Maria Brand

From the Land of Westphalia to the Shores of the Pacific Maria Brand

I believe many immigrants can identify with this book, because we all share the experience of being uprooted, having to learn a new language and losing our children to a culture we can never fully embrace. This, we all share, regardless of what continent we call home. In addition, if you come from a country that America is or has been at war with, it is difficult to endure the constant propaganda against your country of origin, where many of your relatives may still reside. I have written about the pain I felt every time I heard the word "Nazi" applied to all of my people. To relieve my frustration, I tried to document the way I grew up in the West Muensterland, near the Dutch border, how I met and married my husband in Hawaii, and our life together including raising our two sons. I have written about our successes and failures, our anxieties and joys, and growing old together. I have included letters to senators and congressmen regarding current issues and their replies. You will also read how my husband and I promoted the contributions Germans in America have made for more than 350 years. For all this effort, we where honored by the "German American Heritage Foundation of the USA" in 2003, as well as by the German Government in the year 2000. I lost my partner and best friend of 45 years in 2005. I continue my efforts and research via the internet. My web-site is listed on the back cover of the book. I am grateful to America for broadening my horizons and opening paths I would not have dared to walk on in Germany. I also believe America was blessed by having so many Germans come to these shores. Maria Brand