Helmut Comp

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Helmut Komp 1954

Helmut Komp (born May 3,  1930 in Königsberg / Pr. , † April 21,  2016 in Leisnig ) was a German writer , teacher , translator and interpreter from East Prussia .

Life

Childhood and youth in East Prussia

Helmut Komp's pilgrimage
from April 20 to August 16, 1947

Helmut Komp was born on May 3, 1930 as the son of the aircraft engine fitter August Otto Komp (born January 24, 1901; missing from April 8, 1945) and the singer Anna Maria Komp, b. Dorsch (born January 26, 1902 - September 18, 1945), born in Königsberg. From 1936 to 1944 he attended the Königsberg Kantschule on the Oberlaak . In March 1936 he became a member of the German Young People . In April 1944 he began an apprenticeship as a typesetter at the Preussische Zeitung, which ended in December 1944 due to the approaching Eastern Front and the war impact of the Battle of East Prussia . In September 1944 he joined the Hitler Youth (Flieger HJ) and from November 1944 became their comradeship leader. From July 1944 to August 1944 he worked on the fortifications of the East Prussian protection position. He survived the fortress from January 28, 1945 to April 9, 1945. He then had to experience the death of his mother and on October 24, 1945 the death of his sister Erika by starvation. Sister Irmgard was taken to a re-education camp in the Königsberg suburb of Quednau by the Russian commandant and was considered missing from then on. He survived the famine year of 1946 together with his brother Manfred in the Königsberg city ruins with occasional and clean-up work for food for the commandant's office.

Helmut Komp was the last living witness who, as a reporter of the water police , Amt 8, saw the amber room in the Königsberg castle courtyard on April 6, 1945, which was already packed in 1.8 m wide boxes . In order to protect it from the approaching front-line impact, the boxes were transported by the Böhme SS group to the vaults of the Steindammer Church , 200 m from the castle , where Helmut Komp and his brother Manfred almost collapsed while searching for food in June 1945 Saw vault caps standing.

Escape

At the beginning of 1947, survival without work became more and more hopeless, so on April 20, 1947, he dared to flee the occupied city with his brother Manfred, hidden in a freight wagon equipped with a kettle. After a night train ride on the Königsberg - Leningrad railway connection , both reached the city of Pilviškiai on April 21, 1947. There they jumped off the moving train before reaching the station and fought their way begging until July 1947 as so-called " wolf children " south to the farmer's settlement Žukliai, parish Paežerėliai on the Memel , near Kriūkai, where they were supported by Vincas and Gene Balevičius ( † 1988) were taken in and cared for.

Helmut Komp ro, Vincas Balevičius (with hat) and Gene Balevičius (with apple 2nd from left) and their children in Lithuania in 1948

The peasant couple Balevičius supported Helmut Komp, who called himself from Algimentas Balevičius , like his own son. Balevičius' dislike as later nationalist mayor of Žukliai in 1951 against Soviet rule and the centuries-long peaceful proximity of the Lithuanians to the East Prussians were the motives for hiding the German boy from the Soviet purges for over four years. Algimentas supported Balevičius in supplying the "Grünwalder" partisans in the woods who were fighting against the Soviets. Algimentas became a member of the kolkhoz , learned the Lithuanian language and was appointed a brigadier because he was the only one among the Lithuanian four-class school leavers to master the calculation of areas.

In early 1948 the militia administration in nearby Kriūkai threatened to take coercive measures if Komp did not leave the country within 48 hours. But Balevičius' relationships helped again, if only because he needed a harvest helper for the upcoming harvest. In 1951 he was ordered to report to Šakiai , where he was interrogated by the Russian militia. On May 3, 1951, the armed militia took him to a reception camp in Kapsukas . On May 11, 1951, he came to Kaunas as far as Insterburg by freight train . Only then did he find out that the transport was not going to a gulag , as feared , but to Germany. The onward transport led via Frankfurt (Oder) to the quarantine camp in the garrison town of Bischofswerda on May 12, 1951.

Life in the GDR

Helmut Komp with Walter Ulbricht on August 23, 1953 for the laying of the foundation stone of the Ring-Café in Leipzig

On June 14, 1951, Helmut Komp was released to Leipzig from quarantine, which mainly consisted of physical strengthening, civilization and delousing . Since he had no relatives, he was given a place in a branch of the Martin-Andersen-Nexö-Heim at Ferdinand-Rohde- Strasse 20 and an apprenticeship at the Gatzsche building locksmith in Markkleeberg . He stayed here and obtained his qualification as a building fitter until 1953.

