Whither Thou Goest: A Life in Pomerania by Karen Kressin

Review by Elma (Martens) Schemenauer

Growing up, I lived near my grandfathers, both named Jacob, and my uncles, two of them also named Jacob. I lived close to a number of my cousins. That sort of family situation was common among people with my Dutch-German Mennonite roots.

 

It was also common among the German Lutherans that Karen Kressin writes about in Whither Thou Goest: A Life in Pomerania. During the time of Kressin's book (1814-1868), this northeastern European area belonged to the powerful German-speaking state of Prussia. (Since 1945, most of Pomerania has been part of Poland.)

 

Whither Thou Goest starts with its main character, Maria Treptow, enjoying a secure and mostly carefree childhood in her family-oriented, church-centred village of Gützlaffshagen. She and her cousins share Christmas traditions, pick cherries, and carry meals to workers in the hay fields. Through specifics such as these, Kressin paints a colorful and heart-warming picture of life at the time in that setting.

 

As the book continues, we read of Maria's experiences as a young woman with a young woman's enthusiasms and temptations. Sadly, a misstep leads to shame, disgrace, and a secret Maria refuses to tell.

 

Eventually she moves into a happier situation in another village. The author tells of Maria's joys and challenges as a wife and mother. They culminate with her as a grandmother torn between staying in her beloved Pomerania and emigrating to Wisconsin, as her husband wants to do. A prologue and postscript give highlights of their ocean voyage in 1868, and the new life in America.

 

Occasional German words add to the flavor of this winsome book. They include Pfingstbaum (maypole), Bauerndorf (farm village), Himmel (heaven), and Leevsten (true love). The political and military developments of the times are woven into the story in an informative and interesting way. Black and white drawings by professional artist Ruslan Vigovsky enhance the book's appeal.

 

Whither Thou Goest will resonate with people interested in history, village life, coming of age, faith, love, marriage, parenting, family roots, and the emigration experience.

It's a 196-page illustrated, large-print paperback available from Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/karen-kressin/whither-thou-goest-a-life-in-pomerania/paperback/product-23226964.html