(Photo of the mother and daughter by the International Tracing Service)
Margot Bachmann was born on October 24, 1944 in Heidelberg, Germany. Her mother, an Italian woman, was a forced laborer in that city. A German soldier impregnated her. When she was born, Bachmann was taken away. She never saw her mother.
The soldier’s family raised her while the mother vanished into the chaos of the end of World War II. Bachmann asked the International Tracing Service to try to find her mother—if she was even alive. The organization was successful. They found the 91-year old unnamed mother in her hometown of Noverella, Italy. Bachmann sent her a letter, which is excerpted here:
Dear Mum, my name is Margot Bachmann and I am your daughter, born on Oct 25 1944 in Heidelberg. All my life I asked my family about you, without being given any answers. I want to come and find you so that I can hug you once again. I’m immensely happy to be able to finally know you.
The two met in Noverella on August 8. Pictured above is a photo album that Bachmann made for her mother.
-via Marilyn Terrell