Winzer German DP camp

Displaced Persons - Winzer German DP camp
By Daria Bonominibono@warwick.net

Winzer near Deggendorf, Ukrainians
11/21/06
I am researching Ukrainian DP Camp in Winzer, Germany. It was not large but this is where I spent the first two years of my life; where my parents met and were married. I am trying to put together a family history for our children and grandchildren. Winzer is located near Deggendorf where I was born. If you have any information, please advise: Daria bono@warwick.net

I do know that it was a small camp with maybe 300 people living there. My parents have numerous photographs of weddings and group photos even the Police Dept., a choir, Christmas caroling, etc. We lived there from 1946-48 and then moved on to a huge building in Munich where we lived for a year prior to our leaving Germany for the USA. My dad tells me many stories but mom can no longer speak, she had a stroke 3 years ago. I need to put all this information on paper so that our future generations know who we were and we are. Thanks again for all your help.

Update 6/30/2018:
Yippee, I did it! I may have 3 more photos and that would be all that exists besides the personal ones of my mom and her 2 friends. All of the research that I have done for the past several years, I come up with nothing on Winzer DP camp, as if it did not exist. You have a section on Deggendorf which was primarily Jewish according to their records, possibly 1500 to 2000 people. Winzer is just a small town within the Deggendorf District and according to the book I read “The Refugee Experience” one line claims that there were 350+ Ukrainians living there, and I am assuming this camp may have been Ukrainians only.

The pictures show that schools existed, church was alive and flourishing, police security, celebrations such as weddings, baptisms, theatrical events, traditions continued in this small Ukrainian community built in the Winzer DP Camp.

The only thing that I remember my mom saying about living in the camp was that we were always hungry. She made up for that as my siblings and I grew up. I just can’t even imagine what these people lived thru, survived and carried on.

Your site keeps all the information out there, true experiences and photos to prove it. There are not too many left of that generation and we are the next to go but at least the info is out there. My little 11 year old granddaughter read the book I wrote about my parents and their experiences due to their Ellis Island project. She was fascinated and at least it is in her mind and hopefully she will remember and pass it on. Thank you again.

Daria (Maslihan) Bonomini: bono@warwick.net

Photos depicting Winzer DP Camp in Deggendorf, Germany, with several hundred Ukrainians residing, pictures from 1946-1948.

Researching the camp, according to what I read, this was to be a Jewish DP camp. Don’t know how many. My father and other records tell that there were approx. 350+ Ukrianians in the camp. Other Eastern Europeans were there as well since I have heard from Polish and Jewish people letting me know that their relatives were there. People in these camps were segregated by the nationality. They were more comforting for each group; felt more like home to them who had lost everything in their homeland, even their families.

Photos above: Group photo at Winzer. Notice the priest is in the middle is Priest A. Szczerban.He shows up in most pictures especially wedding pictures. Photos I am sending you are from the Gregulak family, who reisided in Michigan and now in Missouri. This family and my

It was such a shock for my brother and I to see my father in one of the photos where Shevchenko’s picture is
being held on stage. My father knew 2 of the men in that photo as well. The internet is such an amazing tool!!! Mary Wenger marywenger@mymts.net

These photos I received from the Australian family--wish I had his name. Last photo of the to the family as a blessing for their future.

This post card photo shows the SS Warner Kaserne building in Munich, Germany. This building was originally constructed to be the headquarters of Hitler’s guard regiment but ended up as a replacement station for the artillery units on the Eastern front. This building was huge and very well protected from bombings. War ended and building was deserted; in 1945 it was taken over by UNESCO org. to be maintained as a temporary home for the DP;s. When Winzer was disbanded, this is where we were all sent to (in 1948) prior to leaving Germany to different parts of the world. My family left in 1949 for the United States.

1/10/2019 Update to Olga:
I am so glad you received it [donation], and you are so deserving of it. You have created a library of info on DP Camps which is so valuable to the future generations. Our parents have passed and it is now our time to leave this legacy because after we are gone, there won’t be anyone else living to speak of that time in history. So, what you have created is a treasure of information and I appreciate it.

I have just heard from a young woman from Albania whose family migrated to Australia. She has sent some photos with names and I promised her that I would send them on. I heard from friends that one of the gentlemen who lived at the Winzer camp passed away on Christmas Eve, he truly was a gentleman. His name is Anton Duch from Michigan 97, and he became very close with my dad until my dad died and I kept in touch with him thru the years. Most of the people my parents befriended during that time have passed away, except for a sweet dear woman, Mrs. Kurniawka, living in MA with her loving daughter. She is the last of my parents’ friends and she will be 100 years old this year. I love her to death, because she is the last that speaks of those times. Thank you again and Happy New Year! Daria bono@warwick.net

Aug. 9, 2019 Hi Olga,

Thank you very much for all of the info that you sent me! I didn’t know that a search [International Tracing Service - https://arolsen-archives.org/en/ ] was available for me to look into my father’s locations!

My father, Andrew (Andrij) Wenger, born 1924, was wrongly convicted of belonging to UPA and was placed into forced labour from 1943-1945.

He spent that time in 4 concentration camps, witnessing “Hell on earth”. They were Buchenwald, Dachau, Flossenberg and Gross-Rosen. Again there might be one more that I will confirm with him today or tomorrow. I’m attaching 9 pictures/files for you to include in your website, please! The one with the ship is one that you may not want because that was the ship that brought my father to Halifax, Canada in 1949.

Thank you again for developing this website. I look forward to showing this to my father! :)

I sincerely Thank You!,
Mary Wenger marywenger@mymts.net

Carolers - Andrij Wenger (on right) CampWinzer 1946-48.jpg

Daria Bonomani, from NJ, said her father Joseph Maslihan is standing to the right of the star.

Andrij Wenger's friend

The ship Samaria took my father from England to Halifax Canada in 1949. The journey took 12 days from coast to coast. My father’s bunker was at the front of the ship causing my father to frequently become ill from motion sickness.

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Feb 7, 2021
Awhile back I heard from a young woman; I believe her name was Tammy. I believe she was in Albania a the time and her family lived in Australia. She sent me photos and I promised her that I would send them to you. She gave me a little info but my computer died and I lost everything including all messages from people around the world. At least they are on your website and that eased my despair.

Daria Bonominibono@warwick.net

From Olga OKaczmar@gmail.com
So, Tammy, if you see this, write me to put more captions under your photos, include more phones and tell us your story.