother, Anna (Wiens) Rempel who is sitting in the middle. The family milked this goat because they couldn’t afford a cow. The photo was given to Anna by a person named H. Schirmacher. The other women on the photo are not identified. Perhaps they were kindergarten teachers with Anna. (See photo #12)
Nicholas J. Fehderau’s second oldest sister, Tina. As a young woman, Tina spent a year in Plauen, Vogtland, Germany at Housekeeping School (ca 1915). While there she learned about photography. On her return to the Ukraine, Tina took great pleasure in taking and developing her own pictures. Some of the following casual family poses were likely taken by her. See From the Heights into the Depths, p.69
The view of the back of the house, where the family of Jakob and Maria Fehderau would often sit on the green benches. The well for drinking water is to the right of the photo. On the verandah there seems to be a young boy holding a guitar.
Part of the Fehderau family on the green benches behind the house. Left to right: Tina, Liese, Mother of Nicholas J. Fehderau, Jascha, Father of Nicholas J. Fehderau, and Manja.
Part of the Fehderau family on the back verandah. From left to right: Mother of Nicholas J. Fehderau, Jascha, Father of Nicholas J. Fehderau, Manja, and Liese.