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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 9, 1963)
SUNDAY. JUNE I. 1363 MEDFOHD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON cars of Prison Camp Appear Healing in Talk With Local Woman EVA HAMILTON Mill Tribune Sail Writer "II you reHy want to do something and try very hard, you cut. Thil I believe. The car of the young heal rap idly." These words with an Hora tio Alger tinge would not be ntrnriintf in a bit of com mencement oratory at this teason of the year. Spoken by a little woman whose reddish hair covers a patched up skull-whose able hands were gathering up bit of human bodies at the age when American girls clutch prom corsages - they become astonishingly significant. For looking at Trudi (Mrs. Donald C.) Bills, one is con inntj h the scars have healed. Her deep blue eyes reflect no bitterness, tier raa iDn .win reinonds with healthy elasticity to her warm smile when she rings aoor bell to say "Avon calling'' in typical American style. Assigned Tasks There is nothing mildly sug cii.; nf the austerity of oris on camp in the personality of this furmcr Estonian gin. oui she was there and she was as signed Usks which should never have been performed by human hands of any age. Now the wife of MSgt. Donald C. Bills, U.S. Army, current residence 38 Summit ave., Mcdford, she is dedicated to being happy. To transier ring to her four year old daughter. T a ni m a r a, the worthwhile things she brings from the old country. For in stance an understanding of seven languages, in addition to English (wnicn sne ue scribes as "not too good'). Trudi's home was In Kcr. iimhcn Estonia, near the Finnish border. It Is now con trolled by Russia. Life on a small farm acreage was filled with heavy tasks but colorful traditions. Aitand Public School She had attended public school from 7:30 a.m. to 7;30 p.m., walking many mles to r' . V I MRS. TRUDI BILLS Reviews Expariancas thm rhnnl tnr four veara and then had qualified for higher education, financed by me government, even to the inclu inn nt clothes. For many venrs the was a student ai medical school under this pro gram. Then one day some one said a citizen of the village had k t a Herman so dier. Every family was notified that within 24 hours all would be transferred to a civilian prison nmn rjunishment. In four the cattle trucks had arrived. Trudl was 16. Fam ilies were allowed to carry with thorn onlv the clothes they were wearing. They were ordered to gather up food sup plies to last for 24 hours. For lour days mcy iraveiea. Their captors, not they, ate th "i.hniir 1nnri mnnlv. Mm Bills related the story. Hard labor became her constant pnmnjinlnn nn the trln and af ter they entered the prison camps. She never saw her stcDmother. father and slaters and brother, there were live in the family. Sh ujm vertf small fnr her age, she said, the "shrimp in thA famllv " Hjtr father WBI more than six feet tall and so was her mother, a normal height in Estonia. Trudi is now S feet, three, and she grew "a head taller after mar riage," she explained. The nrUnn pnmn war moved from place to place. Pitching hay, milking cows, cleaning up trenches, shelters and rail road tracks alter bombings be came ordinary work for Trudi and the one person from her home town who remained with her. This girl friend, she re called, made all things bear able. Her sense of humor tran scended the most horrible ex periences encountered. Then one night this one contact was removed. The two girls, after working all day in the fields, were ordered to wash the dishes for the owners ol the land. Events War Common A duke, or his equivalent in Germany, had given a big party. These events, Mrs. Bills recalls, were common in Ger many even after hordes were starving, for followers of Hit ler were still shouting that they would win the war and this called for celebration. Too fatigued to be careful, Trudi dropped a china saucer and broke it. The hostess grabbed a steel plated broom and struck her on the head. Her girl friend came to her defense by attacking tne worn. an and was Dayoneica iu death by a guard. When Trudi regained ncr senses four months later on the straw bed of the prison camp, she learned ol ner friend's death. After that nothing seemed to matter. She had lost complete contact wun her former home. A Polish doctor in the prison camp had operated on her skul and sub stituted