Historical Trauma

“The greater the difficulty,

the greater the victory.”

Cicero

The negative impact of historical trauma is still resonating with many Native Americans today.  A multitude of Indian people suffer from a whole host of maladies such as higher rates of domestic violence, depression along with other mental health issues, poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, child neglect, and substance abuse, more than any other ethnic group in this country.  Historical trauma is an accumulation of traumatic experiences which have made a negative impact for multiple generations of Indian people occurring over a long period of time. For over 500 years, physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological genocide was inflicted on the Native American people. Soon after contact of the European colonizers, a period referred to as “cultural transition,” Native Americans were stripped of their social power and cultural authority.

          As soon as they realized they could not escape the catastrophic events inflicted upon them, they began to adopt “giving up” behavioral patterns. They withdrew socially, which in turn lessened their social and psychological investment in all their relationships, personal and with their communities. As a result of the cultural and social disruption, they engaged in destructive behaviors, social alienation and developed serious psychological problems, such as alcoholism, drug addiction, and other forms of displaced re-enactments of conflict. These disparaging behaviors were acquired during the cultural transition period and later during the boarding school period leaving a legacy of recurring dysfunction and disturbing behavioral patterns associated with cultural disruption through acts of genocide and discrimination. 

            Imagine the difficulty many children faced when they were forced to attend the Indian boarding schools. Again, many of these children were sexually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically abused. The overall damage inflicted on the children was tremendous. Many Native Americans who were forced to attend boarding schools and/or reside on reservations were taught that what happened to them was their fault. They were led to believe they deserved to be abused and many have lost the ability to trust themselves or others. Because they had no place to turn for safety, their sense of hopelessness grew over time. They became cynical and fell into the depths of despair. Historical trauma has taken its toll on many Native American people.

            Historical trauma occurred in six phases:

·         The first contact with the Europeans which led to a life filled with shock, genocide, no time for grief and then the colonization period which introduced disease and alcoholism.  

·         The second phase was economic competition between various tribes and their European invaders over resources during the fur trading era and the introduction to a market based economy. There were physical and spiritual losses experienced during this time period for the Indian people.

·         The European invasion continued involving a war period which included extermination and refugee associated problems.

·         Next was a conquest and reservation period which consisted of forced dependency on their oppressors and a lack of security.

·         The boarding school era destroyed family systems which involved physical assaults, and sexual abuse, along with prohibition of Native languages, spirituality, and cultural associations. The lasting effect includes individuals poorly prepared for parenting. Many Native American people also experienced identity confusion.

·         The final phase of historical trauma consisted of forced relocation to reservations and a termination period, a period when federally recognized tribal nation status was abolished along with the services associated with this status such as food assistance. Many Native Americans perished due to a lack of food and medical services. There was continued prohibition of religious freedom, racism and discrimination, being viewed as second class citizens to the rest of the population and a loss of a supportive governmental system and  a sense of belonging to a community.

            The following characteristics represent some of the detrimental effects of historical trauma:

·         Helplessness

·         Injustice

·         A lack of trust

·         Feelings of insufficiency

·         Toxic shame

·         Chronic guilt

·         Feelings of brokenness

·         A lack of healthy boundaries

·         Persistent confusion and frustration

·         Isolation and avoidance

·         Self loathing

·         Impulse control involving alcohol, drugs, eating, and/or spending

·         Maladjusted anger feelings

·         Unhappiness and dissatisfaction

·         Anxiety disorders, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder  

·         Poor communication skills

The Native Americans’ cultural development was severely disrupted. Our cultural identity was disrupted by legislation, Christianity and later on by not knowing how to get it back. Today, we experience glimpses of our cultural identity through exposure to events such as Pow Wows and other traditional cultural events, a rare occurrence for far too many. Many of the Indian children who attended the boarding schools came from different tribal entities. However, they were placed in these institutions and treated like they were all the same. Many of these children came from distinctly different cultures. Oftentimes, they did not even share the same native language. This created barriers to establishing a sense of connectedness while attending these institutions. Language in itself is a very important means of communication with others. The ability to communicate in one’s own language as well as the shared commonality of cultural practices was taken away from a multitude of Native American people; thus, creating serious cultural disturbance.

Cultural disruption has created conditions of:

·         Loss of faith and spiritual beliefs

·         Internalized stereotypes

·         Surviving instead of thriving

·         Cultural isolation

·         Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other anxiety issues

·         Depression.

Intergenerational impacts involved a multitude of circumstances such as when the British and French pursued a vast amount of the North American territory and its resources which in turn instilled further rivalry between opposing tribes due to the shrinking of resources. During the fur trading era the relationship between the European entrepreneurs and the Indians occurred under a drunken haze brought on by alcohol for the unsuspecting tribal people. A drunken Indian was easier to steal from and use than a sober one. Indian children were taken from their parents and communities and placed in cruel and unyielding institutions referred to as boarding schools.  Meanwhile, spiritual practices were outlawed so what did the parents of these children do, they turned to alcohol for their source of comfort.

