Re: Janis Rempe 1926 Riga, Latvia
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Re: Janis Rempe 1926 Riga, Latvia
Ruby Rempe 9/28/99
Janis is Latvian for John.He was born/raised on a farm outside Riga, Latvia and then drafted by the Germans in 1944? after they took over the Baltic States in 1940-41? from the Russians.He was trained as a radio operator by the Germans but contracted jaundice and remained in a sanitorium until shortly before the Russians recaptured Latvia.He probably fled at this time to Holland where he was captured by the Americans and 'processed.He was then discharged to England as a 'deported person' and worked on a farm where he met his wife (a British citizen).They had a son (my husband) and daughter and moved to Toronto, Canada in 1966.He died in 1975.We have had little contact with Janis' sister who still lives in Latvia because of the language and until Latvia proclaimed itself independent it was next to impossible to communicate with them.Now that my husband and I have 3 sons, we are curious if there is any other information about Latvian Rempes or whether they actually originated in Germany where there seems to be alot more Rempe surnames.Rempe is not a 'typical' Latvian name.
More Replies:
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Re: Janis Rempe 1926 Riga, Latvia
Ruby Rempe 10/31/99