In September 1953 he was delegated to the workers and farmers faculty in Leipzig, which was founded by law in 1947 . There he acquired his university entrance qualification by July 1956 and became a member of the FDJ . In September 1956 he began studying Slavic and German studies at the Humboldt University in Berlin under Hans Holm Bielfeldt and Viktor Falkenhahn , which he successfully completed in 1961 with the “ state examination for German and Russian up to 12th grade”. In August 1955 he met his future wife Inge Rüdiger, whom he married in 1959, in a student summer at the Neumühle holiday camp in Haynsburg an der Weißen Elster near Zeitz . In 1962 his son Stephan was born.

Through his father-in-law, Komp and his wife Inge had been members of the NDPD since June 1961 . From 1972 to 1979, Komp was a member of the NDPD in the district council of the Döbeln district . From 1961 to 1963 he was district chairman of the NDPD in the Döbeln district and from 1963 to April 1989 local chairman of the NDPD local group in Waldheim. Helmut Komp was a member of the round table in Waldheim from December 27, 1989 to May 4, 1990 .

He combined the literary knowledge he acquired during his studies with his Lithuanian language skills and in 1964 began translating Lithuanian literature into German with his Berlin friend Ewald Jurgschat. He maintained the connections to Lithuania and regularly traveled back to Žukliai, sometimes with the whole family.

Helmut Komp as Russian teacher in the phonetic language cabinet at EOS in Waldheim in May 1980

From September 1961 to July 1963 he was a trainee teacher at the extended high school " Gotthold Ephraim Lessing " in Döbeln in the subjects of civics , German and Russian, and in July 1962 passed the second teacher examination. From September 1963 to December 1979 he was a specialist teacher for German, Russian and class teacher at the “ Julius Fučik ” extended high school in Waldheim. In 1974 he officiated as a trade union culture functionary of the FDGB , chairman of the DSF basic organization "Julius Fučík", member of the district expert commission on Russian in Döbeln and study circle leader. From November 1971 to December 1971 and from February 1978 to July 1978 Helmut Komp completed advanced Russian courses in Moscow . From January 1979 to July 1982 Komp worked as a teacher for Russian and German at the Polytechnic High School " Hans Beimler " in Leisnig . From September 1982 to July 1992 he was a skilled teacher of Russian and German at the Alexander and Gertrude Nero Slow - Polytechnic High School in Waldheim .

Helmut Komp at the NDPD district party conference in 1979 in Döbeln

Post-turnaround time

After the end of the Soviet Union , Komp was allowed to travel to his hometown Königsberg for the first time in 47 years. In 1992 Helmut Komp retired . During a search at the German Red Cross in autumn 1993, after 47 years, he found his sister Irmgard, who was believed to be dead, in Falkenstein / Vogtl. again. A pronunciation error by the Russian authorities had falsified the sister's last name on "Come". Helmut Komp last lived in the senior center Waldidyll in Paudritzsch , a district of the city of Leisnig, in Saxony. He maintained extensive connections and correspondence with the Lithuanian writers. In a poem he wrote:

 “Longing and sadness in me that I dare to be at the Kantschul again. On the Oberlaak. "

plant

Helmut Komp translated over 100 novellas, novels and short stories from the Lithuanian language into German, among others by Alfonsas Bieliauskas, Vytautas Jurgis Bubnys, Algirdas Pocius, Romualdas Lankauskas and Kazys Saja. In the GDR he was the only German translator for the Lithuanian language alongside Irene Brewing. For this he was awarded by the Lithuanian government.

Awards

Fonts

  • Children of a lost home. Self-published, Waldheim, 2005.
  • Rowan trees by the road. In: Wilhelm Ruprecht Frieling (Ed.): At the turn of the year 1998/99. Frieling Verlag, Berlin-Steglitz 1999, ISBN 3-8280-0808-9 , p. 246.