            Acute traumatic events can occur almost anywhere at any time, such as car accidents and natural disasters. Conversely, chronic, long-term trauma occurs only in circumstances of captivity in which the victim or victims are held prisoner. Think about the Native American people who were sequestered to reservations and placed in boarding schools. The children who were forced to attend boarding schools were punished severely if they ran away. As mentioned earlier, physical, psychological and sexual abuse occurred at these institutions on a regular basis. 

            The captivity of the children in the boarding schools set up a situation of prolonged contact with the perpetrators creating a special kind of relationship, one based on coercion. The psychological damage of subordination to coercive control has common features such as diminished self-esteem and depression. The perpetrators such as those in authority at the boarding schools and those placed in control of carrying out the reservation legislation became the most powerful people in the lives of the Indian people. The mindset of the victims is shaped by the beliefs and actions of the perpetrators. Often little is known about what is behind the beliefs and actions of the perpetrator. However, one common denominator is the perpetrators believe they are free from assuming any fault concerning any of their wrongdoings. They place blame of any problems or issues they are facing on the victims. 

One of the most disturbing discoveries was that often the perpetrators appear to be normal to the rest of the world, beyond the abusive environment even though the pathology practiced by the perpetrators was, and is, awful. I have read many sources which portray perpetrators in prominent positions such as doctors and lawyers. The pedophile priests were often in the limelight due to their public acts of generosity and good will. This idea can be deeply troubling to most people. They walk amongst us and we are none the wiser. For example; Adolf Eichmann committed heinous crimes against humanity; however, a dozen psychiatrists diagnosed him as normal. Eichmann served as the main drive behind the holocaust. He organized and managed the arrangements for the deportation of many Jewish people to ghettos and extermination camps.

The perpetrators are often paranoid, and experience feelings of grandiosity, feeling as if they can possess and conquer the world. They are aware of the realities of power and social norms so they can fit in without being noticed. The perpetrators seek out situations in which tyrannical behaviors are tolerated, condoned and/or admired. Hitler set the stage for domination of the Jewish people so I imagine Eichmann’s behaviors were admired by Hitler and Hitler’s devoted followers. The abusive individuals at the boarding schools were able to treat the children as if they were objects undeserving of respect. No one stopped them. 

Recently some of the Catholic pedophile priests have been punished for their heinous acts. Many of those who ran the prisoner of war camps and inflicted harsh treatment on the prisoners had to answer for their crimes. What about the people who wielded the harsh treatment on the children at the boarding schools?  The government made a formal apology for the treatment of the children who attended the residential schools in Canada. There has been no acknowledgement in the United States concerning the harmful acts wielded upon the Native Americans due to the implementation of reservations and boarding schools.

The perpetrators often demand from their victims respect, gratitude, and sometimes love.  For example, the pedophile nuns at the Holy Childhood Boarding School in Harbor Springs, Michigan, would often create a simulated loving situation with the boys they were having sexual contact with. They would treat the boys as if they were in love with them. Their advances would begin with kissing the boys and then they would bring these boys to their bedrooms to perform sexual acts. Many of the boys felt abandoned when the nuns moved onto other boys.

One of the first goals of the perpetrators is to enslave the victim(s). They do so by controlling all aspects of the victim’s life. But simple obedience demonstrated by the victim is not enough, they move towards gaining the victim’s validation and/or they humiliate the victim in some way. The perpetrators will use the victim’s feelings of shame to gain even more control over them. Often the victims live in constant fear. The children were shown what it was like to not be compliant by observing other children being physically and emotionally abused in front of them at the boarding schools. Many of the Indian children were punished severely in front of their peers if they ran away from these cruel institutions. Many of these children were also punished harshly if they were caught speaking their native language. 

The children were often underfed at the boarding schools and a common punishment involved sending children to bed without dinner. This control results in physical debilitation.  Along with being hungry most of the time, the children were forced to work extremely hard at the schools. They were expected to clean, cook, maintain the grounds, farm, other miscellaneous duties and were expected to also attend school instruction for a few hours a day. These children were exhausted, hungry, and abused. 

Research has been conducted concerning the aftereffects of the trauma faced by veterans of war. The studies involved how the trauma faced by these veterans effect their offspring.  There have been discoveries that the cells within the bodies of the veterans and their offspring contain the memories of the trauma of being on active duty.  Many of the Native American people today are obese and as a result have been diagnosed with diabetes. Could this be the result of their grandparents’ and parents’ starvation when they attended the boarding schools? We often overeat if we don’t have a good relationship with food. If food was scarce for our parents and/or grandparents, we may take on the scarcity way of thinking which was passed down from one generation to the next and as a result overeat. The higher levels of obesity within the Native American population can also be attributed to the quality of food many can afford.

