Gerda Miele, Kathrina Proscia, and Joanne Abbate

00:01 Hi, this is Katrina proser and I'm here interviewing my mom Gerda Miele at my sister Joanna bodies house in Old Bethpage. And it's May 13th. Mother's Day 2007 and Joanne abbate and I'm here with my sister and my mother at my home actually in my bedroom and with my dog.

00:24 And I am good Amelia do mother of theirs too beautiful girl sitting next to me. I'm sorry. I'm getting very emotional question. Number one ready then. Okay. So Mom you came here to the United States in Germany. How old were you when you did that? I was 20 23 years old do 23 and what made you decide that you wanted to come to the United States? What motivated you to come here in the hotel at my cousin's hotel and I met mrs. Flegenheimer and Cherise lady who used to have a Sugar Factory in Germany and then move to the United States in 1939.

01:16 With all that furniture and everything it to New York. And so she used to come after the war.

01:24 To Stuttgart the town are working and then

01:31 To collect some money she got coming to her from the business at the Sugar Factory. They had in my in this town.

01:41 Until she asked me to look up with like to come to Switzerland with just bring her grandchildren in the took two children. See if I would like to take care of them for 2 months. So for me, it was a great experience and I said, yes, so was there for two two months in Switzerland and send back home to you to New York and they asked me if I would like to come.

02:11 To the United States. So for me, it was a great opportunity and I took it and hello to you at the time. But then I was still trying to give us the same here. I know but how old to you have that make you feel you scared and the Hound.

02:37 And chest pack my suitcase when video train to Hamburg all by myself. Tommy is supposed to be in New York, but there was up to me I had there was no time limit. I had a Visa because they knew somebody in there.

02:55 In Munich in the council that they put my name at the top of the list and I went there to get my Visa and they're in there too much time. They pay for your trip get paid for my trip. And how did you come here Italia Italia and of course at the bottom of the ship and in the fridge

03:32 The ship we got into a big storm and the water kept like the waves came over and spent, you know, a lot of noise and the shipping. I called upstairs at the office or something. I took both of us picking any up. I was so scared.

03:52 Both of us like two people from Germany and didn't read it landed in Halifax Canada and a couple of more English woman of Canadians came in in the same room. So I think we will part 6 have your head moving upstairs had the delicious dinner Dancing movie was first. Okay, so when she came here, then you are you worked for these people and where exactly was that

04:37 I came to this people with two children. They're picked me up in New York Harbor in the lift and give it to you. And how long did you live in April? And I remember growing up the best hybrid the West Side Highway and everything was blooming like Temple City is for In Full Bloom as it's over how beautiful and so I went and lived in an apartment house in my friend in Sherman TX to go don't go to United States when you go there to New Yorkers on 5th. You don't see no. You don't see no to read everything is just concrete M11 to the apartment for the people live open the door the window and there was a biggest chestnut tree in the backyard.

05:37 Reed's time was like you couldn't take this up to a black in the morning. You could travel anywhere. There was snow NeverEnding sitting down actually from Riverdale down with the bus go to the Bronx. It was Alexander the department store. I loved it. So it seems shoes for $6 and pick the time you could stay.

06:26 You never even though she just did it to the next job. That's how it goes English to the college in the Bronx for English. And then I started to eat books. My first book was East of Eden the big book. I was reading that made the dictionary.

06:53 This Is How We Roll

06:56 Learned learnt adequate share. How long do you think it took you before you could like have a real conversation? I remember the first time I worked with the

07:09 Mr. Hero stock at the street and it was like springtime. I get got their neighbor I said.

07:16 Oh, but the temperature it has to be for me to don't have to wear a sweater Remembered at 2 or so. Well at 60 degrees.

07:40 Do you hear before you have anxiety?

07:45 That I was working for this people from the Riverdale. They move to

07:54 Westchester

07:56 There was there for 2 years, but then I changed the chop and I've been back to you but they are said how you left a why you left working with you fist fight. I did not hear the end of time that will fit me. Just chop this it's okay. You just have to take care of the children.

08:22 And then I started to clean the house cook dinner.

08:29 The woman went out with old day ever took care of everything in that elicits. This is not why I came I came here for being Tomatoes over here. What was It was supposed to be my turn text me. So and this is the pic for my fav. And that's the way it is still so I got an offer from another girl who also chairman growth who was living with his family and she went back to Germany. So she offered me this chap, which woman was pregnant.