Translations (small selection)

  • Alfonsas Bieliauskas: I 'll see you again, Wilma. Verlag Neues Leben, Berlin 1964, license no. 4170.
  • Kazys Saja: ruffians and goblins. Children's book publisher, Berlin 1976, license no. 304-270 / 404 / 74- (10).
  • Vytautas Bubnys: Under the summer sky. Culture and Progress , Berlin 1976, License No. 647 1051.
  • Vladas Dautartas: Being is all time. St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig 1981, license no. 480/27/82.
  • Kazys Saja: When I was still wearing wooden shoes. St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig 1984, license no. 480/82/83.
  • Vytautas Bubnys and Pranas Treinys: You can only see clearly with the heart. St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig 1984, license no. 480/78/84.
  • Vytautas Bubnys: The Angel's Lamp. Thursday three o'clock. Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, Berlin 1989, license no. 3-374-00799-6.

literature

  • Wilhelm Ruprecht Frieling (Ed.): It was then. Frieling Verlag, Berlin-Steglitz 2001, ISBN 3-8280-1432-1 .
  • Königsberg residents' register (Pr.) 1941. Georg Olms Verlag, Hildesheim 1993, p. 139.
  • dr: A very, very good friend of the Lithuanians. In: Döbelner Anzeiger. No. 27, February 16, 1991, page 5.
  • Klaus Mittermaier: What is missing: the work of the German tracing service. Ch. Links Verlag, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-86153-256-5 .
  • Olga Kurilo : The Second World War in German and Russian memories. Avinus Verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-930064-67-7 .
  • Peter Bruhn: The Amber Room in Tsarskoe Selo near Saint Petersburg. Bibliography with over 3800 references from the years 1790 to 2003. Bock & Kübler, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-86155-109-8 .
  • Heinrich Homann: The NDPD: co-creators of the developed socialist society. From speeches and contributions by Professor Dr. Heinrich Homann, 1971–1985. Verlag der Nation, Berlin 1986, ISBN 3-373-00085-8 .
  • Bertolt Brandt: Russian Studies in the GDR. Bibliography on linguistics, literary studies and methodology of Russian lessons 1967–1977. Verlag Volk und Wissen, Berlin 1979, k. A.