Depression, a result of historical trauma which exists for a multitude of Native Americans, is a common response to oppression. Oppression is the result of an imbalance of power in relationships. Depression equates to a discrepancy in interpersonal relationships and also creates a chemical imbalance. Depression is anger turned inward and it represents unaddressed anger. In other words, depression has arisen in situations in which anger and aggression was suppressed due to fear. A double edged sword is generated consisting of suppression of anger and aggression coupled with chronic resentment. This dilemma contributes to internal stress as well as adding to relationship conflicts that in the end fosters additional stress. 

Oppression is usually evident in abusive interpersonal relationships such as the relationship between the Euro-Americans and Native Americans throughout history; however, an extreme accumulation of stress can also become oppressive, which in turn can lead to a response of defeat. We can feel trapped after experiencing situations that feel inescapable, not just physically but also psychologically. The intrusive symptoms of painful memories and strong emotions can contribute to a sense of oppression. It is possible to have an oppressive relationship with ourselves as a result of past destructive treatment. We may be the target of our own anger, harsh criticism, and unrealistic demands, adopting a defeated and indignant relationship with ourselves. A whole host of problems can result from self-inflicted oppression as well as from the oppression imposed by others.

            The past of Indian children involved censored and restricted communication while they attended the boarding schools. The children were forced to remain quiet and stare straight ahead while they were in the classrooms much like today’s classrooms. They developed a method of communicating with their eyes when outside of the classroom. They could speak volumes with eye contact amongst their fellow peers.  Again, these children were punished, often severely, if they spoke their native language. Speaking became a privilege which could not be practiced for much of the day and into the evening, when they were working on their homework or completing chores. Their communication with their parents through letters was censored. As a result, it is my opinion that many Native American people suffer from vast communication barriers today as a result of Historical Trauma. 

            If Indian children were forced to attend the boarding schools for long periods of time, they discovered that communication with their families of origin was difficult to impossible when they were finally permitted to return to their homes. Trust was one of the main reasons why communication was difficult with their families. They were strangers to their families because they were brainwashed into being something they were not, Euro-American replicas and because of their long stay at these institutions away from their families. Their parents and siblings, who did not have the misfortune of attending these institutions, were worlds apart. These children spoke differently, and often their appearance was dissimilar from the rest of their family. They soon discovered they did not fit with their families of origin, usually shortly after moving back home. Thus, many Native American families were torn apart literally. Living on the fringe of both cultural groups and in the effort to belong somewhere they would participate in activities which brought them even more shame and feelings of despair. All feelings attributed to historical trauma.

Historical trauma has taken its toll on many Native Americans. The weapons of mass destruction against the Indian people for centuries have been; but are not limited to: small pox infestations and other acts of genocide; the introduction of alcohol; broken treaties; forced attendance at boarding schools; enforcement of reservation legislation; and mass sterilization.  It is difficult to determine which losses hurt the Native American people the most. With the vast amount of discrimination, it would be amazing if Indian people have any self-esteem at all. To make matters worse when things are in disarray for Native Americans, blame has often been placed on the victims.

The Joy of Pets

Many people in this country have either a cat or a dog as pets, or both.  These pets bring a lot of joy to many households.   In our household, we are guardians to five cats and three dogs.  They all want our attention and all need to be cared for.  Pets need more than making sure they are fed and their areas in which they live are maintained.  They need to be reminded often how much you care about them.  These pets need to be petted, held if small enough to be held, and nurtured.  Cats as well as dogs love it when you talk sweet to them.  Watch a cat and how that cat responds to being talked to nicely.   They will roll around and be really cute.  We say hi to our cats and say their names when they enter a room and they say hi back to us.  It is really cute.

A multitude of pet guardians find meaning in their lives by volunteering to help those who need them including animals without homes.   Pets have been known to provide a whole host of benefits for their guardians.  For example, owning and caring for pets have helped people who are struggling with high blood pressure in lots of ways from getting more exercise by walking their dogs to playing with their animals.  Spending time with animals can help people feel less depressed and it opens them up to be more involved with other people.  In our community we have a dog park.  People meet other people at this dog park because of a common interest, their dogs. 

Pets have been used to help those who have a medical condition or who have been in an accident.  Doctors refer to this as animal assisted therapy.  Dogs have been known to detect illnesses in people before they knew they had an illness.  Cats have been known to lie next to a person who was terminally ill to bring that person joy before walking to the other side. These cats act as if they are serving a purpose of providing comfort. It has been discovered that children who grow up in homes with cats and dogs have fewer allergies and skin conditions such as eczema.  Having a dog or a cat helps children stay healthier, with fewer colds and stomach problems.