09:08 And so did I took this job and I was afraid to say it. You know that I'm leaving.

09:18 And then

09:25 So she okay. See you. I packed my suitcase and put them in some different out for the evening. I packed my suitcase that came home. I took the sheets off the bed. The map took my suitcase and went to the train station and I went to Sunnyside Inn in Queens and my friend pick me up over there. I was with her the night type of thing time to go to my parents that I'd never like always going out and never listen to do that. Now you move you were living with your friend at the only person that you knew from Germany and living in, New Jersey.

10:25 I used to commute the holidays. So now you were living in the meantime the people waited for me to take this job over. So but I was so nervous and the time that I could not go to the next job right away. So the student defends has about two weeks since then. I've been to the Riverdale interviewing with shop and there was other term grossly living in the same of Department house, and we used to go out in the night. I mean, whatever Dave and juice to go to Germantown

11:16 And that's how I make my husband and I dance in Germantown, New York City.

11:27 So what was that at like a nightclub or a whole shift is the halfway house halfway house?

11:35 There's an old German bakeries and restaurants all in Sherman dear friend goats, and he kept so then you met daddy came to the table, and I was with my friend and they come and eat some of my wine. Did you do dancing GIF left me his telephone number, but he didn't put his name. It is Adrian story he go down in the paper Sam why? I don't know so good night quote that it's always give me the telephone number.

12:33 So that his Uncle Sam into the phone and he said is there another statement that cuz obviously that wasn't the same you looking for what Radio City? We went to the Statue of Liberty, but you didn't tell us why daddy told you his name wasn't Adrian why he said he always was had some kind of thing about that is named Asian because of the Tammany crab Cajun was like a girl's name of that always was teasing him. So he wanted to tell it tell you that his name was Sammy. Vinay Mehta family and assistant I used to

13:33 No even asked you if only I was so used to saying Sim. So just continue and then how long were you dating before you got designer? Okay, so then

13:45 We went down for about 8 months or so before I make a commitment to stay here and get married. I want to go back home first and see if I really want to spend United States, but I leave my clothes here. I've been I decide not to come back. You have to send me the package or when you decide you're the one who married me send me to my clothes. So you didn't you go to Miami is every day how much she misses me and how much he loves me and she's going to have a good life if you never go hungry.

14:32 In all this so easily fell for it by the like tonight. I really don't know. My father was like against is it don't know. Don't go thinking about it. So Chester been back took me to go to Hamburg this time. I took the ship to United States.

15:10 Ship and happy Saint with six people it was about three in there.

15:17 And came to New York and then where did you live? I did that Daddy picked me up. And in the meantime, they're painted the bedroom for me, which was his sister's room when she got married until he painted the room pink all the way at the other end of the room where he was staying with his brother and I got the job in the city with Sinclair Oil. Is that address?

16:04 Put in alphabetical order. Then I had to change the addresses you had to type it in steel. I could do like a typewriter.

16:27 Accountant

16:30 And it's when I got married and then I quit to after became pregnant in the bedroom on the other side of the the how the whole house. How did you wake Daddy? I'll be coming at 8:40 and play with Sony like on the side of my father-in-law.

16:52 Didn't have to go to work and that was sweet boys and me and Adrian. My husband's brother slept there in the Fab slept in the same room and had to wake him up. I used to put the string around. She stole all the way down the hallway the volume when the time came at used to pull the string and he woke up laughing hysterically when you can't find we got married a year later.

17:34 And

17:38 Remove downstairs in the basement apartment.

17:43 And and then we bought the house and moved to have a beach. That would be us you guys and then we bought the house in Howard Beach.

18:01 And we were there for two years and then I had another baby is my son.

18:08 And there

18:10 Then we got high school and college.

18:18 And they got married.

18:22 And my mother and father live downstairs, how did you decide once you decided to buy a house? What was the decision because you live downstairs in the basement. We only had two rooms and that there was we had to over in the meantime. I'm what do not give us a big bedroom upstairs then but it was two lights up so we decided to buy a house.

18:50 And to remove did our two daughters that to happen to have a beach in Queens 7th couple of times with my children to visit in Germany, and then my parents came over to visit us one time in Singapore 1964 the World's Fair remember to and you choose really my only memory of oma is dumb. She would spill the soda.

19:22 Onto the table and she let us suck it up with most how to do feel once you kind of had made his decision to get married. And did you have any regrets thinking like I know I was very happy and I seen once in awhile to see my parents and Community communicated with the letters. The phone was frequently like the phone now like it used to be much more expensive in the protest the communication.

