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Grandma Viive Autobiography

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Her story began in 1944, but has never been forgotten. By sharing her experience, she continues to influence my life.
My grandma, born in Tallinn, Estonia, fled the Russian attack during WWII. Viive, age nine, Ilvi, her four-year-old sister, and mother, Silvia, escaped on foot from the Russian occupation of their country. Their family, broken apart, was forced to leave Karl behind, a devoted husband and father. He was committed to protect Estonia, by fighting along side Hitler’s German Army. My grandma Viive, Aunt Ilvi, and their mother, known as Ema in Estonian, landed in Germany and were forced to live in Displaced Persons Camps for seven years. Unsure of their future, they boarded a ship and sailed to the United States of America. The three girls, along with other Estonians, had no choice but to begin a new life far different than they had ever known. All three of the Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, lost their freedom and were annexed into the Eastern Block of the Soviet Socialist Republic (U.S.S.R.). The people who remained suffered mass repression under Stalin’s Soviet rule. As a result, tens of thousands of Estonians experienced deportation or death. The ones able to escape, like my grandma, were unable to return, or they would be killed as well.
As immigrants …show more content…

It can be dangerous and my grandma continues to worry about my safety, the risk of injury. To help calm her fears, I gave her a silver charm necklace of an angel praying over a motorcycle helmet. Since then, she continues to wear it and has never taken it off. Her unconditional care and concern of my well being, keeps me focused on my future goals. Its simple, my education comes first. Although professional motocross is my dream, attending college, obtaining a degree and becoming a mechanical engineer is my life. My grandma reminds me of my continued academic accomplishments and the successful career ahead of

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