a piece of chicken wire for the damaged bones. After the American troops took over Germany an Army doctor operated again and was amazed at the success oi tne Polish doctor's work. He put silver plates in the girl's skull and thev are still tnere. There was kindness in tnis area, however, the Avon rep resentative remembers. Taken To Farm Each morning at one en campment the prisoners were called off by numbers. Those who ran fast in response to the call were taken to a farm to work. One particular farm er of Polish descent, was kind and employed a number of secret methods by which to give forbidden food to the prisoners. He would hide foods under small mounds. It was sometimes like a treasure hunt. He would order the pris oners into the barn to milk and they would be allowed to drink all the milk they could. a truly rare treat after months of a watery soup and cabbage menu. There was also "a lady, Trudi mentioned, "who left little signs along the road in dicating where bread could be found, and believe me," the Medford woman added, "when one is starving, she learns to look for signs, any sign." This woman was a German but not a Nazi and she ended her life in blindness. Her eyes were damaged in a bombing, Mrs. Bills said, and she was denied medical care because she was not a Nazi. One of the most revolting assignments given the prison ers was to go into Vienna to gather uo the pregnant wom en and children, who were designated as "The race of the future," Mrs. Bills said. The risks were great and they were always taken by the prisoners, according to the Medford narrator. The guards stood back and the women prisoners went forward. En route to Germany the train was bombed broadside, wom en were not permitted to gather up or bury their dead. A sliange thing occurred In Dresden," Mrs. Bills com mented. "The English bombed for 48 hours, but the prison area was not touched. NoUv ing happened. It was as If God's hand was spread in pro tection over the prisoners. There was so little clothing, heavy wooden shoes and rags. When a prisoner died, her clothes were taken and inr mediately donned by another. "When the American troops came, all the young people were gathered up and turned over to the Red Cross. We were given our choice of go ing to the Displaced Persons camp or the Red Cross. "I chose the Red Cross," Mrs. Bills reviewed the day, "The first thing we got was towels. I'll never forget those towels and that beautiful soap. Sweetheart soap. We showered in a circle surround ed with blankets, head and feet showing. It was wonder ful. All our rags were taken and burned and we were given Army fatigues and boots, but they were clean. Skirts and blouses later substituted for the fatigues during the day and I got the first anklets I ever wore." It was in a skirt and blouse that Trudi went to work at Patton Barracks in Heidel- burg, where she met her hus band. The Red Cross got her the job. Also there she met General Eisenhower and saw Mamie frequently eating lunch. She recalls that Ike was a wonderful fellow who wore an "old sloppy jacket." Was it no longer like the Heidelburg of Student Prince? she was asked. "Oh yes, still beautiful. The one city that! was not bombed. You see they intended to use it for head quarters. Heidelburg was still beautiful," she beamed. "But Mannheim IS miles away was bombed." Remanea Develops Trudi's romance developed in Heidelburg. And even as that of the little heroine in "The Student Prince," it ran into troubles. Trudi had to prove that she had been born. That she was a citizen of Es tonia before she could marry a man In the U.S. service. That proof was not easy to find. It was through this search that her prospective husband relocated her family. "It took us two and a half years to get married," she de clared. They found her father, step mother, sisters and brother, alive. But her brother had been the victim of a hideous atrocity. All had relocated in Bavaria. After being stateless for five years they spent two additional years becoming Germans. Her sister married a German engineer and is now living in Canada. A few years ago, Trudi's father (no longer living) came to Canada to visit. She was unable to join him there but they engaged in a telephone conversation "And what do you think," she laughed, "We couldn't seem to get together on our homeland languages." She speaks Finnish, Lapp, Es tonian, Russian, German, Pol ish, Lithuanian. "Finally