20:11 We just never did it was through letters a fun time with my sister-in-law's house husband's sister and set up a New Year's and his brother was there his oldest brother Chan and his family will celebrate New Years and Shannon said, come on. Let's go call your mother. Call your father. Call your sisters because my mother to wish you a happy new year. Did you come on you have somebody else to cool?

20:46 It wasn't my choice. I was in the telephone bill came over. But you know, how did you feel having a waldies in-laws and brother-in-law?

21:22 It just happened that I was fortunate that sold the voice children, but like German names call Richie is very easy for me to remember them by the way their names.

21:40 So that they had the very nice family life.

21:45 They always work together going to Sunday's which I was not used to that ever. The whole family is to come over celebrate the holidays together.

21:54 Eat before morning tonight. Did you help me but she made the mess in the kitchen. We had to clean up the mess and it's just the way I don't do most of her say I copied from her. Did you ever make any German dishes for the whole family?

22:32 And then I might move to Queens took my endorse with us because they got older than want to live alone in the house. So they're sold at home and do the fittest to Queens and it's long. They live that live there for the rest of their life with us. I used to take her to the doctor in it.

22:59 This is my father. Eventually my father loved into the nursing home.

23:05 And I used to visit them every day.

23:08 And there he was in the nursing home for about a year and my mother lived another 4 years after when I was first born and you tell me that the first day that you took me home from the hospital. I'm you said the world looked from the hospital and you can come down and the Belt Parkway and all of the sudden everything looks so beautiful Baker. Like is it hold the rose looks different since I have a child.

23:49 Unbelievable, like it changed my whole outlook in life.

23:54 And then when I had my second thought we had to go before we've got home with the baby carriage went to the store and picked up make you the bear a Lion King Lion with

24:21 But I don't remember baby. Oh, yeah, then bring me a hat William green of us. You seven years old and I allowed my daughter with her friend to take the baby carrots really beautiful coach like to save a seven-year-old. You wouldn't even let them out of the black because she was pretty scared to maybe somebody with kidnapping right now. You can do it was a whole different world. I felt I felt a little different after had my children.

25:16 We felt different afternoon.

25:25 Both hey, and she could have had set up.

25:36 First man

25:48 What do you most proud of in your life? What's your proudest proudest moment?

25:57 I had spent my proudest moment is to have three wonderful children and great-grandchildren to this is my my

26:09 What is one of the most important lessons that you've learned in life?

26:25 That you have you have to give yourself to people and don't live selfish.

26:32 To contribute something to make people happy and do you know just be helpful to other people and you certainly and I have experience with friends and then they never return the favor will always remember you telling telling us growing up that most of one thing is to be kind always do good in town and don't expect to get it back from that person, but you'll get it back from someone else and I always think about that every day and I think that that's probably one of the most important things you've ever told me among many other words of wisdom you've had but that's something I always I always will remember and and do remember every day.

27:31 Let's see what the biggest influence on your life when you were growing up as a child. I guess my mother.

27:41 When was it was a very kind person very good.

27:46 And I never forgot when my mother came home from school and my parents got them.

27:59 And it came home in the time from school for the for lunch, and my mother was cooking.

28:07 Cuz she was cooking for for the family continued her life and she was so so sad and crying.

28:18 Image she was cooking for us.

28:21 But we have to be strong and even the time we had to return back to sit until you don't go to school today. We had to go back to school in the afternoon. That was very very strong strong. She said that she knew my brother was dead because she had the dream.

28:43 She heard somebody him. We're fixing to ceiling in that room.

28:54 It was like a sign that he let her know.

29:00 3021 US 20 and 1/2 by 21 and 1/2 when it got killed in the Gaston friend. I had the six with my brother was six cousins who have got killed in the old boys from 18 to 22. My father's brother's voice their got killed in 216 of them was my car towed from the Everglades from the Americans spend their food from Sioux City.

29:41 And she got killed in 2017.

29:47 Emmitt Smith

29:49 My aunt

29:57 Business

30:00 Indus School

30:03 That we had

30:06 Like the birthday Super Bubble Gum toothpaste on the American Airlines airplanes and also the code that grabs like the potato box of a little potato box. We had to go to the potato potato fields and get the put underneath. We had to look at the leaves and about the eggs from the potato bags. We had to put him in the chair and all swim if I want to put it back this house. We had to put him in the chair and flew over and actually buy just purposely threw down their throat and then then the end of the world like you couldn't even going to feel because the 2nd Swing used to

30:56 In the fields, we had to hide under three that they give because then they came down and pursuing anything with moved and the ground.