Children who have pets in the home also learn responsibility.  Chores such as feeding, walking and cleaning up after a pet help children understand what taking care of someone besides themselves is like.  It is also responsible to care for ourselves as much as we care for our pets and we can do so by:

1.        Wash your hands after each time you feed or pet your animals.

2.       As cold winter weather approaches, remember to keep you and your pets warm.

3.       Make sure you pets see a veterinarian regularly.

4.       Research the type of plants you have and make sure they are safe for your pets.

5.       Approach a pet you don’t know carefully.

We love our pets and they give us love in return.  Rescue an animal from your local animal shelter and give this cat or dog a good home, you will not regret this decision.  We haven’t.  When I was volunteering at our local animal shelter, another volunteer said they know you are here when I walked into a room with a lot of cats in cages.  My response was “trust me, they do more for me than I can ever do for them.” He smiled and said he knew what I meant.  At the very least, go and walk dogs at your local animal shelter or talk and pet a cat.  They would love to get attention from you. 

Doppelgangers

The term doppelganger has been used rather informally in many situations to refer to someone who resembles another person who usually lives in the same community or in another community.  I was meeting with some people at a training and they insisted  they saw me in Wisconsin.  They insisted it was me even though we were in Sault Ste. Marie, MI at a training.  The sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” featured doppelgangers.  I was in a book store in St. Ignace, MI and I told the cashier she reminded me of someone and she said I must have met her doppelganger.  What is a doppelganger and what is the origin of that word?

According to Wikipedia a doppelganger is a German word which means a look alike of a person and is a paranormal double of a living person.  It also means experiencing the sensation that you had a glimpse of yourself in your own peripheral vision and there was no chance this could have happened. There was no mirror to reflect your image off of.  In the past a doppelganger can be viewed as a sinister warning of bad luck coming your way.  Today, the word doppelganger is referred to as someone who resembles you either physically and/or behaviorally usually without regard to any paranormal meaning.

Going back in history the German word is of relatively recent origin, the word doppelganger has appeared in English use in 1851 referring to alter egos and double spirits which appeared in folklore, myths, religious beliefs, and traditions throughout many cultures for centuries.  During ancient Egyptian mythology, a “ka” was a visible or believable “spirit double” having the same memories and feelings as the person of whom the counterpart belongs.  Wikipedia gives the example of “The Greek Princess” an Egyptian view of the Trojan War, a “Ka” of Helen was used to mislead Paris of Troy which helped stop the war.

I have heard of people who have received a heart transplant for example and they take on the same memories and feelings of the person who had the heart before the transplant.  I find that phenomenon to be very interesting. 

According to Wikipedia recent scientific experimentation has created some doppelganger effects by using electrical stimulation. This stimulation was applied to the left temporoparietal section of a person’s brain during an experiment. In September of 2006 a woman was requested to lay flat on her back on a bed and electrical stimulation was applied to the patient’s left temporoparietal lobe.  She reported that she felt the presence of another person in her “extrapersonal space.”  She was being treated for epilepsy; but she was otherwise psychologically fit.  The same experiment was conducted with other individuals with similar results.  The researcher speculated that there may be underlying mental health issues or there may be a failure of the left temporoparietal junction.  What do you believe?

Notable documented doppelganger experiences have existed throughout history.  A biography of Abraham Lincoln denotes:

     “A dream of illusion had haunted Lincoln at times through the winter.  On the evening of his election he had thrown himself on one of the haircloth sofas at home, just after the first telegrams of November 7 had told him he was elected president, and looking into a bureau mirror across the room he saw himself in full length, but with two faces.  It bothered him; he got up; the illusion vanished; but when he lay down again there in the glass again were two faces, one paler than the other. He got up again, mixed in the election excitement, forgot about it; but it came back, and haunted him. He told his wife about it; she worried too.  A few days later he tried it once more and the illusion of the two faces again registered to his eyes.  But that was the last; the ghost since then wouldn’t come back, he told his wife, who said it was a sign he would be elected to a second term, and the death pallor of one face meant he wouldn’t live through his second term.”  (Brooks, N. (1895). Washington in Lincoln’s Time. New York: Century)

Doppelganger is a term that throughout history has been utilized to explain paranormal phenomenon and serve as a warning of impending doom. The doppelganger phenomenon may be created by stimulating the left temporoparietal function in the brain. It is used today to explain a double of a living person, who can be physically and/or behaviorally similar to another person. 

My Love of the Written Word

The words jumped out at me, I understood them, I cherished them. “Run, Spot, run,” and “Go, Jack, go.” A happy time when I found out I could read. I couldn’t get enough of the wonderful world of reading. I wanted to know what Spot and Jane were up to and cherished the beloved characters. The cacophony of characters described using letters, letters that made sense to me. It was like learning a new language for the first time. I was permitted entry to a secret world filled with adventure.

            I couldn’t wait to get home and take out a small blackboard, about 24 by 24 inches, and start writing on the small board with chalk what I learned in school. I was teaching my sister Penny who was one year and two weeks younger than me and she happened to be a very good student. She sat and sounded out words with me. We made a game of it. My mother saw what fun were having and kept me in chalk. I would spend my afternoons teaching my sister everything I was learning at school. I discovered I loved to teach at a young age and had a lot to share with my willing student.

