Minnesota's Greatest Generation Oral History Project: Part II: Interview with Hanspeter and Gisela Borgwarth

Titles: Minnesota's Greatest Generation Oral History Project: Part II: Interview with Hanspeter and Gisela Borgwarth (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Hanspeter Borgwarth was born in Cuxhaven, Germany. He grew up in an upper middle class family and experienced World War II first hand when the British bombed Cuxhaven. He was forced into the Jungvolk and Hitler Youth. After the war, Borgwarth got into the farming business and accepted a job in Wisconsin. He and his wife moved to the United States and began their family, eventually ending up in Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Growing up with a strict mother; topography of his hometown and the appearance of his house; involvement in horse breeding programs on the farm; the "invisible caste system" in Germany; taking in refugees from East and West Prussia; apprenticeship programs; German culture: wedding celebrations, division of sexes, emphasis on athletic superiority, traditional funerals, Christmas celebration; his hometown being carpet bombed by the British; participation in the Jungvolk and Hitler Youth; working on farms; hometown being taken over by British, Scottish, and eventually American troops; Germany post World War II; farm/agriculture training; developing a relationship with his future wife; moving to the United States; involvement in the poultry business and successful farming operations; becoming a part of the Jennie-O corporation in Minnesota; keeping family connections in Germany; involvement in the Rotary Club and awards.

Dates

• 09/12/2007 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewee: Borgwarth, Hanspeter
• interviewee: Borgwarth, Gisela
• interviewer: Bekke, Douglas

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 115
• Accession Number: AV2008.26.5

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota's Greatest Generation Oral History Project: Part II' <OH 115>

Quantity: 5 hours sound cassettes 97 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 274 minutes length

Subjects

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