THE HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION
by Peter Schonherr
After the Second World War, most of our people lost their homeland and had little hope for the future. Millions of German refugees from the east and south-east were forced to move, and found shelter in camps, barracks and a few by farmers.
Older people still remember what life in the camps was like - often 2-4 families living together in the same room with one stove shared for cooking, and in the winter heat was coming from everyone huddled together.
After years of this suffering, world leaders started giving aid to our distressed countrymen and freed them from their conditions of poverty. Countries like Canada, France, U.S.A. and smaller countries opened their doors to our distressed people. Canada was the first of these countries to open its doors so generously and offer security for our future.
Large numbers of these people were brought in to Canada by relatives and friends who came to Canada in 1928-1930.
The largest immigration of German people took place in 1949-1952, after the Second World War. A large number settled around the Leamington, Kingsville, Harrow area and started into the fruit and vegetable industry.
Most of these people (70%) were from the Danube-Swabian area; the rest from Germany, Austria, Poland, Russia and other European countries. The Danube-Swabian people originally came from the south-west provinces of Germany and, then settled in the south-east beside the Danube River. After years, all these settlers became known ''Danube Swabians''.
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