            The afternoons were filled with awe and wonder. I was amazed at how much I remembered. My sister was hungry for information and my teachings made an otherwise somewhat boring afternoon into something interesting and fun. We both loved learning new things. I would read books to her and tell her what the things were called in the pictures. We were both filled with awe and wonder.

             A few years went by and we decided we had a handle on the English language so we decided one day to develop our own language complete with swear words. We diligently worked on our new language. We were on a secret mission and could not let the enemies our parents, aunts and uncles in on our mission. It was just between Penny and I. The word that sticks in my mind the most is “kolacoleeka.” That was our main swear word. We said it so much that one day my mom told us to stop saying it. We stared at each other in astonishment because we thought we actually created a real word. Looking back at that moment, our mother was probably sick of hearing it.

            My sister and I were very competitive so we had developed a plan on how to get the better of the other. We would say something and then say the most amount of times, times the most amount of times, plus one. The one who said that first won the argument. You have to hand it to us, we were creative.

            I think I know where we got our strange form of creativity from which was from our dad. He would have the craziest punishments sometimes. If we weren’t getting along, he would have us sit facing each other and we were told we could not say a word. It didn’t take us long before we tried to get away with talking to each other without our dad catching us.

            Our dad bought us books, books about historical figures such as Helen Keller and a whole set of encyclopedias. I would spend hours reading these books when I was older. I felt so sorry for Helen when she lost her hearing and sight. I would get lost in the world of characters described on the pages of books, placing myself in their worlds. I could not wait to learn the secrets that unfolded for me between the outer covers of a book. I still feel the same way.

            My sister met Vicky when she was attending college in Kalamazoo. Vicky, as a small child lying on the carpeted floor, would stare drooling at magazines for long periods of time. She ended up preparing advertisements for magazines when she was an adult. What we do as children may very well follow us into adulthood.

            It probably does not surprise you, but I was placed in honor English courses in high school. I had a very good teacher, Mrs. Schact. In class, we examined closely the inner workings behind the “Grapes of Wrath.” She was looking forward to my essay on the use of colorization in “The House of Seven Gables.” Because I was so well read, I did very well in my English classes which carried out into my college classes. I asked an English teacher if my topic could be “androgyny.” He was surprised and told me he was looking forward to reading my paper.

            Today, I have the opportunity to teach at Bay Mills Community College and I am an author covering different topics. I thoroughly enjoy teaching, reading and writing. I still pick up a book and hold it wondering what secrets I will learn between the covers of the book. I consider all my books treasures and I still get lost in the lives of the characters in the books. My life has been greatly enriched by my love of the written word.

           

           

A Christmas Tradition

My name is Thelma Lou and I have a story to tell you about a long time Christmas family tradition. My daughter Gertie sat curled up on her grandpa’s lap in da old rockin’ chair by the wood stove. Da red line on the thermometer dipped well below zero as da wind howled through the pines. We all love this time of year when we visit my folks during Gertie’s winter break from school.

            I came from the kitchen with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Gertie poked at da mini marshmallows bobbing on top. Then she licked the chocolate off her fingertips and grinned all Chesire cat like. I settled down on da sofa with my mother’s afghan pulled over my legs and I cracked open my mystery novel.

            “Tell me a story, Grandpa!” Gertie begged. I knew from da twinkle in Pa’s eye and his sly grin toward me that she was about to hear a whopper.

            “Did I ever tell you about the Christmas tradition your Grandma and I started before your mother was born?”

            Gertie shook her head. Even if she had heard da story before, it always grew bigger with each telling.

            Grandpa began. “ I bet you didn’t know your Grandma and I made some of da best moonshine around.”

            “What is moonshine, Grandpa?”

            I look over my book at my Pa.

            “Oh, it’s something people used to drink in the old days, before there were revenuers up north. They celebrated a lot when they drank it.”

            “Like when we drank raspberry Kool-Aid at my birthday party.”

            “That’s right sweetie, whenever there was moonshine around you could be sure there was going to be a party.” Pa winked at me and continued with his story before I could interrupt it.

            “Every year a few weeks after Thanksgiving, we’d head out into da woods with our best bottle and your Grandma’s Remington shot gun to pick out a tree. It all started when I lost my best chainsaw in a poker game.” Grandpa whispered, “But dat’s another story, and I’d just as soon not bring it up while your Grandma’s within earshot! Now where was I? Oh yeah, how da tradition of shooting da tree got started.”

            “The only thing we had to use to cut down our Christmas tree dat year was your Grandma’s Remington. So we stuck it on the gun rack in our trusty old Ford and we headed out in to da woods to hunt down the perfect spruce.”

