Page 9 - SC Senior Living Guide

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by Joselyn King, The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register
Gerda Zervos remembers growing up never one to sit down, brood and feel
in Nazi Germany in the 1930s, where if sorry for myself — even if I had reason
you had four children, you got a Volk- to do it.”
swagen courtesy of the government. Early Days in Eutin
If you had seven children, you “got a Zervos was born the only child of an
bungalow,” she said. affluent family in Eutin, located in the

Born in Eutin, Germany in 1928, Zervos’ British Zone.
life led her to America and West Vir- Her father operated a condensed milk
ginia’s Northern Panhandle by the late company, where he employed French,
1940’s. English and Italian prisoners. All the
German men of working age were
The German war bride left Germany for
America in 1948, settled in Moundsville involved in the war effort. She was
and became an American citizen within educated in a private school. In addition
five years. She was widowed by 1967, to German, she spoke English, French
and then raised seven children alone. and Latin.
In the 1930s, German women didn’t
And she is proud that all have gone on
to be intelligent, educated and produc- want to have many children, so to entice
tive citizens. them Adolf Hitler’s regime offered
generous rewards, according to Zervos.
Zervos always told her children, “If Families with four children received
you’re smart, take advantage of it.” a Volkswagen, while those with seven
“And they were all smart enough,” she children were given a bungalow.
said. “I did the best I could with them As a teenager, she belonged to a Hitler
and set a good example. I didn’t smoke, Youth group that went on trips out of
drink or run around. I was there for the country, and marched the streets in
them. … I have had an active life. I was Germany singing German songs. Zervos