Dad, who had been in Canada only a year, said "Let's speak Eng lish' and we did." i CALL 773-7103 To Consolidate Your Bills Into One Payment .Without Borrowing! Credit Equity, Inc., -was founded for tha purpose of aiding families over burdened by debt. CREDIT EQUITY, INC. Room 20) Medical Ctnltr Slda. Licensed and Banded in Oregon Mail this Clippinf Far Further Details No Obligation! Name Address Phone I All Information 1 aj Confidential Z Strictly OPEN 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Evenings by Appointment r . , lzTmTfi'i I J - . ana Hafril r JfeJIMT IMMrlt 0 9 I I .1 1 V UK J( -- win SHOWMAN Billy the North American black boar, one of the residents of the Twin fines zoo in we mmum ts noted as a showman. He can drink soda pop as fast as It can be opened lor mm. v 1 NEW ADDITION One ot the operators of the Twin Pines zoo holds a Klnkajou, better known as a honey bear. The zoo has acquired a pair ot these animals, members of the cat family. Three New Animals in Area Zoo By KATHERINE SCOTT Mall Tribune Corraipendtnt Illinois Valley Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Edwards, new owners ol the Twin Pines ioo, located Just north of the Oregon-California slate line on the Redwood highway, recently returned from a Nine Days of Rites For Pope UnderWay Vatican City - ITD - Nine days of funeral rites for Pope John XX11I began Friday in the Basilica under which his body lies entombed. The series of services In St. Peter's, the largest church In Christendom, will last un til June 17, two days before the Sacred College of Cardi nals meets to choose a suc cessor to Pope John, who died Monday at the age of 81 from a stomach tumor be lieved to be cancerous. The Pope's triple coffin was placed In the grottoes below the church Thursday among the tombs of past popes and kings, and was bricked up In a plain nlcht adorned only with a plaque ot the Ma donna. It will be moved later to the Roman Church of St. John r an adjoining palace, as requeated In the Pope's will. Portland trip on which they purchased three new animals. As a result of their acqui sitions, the zoo now boasts a pair ot Klnkajou, belter known as honey bears, and a young ocelot. The Klnkajou actually come from the cat family but are described as timid. Their clear honey color earned Ihem the name of honey bears. The ocelot alo Is a mem ber of the rat family. This one, named Ozzle, was at one lime a house pet and later was given to the Portland ion. IS Animals In Zoo The new additions bring to 19 the tnlal number of ani mals at the zoo, operated In conjunction with a motel and cafe at Twin Pines. Eight of the 15 are mon keys, Including a pair of Japanese Macquc, Spider and Juva monkeys and Individual Weber and Gibbon monkeys. The other animals are a porcupine, a tunic rabbit. Sam the badger and Billy the North American black bear. The pet rabbit was moved to an empty cage next to the spider monkeys In order to make room for the ocelot. Cindy, the female Spider monkey, has decided that the rabbit makes a good pillow, so the two spend their nights together. Sum the badger and Billy the bear are showmen, parti cularly Billy, who can drink soda pop as fast as It can be ! opened for him. Billy was caught as a yearling and wns raised in his present home, lie will be 19 this summer. Mr. and Mrs. EdwBrds and their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Wallace moved here about three months ago, Edwards is a re tired captain with the Santa Ana, Calif., fire department. Wallace was a restaurant owner In Anaheim, Calif. A nominal admission fee Is charged at the zoo. Defective Wiring Blamod in Fatal fire Portland - KTt - Defective , wiring was blamed tentative ly Thursday for a house fire that took the lives of three-year-old twins Wednesday. Patrick and Patricia Yeag. er were pronounced dead at a hoaultal after belli over. come by smoke. Their mother, i mrs. ineresa Yeager, 38, was In serious condition as a re sult of imokt inhalation and burns. SPECIAL NOTICE Due to rising costs of operation, labor, etc., we find it necessary to institute a raise in the price of our fuel. 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Don't settle for less get the best, and that's Rogue River Valley's top favorite, top-quality JORGENSEN'S MILK. Make THREE GLASSES A DAY a habit with every mem ber of YOUR FAMILY. For Fine Dairy Products W Always Ash tor 'Jorgenscm9