            “Before too long we ran into old Gussy. He was a Conservation officer who had to follow every rule in the books. Yer Grandma was worried that he’d write us up for doing something wrong, especially after that incident with the ten pointer in July the year before. So she hid da gun under the seat and commenced to smoochin’ on me like we were out on our first date.”

            “Gussy pulled up next to us and asked us what we were up to. Yer Grandma told him dat she was overcome with passion for me, ever since I helped her trim her bunions dat week. He seemed satisfied with her answer and drove off to leave us to our business.”

            “As soon as we saw his truck disappear, we pulled out da shot gun and the jug of moonshine and we made for the woods.”

            “Before we could make it 15 feet, we heard a loud horn toot behind us. Wouldn’t you know it, our neighbors from down the street, the Bulenskis, had decided to go for a little drive in da forest dat day. They asked us what we were doin.’ We figured they could keep a secret, so yer Grandma told them how we planned to get our tree dat year.”

            ‘Well they thought that was a grand idea. Billy ran back home to get his rifle and when he got back, he and Hildie joined us on our adventure.”

            “Of course da news spread like wild fire and da tradition was born. Da ‘Shooting of the Tree’ became a yearly community event. We all took turns being on da lookout for Gussy. We always managed to stay one step ahead of him. But then a new problem arrived on the scene.”

            “What grandpa?”

            “Do you remember hearin’ stories about my Aunt Eartha? She was one of da biggest tree huggin’ creatures you’d ever seen. She tried to hold a rally to get us to stop da tradition, but we still did it anyway. So Eartha changed her tactics and decided to team up with Gussy to catch us in da act.”

            “Yer Grandma and I thought we’d have a little fun with my aunt. Even though she couldn’t kill a tree to celebrate Christmas, she sure wasn’t afraid to shoot any bunnies for her famous rabbit stew.”

            “What did you do, Grandpa?”

            “Aunt Eartha used to complain all da time about how hard it was to get a good bead on the little buggers in da winter time since they blended in with da snow so well, and her eyesight wasn’t what it used to be.”

            “So we followed her out to one of her favorite huntin’ spots and hid behind some big beech trees. After she moved on, we sneaked out and put a pile of carrots at da base of a clump of spruces.”

            “Sure enough, after a few days those rabbits were coming back all da time to look for more grub. We waited for Eartha to show back up.”

            “There she was with the biggest smile on her face. She lifted her shot gun and Bam! She shot at da rabbit. Well, dat bunny got away, but Eartha had shot a hole clean through da trunk of one of da spruce trees! The tree teetered, then it fell to da ground.”

            “Oh, no,” said Gertie. She covered her mouth and looked very surprised.

            Papa continued. “She took a look around to see if anyone had seen her dreadful deed. Then she slung da trunk of dat spruce tree over her shoulder and dragged it out of da woods. We were flipping blown over. She threw da tree into the bed of her pickup and she drove home.”

            “We followed her to her home and peeked in her window. We watched her decorate dat dang thing! Every now and then she’d stop and stare up at da tree and grin. She’d give it a hug and sniff its branches. Aunt Eartha seemed to be sucking in da aroma of dat tree and holding it in her nostrils as long as she could.”

            “Did she know you were watching her?”

            “No. Yer Grandma couldn’t take it anymore. She was laughing so hard at da sight, she was sure Eartha would hear us. So yer Grandma marched over to da front door and banged real hard on it. I kept watching Aunt Eartha through da window. She looked around in a panic. Then she de-cided she better answer the knocking since it kept getting louder.”

            “Eartha stammered. Words were refusing to come out of her mouth right. I thought this was a good time to join da party so I stormed into da house with my hands on my hips.”

            “I was just about to open my mouth and blackmail my aunt so dat she wouldn’t hassle us anymore about our activities when she spoke up, ‘You know, this isn’t such a bad way to celebrate da season. I think I’d like participate in this tradition next year.’”

            He paused to take a sip of his coffee. He grinned at Gertie. She smiled back and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

            “And that’s just what she did. She even started da event with a bugle call every year! Until she headed for the happy rabbit hunting grounds in da sky.”

            “That’s amazing, Grandpa. Do you have a picture of Aunt Eartha?”

            “Yes, I do. I will show ya after I drink my coffee.”

            “Did dat really happen, Papa?”

            “Of course it did. I’m surprised yer Ma didn’t tell you dat she and your Pa have carried on da family tradition for years now.” My Pa winked my way again as Gertie climbed down off his lap and scrambled over towards me on da couch to sit next to her ma.

            “Is it true Ma?” Without waiting for an answer she added, “And how come we don’t get to go with you and drink moonshine and help shoot down da tree?”

            Papa got up and patted me on da shoulder, “I think I hear Grandma calling me in da kitchen.”  He shuffled off with a twinkle in his eye.

