This is the next stage of my grandfather’s life. He is not yet four, but has suffered more than most people in a lifetime.
He bases his stories on documents which he had. Unfortunately they are lost.
On the 6th October 1879 Martin the woodman , on behalf of my father, tried to reach an agreement in Szeinica to get my mother to be reconciled and return. The whole of the Fuchs family was present as was Captain Reis. The definitive separation occurred on the 25 July 1880 when my mother declared the words “No, I do not want to live with Forester Gustaw Wisoky.
I stayed with my father, who had the right to choose, either to take me straightaway with him, or to leave me with my mother until I turned 4.
On 2nd August 1880 my mother and father reached an agreement where my father agreed to pay my mother 10 florins for food and 6 florins for linen and clothing until I was four years old.
That agreement wasn’t fulfilled by my father. Because already on the 4th August he authorised the woodmen Martin and Woodman Józef Guhs , together with his wife Teresa Guhs from Schnellersruhe, to make a new agreement. This reversal was in principle very similar to the one he had made with my mother .
On the basis of this contract , on Thursday 5th August 1880 I arrived in Schnellersruhe . Already on the 8th of August my mother writes the following letter to my father.
Mr Forester!
As you surely know I have been to Schnellersruhe to see my son. I found out yesterday that you have put my son in the care of a very harsh person. I found my child very hungry, dirty and poorly dressed. My poor child did not get anything to eat all day, as that Guhs and his wife were not at home. That poor child was completely alone in the care of the cripple who in my opinion needs taking care of himself. My child, for whom I suffered so much and worried about so much – you Mr Forester , want to ensure that he does not know who his own mother is. I am the mother of this child and you want to. deprive him of me.
It is not enough for you that I am unhappy because of you and now you want to make the child unhappy like me. As soon as my child saw me he started to cry and kept on begging for food, crying Mama. If this stern person behaves like this now what will it be like later? He doesn’t know how to look after a child as God does not give children to such bad people. What will happen to the child when there will be no one left to help him? I raised my child with difficulty but not with dead chickens.
When you gave your child to the Guhs family, you also gave them some chickens, but they died on the way. That poor child was given them to eat. The meat from the chickens in his hand was smelling rancid and he, crying and vomiting, was asking me for food. When I asked Mrs Guhs to give some coffee to the little one she said oh I never give coffee in the afternoon.
Mr Forester, did you sign the agreement so that my child would be hungry? I want my child back with me by this evening. If you don’t deliver the child to me then he will be taken from you through the courts.
Mr Forester!
8/8/ 1880
Julia Fuchs

I love this story! I do hope there’s a happy ending for this poor boy.
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I’m afraid that would be telling! Keep reading!
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Heartbreaking yet powerful memoir of resilience.
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Interesting stuff Basia. This feels like there are quite a few more chapters in this multi part history to come over the coming weeks and months. I look forward to reading the rest!
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You can read part 4 today!
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Very sad indeed.
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Oh Basiu, How sad! Is there a Part 4?
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Oh dear. But yes, it is an incredibly sad story.
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Some adults are so unkind to children. It breaks my heart. I can’t imagine having kept my thee sons hungry!! xx
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