My Loving Grandfather: Internment in North Dakota

I had a very loving Grandfather that was from Germany. He wanted a better life for himself and his family - so he came over from Germany to the United States. He was a Doctor of Chiropractic Therapy. He wanted to become an American Doctor so was attending the University in San Francisco. He always checked in with the German Embassy in San Francisco every week to get the news of what was going on in Germany with the war, etc. One day in 1943, my Grandfather was attending classes when he was arrested by the FBI because he was of German decent and taken to Ft. Lincoln in North Dakota which was where the German American Internment camp was located. He went for many hearings trying to explain his reasons for being in the United States. He did this from 1943-1948. Always held as a prisoner in Ft. Lincoln. He was being accused of being a German Spy. Many family members wrote letters to the authorities to explain his reason for being in America but they never helped. He was sent back and forth from North Dakota to Ellis Island until his release finally in 1948. He lived six more months after his release then passed away from a heart condition he obtained while being imprisoned. He passed away at the age of 35 and never had the opportunity to see his grandchildren or family ever again. He never had the opportunity to prove himself as a great Doctor and lost all of his only possessions over this tragic event. My heart goes out to all the German American Internees for what they had to go through because each and every one has a similar story as my Grandfather.

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