German family looking to re-connect with relatives of Louth family who took in their grandfather after WWII

A woman from Germany is looking to reconnect with relatives of a family near Louth who took in her grandfather after the Second World War.
By Rachel Armitage
Published 3rd Jan 2023, 16:06 BST
The newspaper report from July 1982 of Herr Hoffman's visit.The newspaper report from July 1982 of Herr Hoffman's visit.
The newspaper report from July 1982 of Herr Hoffman's visit.

Julia Bendl, who is from Germany, is trying to track down the family which her maternal grandfather lived with many years ago, to see if the family would be interested in reconnecting.

Her grandfather, Jan Höllmann, died in 2017 and his wife Geertken Höllmann, Julia’s grandmother, died a couple of weeks ago. Herr Höllmann had been taken prisoner as an 18-year-old in February 1945 towards the end of the war and had come to live on the farm of the Harniess family in Conisholme, near Louth.

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He was employed by the family as a milk man, and over time, the family and Herr Höllmann became firm friends, as was often the case in circumstances such as these.

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The postcard sent between the families.The postcard sent between the families.
The postcard sent between the families.

While going through their possessions after her grandmother’s sad death, Julia found various letters and postcards between the families, including a postcard from Mablethorpe, and a newspaper clipping (pictured) from the Louth Leader dating back to July 14, 1982.

This was from when her grandparents had returned to visit Wilfred and Edith Harniess, who Herr Holmann had stayed with in Conisholme.

And now Julia is hoping to get in touch with the Harniess family, in the hope that any of the family may be interested in continuing their relationship. If any relations in the Harniess family would like to contact Julia, email: [email protected]