Thirty Years War

From 1618 to 1648, the Catholics, Protestants and Calvinists were at war with one another in what was referred to as the Thirty Years War.  The war was not primarily fought over religion; dynastic, territorial and commercial reasons also came into play.  The struggles that led up to the wars included to name a few: the Turkish menace, serfdom issues, and Hapsburg mismanagement. The war involved the major powers of Europe: Spain, Sweden, France, and Austria. Approximately 350,000 soldiers lost their lives, civilian lives outnumbered their deaths by 20 to1. Sovereignty occurred for the European countries as a result of the series of battles referred to as the Thirty Years War.

          The reformation led to the division of communities and countries as a whole.  All Christian faiths were derived from common roots but became intertwined in vested material interests and social concerns for status and the psychological need to belong to a set group and alienate those who had different viewpoints. Theological controversies ensued and believers needed to take a stand. Catholicism accentuated the importance of organization and only the Roman Catholic Church was the only competent authority to spread the word of God for all Christians. Lutherans believed more importance needed to be placed on doctrine and attested that the Word of God be free from misinterpretation by a church that appeared to have lost its way, the Roman Catholic Church. Calvinism placed importance on practice, bringing behavior in line with faith and referred to Luther’s reformation as doctrine. The alienation and descension between the religious sectors led to a lot of tension. Some powerful elites wanted their religious practices to take precedence (Williams, 2011).

The ruler of the Roman Empire was getting too old to run the empire efficiently. A replacement was needed. The Hapsburgs, who were Catholic, had no male heir to take on the role as emperor. They selected Ferdinand II of Syria as the heir to the throne. At a little at a time, the Hapsburgs’ land was being placed in Ferdinand’s control. The soon retired ruler made compromises with the Protestants under his rule. Ferdinand had something else in mind. He was raised by Jesuits and so he ordered that all the inhabitants become Catholics or leave. Approximately a third of the inhabitants fled the country. As he took even more control of more of the Hapsburgs’ resources, he asserted more control over religious conformity throughout a large portion of Europe (White, 2012).

The Hapsburg dynasty was one of the most powerful and successful of all princely families. The Hapsburgs accumulated influence and properties in 11 Austrian provinces, Bohemia and 17 Netherland provinces. Parts of Hungary fell under control of the Hapsburgs during the 1500s. The Hapsburgs governed over 7 million subjects by 1600. There were a total of 24 million inhabitants residing in the empire.

William Hapsburg met with Sedrick Hapsburg, cousins and two of the owners of the Hapsburg estate, to discuss certain prospects for the estate.

“We were lucky to come across Ferdinand. He definitely supports our beliefs and goals. I am a little concerned with the number of people who fled the country because they did not want to convert back to the Catholic religion. Why don’t people see that the Catholic religion is the only viable religion. Every other form of religion is hogwash. How can we convince people to see the truth,” said Sedrick.

“I see your point. We lost a lot of the population because they would not convert. It’s insane. I see the validity of the Catholic religion like it is written on the wall in large print. It is so obvious to me,” replied William.

“I am counting on the electors to Ferdinand as the new emperor,” said Sedrick.

“They will vote in our favor like they have done in the past,” said William.

A democratic process was in place concerning the selection of the Holy Roman Emperor. That decision was placed in the hands of the seven electors in which three of the electors were archbishops who supported the Catholic Hapsburgs. The four remaining four votes were sought from rulers of small countries within the empire: Brandenburg, Saxony, the Palatinate, and Bohemia. Three of these electors converted to the Protestant religion and they preferred a Protestant emperor who would protect their interests. The Bohemian ruler usually supported the House of Hapsburg and was recognized as a Catholic king. The Catholics represented four of the seven votes. The Hapsburgs believed they were going to have their way with their selection of Ferdinand as the new emperor.

Things were not going the Hapsburgs way, the general population of Bohemia converted to Calvinism. When the Bohemian nobility gathered in Prague to rubber stamp the Hapsburg choice for the new emperor, they changed their mind and decided perhaps a Protestant may be a better choice. They brought their misgivings and concerns to Ferdinand. They were hopeful that he would grant Bohemia religious freedom. On May 23, 1618 negotiations went south. The Bohemians vehemently threw the Hapsburgs out of the meeting and placed Frederick from Palatinate in the role as the new emperor. Frederick had two votes on his own and the backing of the Protestant electors, which made a majority. The Hapsburgs were furious. The Protestant nobility decided to not take any risks so they cast their votes for the Hapsburg Ferdinand and left Bohemia to fight their own battles (White, 2012).

“What do you think we should do about Bohemia? They definitely went their own way after all we have done for them,” said William Hapsburg.

“I think we need to teach them a lesson,” replied Taffi, a Hapsburg elite.

“What do you have in mind?” asked William.

“Let’s sic Tilly on them to enforce the scorched-earth policy,” replied Taffi.

“Tilly has been anxious to get back on the battlefield and he would love to wipe out some of the rebellious ones for us and teach them a thing or two,” said William.