31:06 Are the how about going in the Arab and

31:11 When did airplanes used to come over our village?

31:16 And a desire has been going down into the cellar didn't it was okay then two days to hours later. We had to go down again, then whatever. I was it was we had to stay in the cellar. We had to go later to school in the morning. Like I said, what is the biggest difference you notice from when you came to the United States from living in Germany to living here in are rude to her. I said, you know, you don't in United States. You don't have to close the lights when you get out of the room everybody leave the lights to come on the electricity. I used to read me the flashlight off.

32:16 Yes, you are. Absolutely a favorite memory you have of Joanne when she was little something my chewing my darling sweet when she was going to first grade. We had an interview with the principal in the principal said that to me and you know how to write your name. She says you understand scripto bridge secret exit.

33:07 But detective that's just threw that out of me. What about William? What was the favorite memory of William when he was little

33:15 Well, it was nice. We have two two girls. We had the a boy actually, even when I had Catrin the first and I said I would have liked in the time to mentality of people but no you had to have his son.

33:31 And I

33:34 And then I had to do it has been said, you know, I'm very happy you have a daughter because a door is always with you save us so happy and didn't mean I had to win and I also wish that was sudden and the nearest came up with it in the labor room. The doctor came in and said go to you going to have a healthy boy.

34:05 Until when the nurse came and said you had to go said no. No, I had to I had the boy because the doctor told me the happy but so strong we never said Labor Day. This is it's a boy and after I from soap in and said, oh, please God forgive me.

34:26 I have another gun. It's wonderful. And my husband was so happy that now you have two girls and you're never going to be alone in the United States.

34:38 And then of course, my husband was happier than kiss. The doctor says thank you like to do it right now. That's so funny. How would you like to be remembered?

35:02 Take a deep breath the hard question. You don't have to answer if you don't want to come through for my children. Well, that one you got no because you're doing everything we admire you and aspire to be like you all the time and you know, there's nothing you could have done.

35:39 And you've always said an example for us to live by Nero is somebody that we're Spartans really check out that was never that would give me a little bit more change than they're supposed to give the money back or make sure everything. You know that I didn't say it made sense. You're the most iron

36:27 You feeling all right. How did you choose a Jo-Ann's name? Oh, yes because Katrina.

36:48 Do I go under to remember my mother, but her name was Lina, Katrina, Lena Katrina.

36:58 I thought you were treated with like both the leaner and then it was the Katrina and neuter family tree made it look back to the 80s. We had the same for my family and a lot of Katrina's with no age. But so many of them in Cheyenne was close to Josephine. So I figured I had to order my mother-in-law and it's how it shows whose name is Josephine ND my son.

37:44 Was estimated my brother who got killed.

37:49 Can you tell us one thing that you remember? I know you were really little when Uncle William was alive before he got killed during World War II, but can you tell us one thing you remember about him?

38:02 My brother sitting at the dining room table.

38:07 And you couldn't have a conversation and then you eating for dinner anytime. We ate you ate and you don't talk there was no no conversation setting a dinner table.

38:23 And I said 17 my brother picked up the soup spoon and was making demotion at these kind of said the super my face because I was talking really even knew he was excited 10 years old.

38:41 They stripped was 19 Stewart.

38:45 21 tbsp. Do you remember I'm just one song that used to sing to us when we were kids. Yes, which song to my sister-in-law and the Palisades Park when we were singing

39:09 Oh, yeah, Ali fake intention to Kitchen TV Leah Lindgren No 9 motion.

39:34 Oh, I think they have this thing or up in the trees. Now. That spring is here. Listen. Listen, what do they say Springtime is the time to be gay, That's the that's the translation everything bundt the dishes. That's what side should I send an email?

40:07 Okay, go out the other another one about the bells. Oh, yeah.

40:14 Ding dong I know you some up and then so go all the way up and Men come up in bed.

40:57 All right now well, we just wanted to do this for you for Mother's Day, and we thought that it would be special and fun and a wonderful time for us to say how much we love you and admire you and that you're the most important person to us in the whole wide world. We love you. Always. Love you. My love you Mama. Happy Mother's Day.