Web links

Commons : Helmut Komp  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • online archaeologists discover clues in RUFO (news agency) Kant monument or amber room in the secret bunker? Kaliningrad. A previously unknown space has been discovered under the Bunker Museum at Kaliningrad University. There is soon to be speculation: Is this where the lost Kant monument is perhaps? Or even the Amber Room? Listed November 20, 2009, accessed January 31, 2010.
  • online On the wolf child problem: Anni Mursula The price of survival. The forgotten fate of the wolf children: How war orphans fought their way through East Prussia and Lithuania. Junge Freiheit Verlag GmbH, October 2007, discontinued March 2, 2007, accessed on January 31, 2010.
  • online English-language website with a chronological list of the actions and battles of the Grünwald partisans (here: Part VI (from April 1947 to March 1948) and Part VII (from April 1948 to April 1949) in Lithuania.) compiled by Algis Rupainis, November 1998, Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  • online (PDF; 118 kB) Bibliography of translations of Lithuanian literature in Germany after 1945, compiled by Liane Klein, accessed on January 25, 2010.
  • online obituary notice of Helmut Komp in the Sächsische Zeitung on April 30, 2016, accessed on July 9, 2016.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary notice , accessed on July 10, 2016
  2. ↑ Kurt Dieckert, Horst Grossmann: The struggle for East Prussia. An authentic documentary report. Lindenbaum Verlag GmbH, Beltheim-Schnellbach, February 2010, ISBN 978-3-938176-16-0 , p. 123 ff.
  3. ↑ EB / TS / Helmut Komp: A Waldheimer visits his hometown Königsberg. Döbelner Allgemeine, September 2, 1994, k. A.
  4. ↑ Anneliese Kreutz: The great dying in Königsberg. 1945-1947. Arndt Verlag , Kiel 1988, ISBN 3-88741-137-4 , p. 225 ff.
  5. ^ Günter Wermusch: The Amber Room Saga. Goldmann Verlag, Augsburg. 1992, ISBN 3-442-12420-4 , p. 76.
  6. ↑ Steffi Robak: Myth disenchanted: What else do you want to find there? A Waldheimer believes he was very close to the Amber Room: The effort to recover it today would be too great. Döbelner Allgemeine, February 5, 2003, k. A.
  7. ↑ Stephan Komp: The amber room rots in the earth. According to a previously unpublished testimony, the art treasure is hidden in the vault of the Steindammer Church in Königsberg. Junge Freiheit, Berlin, No. 15/10, April 9, 2010, p. 17.
  8. ↑ Ruth Kibelka: Wolf Children. Cross-border commuters on the Memel. BasisDruck Verlag GmbH, Berlin, 1999, ISBN 3-86163-064-8 , pp. 25ff.
  9. ↑ A very, very good friend of the Lithuanians. Döbelner Anzeiger, No. 27, February 16, 1991, p. 5.
  10. ↑ Leonas Peleckis-Kaktavičius: Vokietis, nė vieną dieną nepamirštantis Lietuvos. "Būkime drūti kaip tie qžuolai ties Nemunu", - rašo kolegoms Lietuvoje lietuvių literatūros vertėjas į vokiečių kalbą Helmutas-Algimentas Balevičius. Lietuvos Aidas Kultūra, No. 85, 1998, p. 27.
  11. ^ Jonas Vaičiūnas: Ten, kur teka Jotulè ir Nyka. Kriventa Publishing House, V. Pietario gatve 5- 3, Vilnius, 2009, ISBN 978-9955-526-50-6 , p. 182.
  12. ^ Franz Tetzner: The Slavs in Germany: Contributions to the folklore of the Prussians, Lithuanians and Latvians, the Masurians and Philippons, the Czechs, Moravians and Sorbs, Polabians and Slovins, Kashubians and Poles F. Vieweg and Son , Wiesbaden, 1902, k. A.
  13. ↑ a b c d Helmut Komp: Edelweiß.Betr .: Episode 34 - "Celebrating Wolf Children". In: The Ostpreußenblatt. Landsmannschaft Ostpreußen e. V., Preußische Allgemeine Zeitung, Hamburg, September 29, 2001. online
  14. ↑ Ingeborg Jacobs: Wolf Child. The incredible life story of the East Prussian girl Liesabeth Otto. Chapter: Forest Brothers. Propylaen Verlag in Ullstein Buchverlage GmbH, Berlin 2010, ISBN 3-549-07371-2 , page 80.
  15. ↑ Teresė Bukauskienė: Lietuvos Mokyklai 600 Metų Vilius Užtupas Publishing House, Vilnius 1997.
  16. ^ Herbert Frey: Memories of former teachers and students of the ÖHLA. In: The Public Trade School in Leipzig 1831–2001. Leipziger Universitätsverlag, 2001, ISBN 3-935693-15-X , p. 123.
  17. ^ Rudolf Ruzicka: Hans Holm Bielfeldt (* March 6, 1907, † September 30, 1987). In: Members of the predecessor academies of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. 1999.
  18. ↑ Gabriele Baumgartner, Dieter Hebig (ed.): Biographisches Handbuch der SBZ / DDR. 1945–1990. Volume 1: Abendroth - Lyr. KG Saur, Munich 1996, ISBN 3-598-11176-2 , p. 742.
  19. ^ Robert Grünbaum: German Unity. Contributions to politics and contemporary history. VS Verlag, Wiesbaden 2000, ISBN 3-8100-2512-7 , p. 63 ff.
  20. ↑ Helmut Komp: Obliged to the foster parents. The generosity of Lithuanian people saved the lives of thousands of young East Prussians after the war. In: The Ostpreußenblatt. Episode 19, May 13, 1995, p. 13.
  21. ↑ Helmut Komp: Rowan trees on the street. In: Sonntag, organ of the Kulturbund. No. 45, Berlin 1974, p. 7.
  22. ^ Helmut Komp: City with different faces. In: Döbelner Anzeiger. Döbeln, July 19, 1993.
  23. ↑ Helmut Komp: Work on quays is suspended - nobody knows what to do next. In: Döbelner Anzeiger. Döbeln, July 22, 1993.
  24. ↑ Helmut Komp: Eldorado for slide. In: Döbelner Anzeiger. Döbeln, July 27, 1993.
  25. ↑ Helmut Komp: Forgive yes, but forget - no. In: Döbelner Anzeiger. Döbeln, August 6, 1993.
  26. ↑ k. A .: Siblings found each other again after 50 years. In: Königsberger Bürgerbrief. No. 45, Stadtgemeinschaft Königsberg (Pr.), Regensburg, 1993
  27. ↑ kom: Despite your own worries, don't forget your neighbor. Waldheimer corresponds with Lithuanian writers: “Stony path back to capitalism”. In: Döbelner Anzeiger. November 24, 1996
  28. ↑ Helmut Comp: The Lorbassen and Marjelkes from Königsberg. Auslese - at the turn of the year 1998/99. In: Wilhelm Ruprecht Frieling (Ed.): At the turn of the year 1998/99. Frieling Verlag, Berlin-Steglitz 1999, ISBN 3-8280-0808-9 , p. 246.
personal data
SURNAME Komp, Helmut
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Balevičius, Algimentas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German teacher and translator
DATE OF BIRTH May 3, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH Königsberg (Prussia)
DATE OF DEATH April 21, 2016
Place of death Quietly