A Bavarian general by the name of Johannes Tilly went on a rampage to reclaim Bohemia and punish the insubordinate Calvinists and Protestants.  Bohemia was reduced to a smoldering wasteland. Before the campaign there were 35,000 villages, after the war there were only 6,000.  The population plunged from 2 million to 700,000. Peasants starved to death or fled the armies’ attacks. The Battle of White Mountain in November 1620 dispensed the final blow which ended up crippling the Palatine forces. King Frederick headed for the hills and Albrecht von Wallenstein was put in charge as Hapsburg’s military governor of Bohemia. The instigators behind the rebellion were executed in the town square at Prague. The estates that were left behind were confiscated and allotted to the Hapsburg supporters (White, 2012).

The Catholic armies turned against the Palatinate to get back at Frederick for his role in taking Bohemia away from the Catholics and the Hapsburgs’ empire. Frederick’s city of Heidelburg was taken over and ransacked. Frederick ran to Holland to hide in exile. The Hapsburgs granted the Palatinate to the duke of Bavaria, their Catholic ally. This takeover really shook up the Protestants and they decided to take action. The Catholic conquest of Palatinate was more than they could handle. They were willing to accept the Catholic’s efforts to restore their rule in Bohemia, but eliminating the Palatinate was not what they were willing to let the Catholics get away with, in the long run they saw massive problems of a complete takeover of Europe by the Catholics.

The Protestants did not have the luck of the draw. Outside kingdoms came to their aid.  King Christian from Denmark led his army into Germany in 1625. Christian’s army was badly defeated by the Catholic army of Wallenstein. Tilly amassed another victory over northern Germany and the peninsula of Denmark. The Danes were exiled to their islands.

The Catholics were experiencing one victory after another, Austria forwarded their efforts to negate any progress that was made concerning the reformation. The 1629 Edict of Restitution placed forth the ruling that all of the property taken over by the Protestant princes from the Roman Catholic Church during the past 77 years were ordered to be returned to the church. Calvinism was outlawed in the empire (White, 2012). Tension was mounting between the religious sectors. Germany, divided between hostile Catholic and Protestant factions, was ready to seek outside foreign support if the need aroused.  

The Hapsburgs’ forces were encroaching on Swedish land. Sweden, in preparation for possible war with the Hapsburgs, gained additional support from the French. The French did not want the Holy Roman Empire to be run like an empire. They wanted to be a sovereign country. The Swedes with the help of the French decided to take action and crossed the Baltic Sea to go to the battlefield against the Hapsburgs in July 1630 (White, 2012).

Gustavus Adolphus was well-known for his military abilities. He proved his weight on the battlefield when he went against Denmark, Russia and Poland. He fought battles strategically like someone would master the game of chess, carefully weighing and planning all his options before employing any military action.

“What is Adolphus up to?” asked William Hapsburg.

“I don’t know,” replied Taffi.

“I think we need to send some scouts to his camp to find out what Adolphus’ plans are,” said William.

“I will send some out at first light tomorrow,” replied Taffi.

Tilly forged ahead with his Catholic army and attacked the Protestant fortress at the city of Magdeburg during the Spring of 1631. This city was strategically placed to guard the crossing of the Elbe River. The lengthy siege created a lot of mayhem and destruction. The city was finally taken by Tilly. Before the attack, there were approximately 30,000 inhabitants in the city. By the end of the siege, only about 5,000 people survived, mostly women to be drug away from the city to be used at a later date. The carnage was heart breaking. Children were wandering the streets crying and yelling for their pAbbramts. Babies were suckling their dead mothers’ breasts. Six thousand bodies were dumped into the river as part of the cleanup efforts (White, 2012).

“News travels fast. Did you hear what happened in Magdeburg? It was brutal. The Protestants at that location were almost wiped out completely. We need to go where Tilly is and wipe out his army,” said Gustavus.

“I heard he is headed towards Breitenfeld. I will send spies out and let it leak that we are headed towards Magdeburg to help the inhabitants in the area. Tilly won’t see us coming,” said Peter, an officer of Gustavus’ army.

“That sounds like a good plan,” replied Gustavus.

Gustavus Adolphus had a successful campaign against the Catholics at Breitenfeld during the month of September in 1631. This campaign pushed the war away from the Protestant north and into the Catholic south. The Protestants were back in the game. The Swedes beat the imperial army again and ended up killing Tilly during a battle. Adolphus was on a winning strike, he had his greatest victory when he defeated Wallenstein in the Battle of Lutzen. He was killed shortly after that successful campaign when he ventured out too far into enemy territory and was killed. The Catholics sighed with relief.

The Protestants forces were weakened but Wallenstein had different plans then to go to battle with the Protestants. He had his eye on another lofty goal. He wanted to take on the role of being in charge of Germany. He decided to take a more peaceful approach and hold negotiations with the enemy.  When they refused to accept his sanctions, he would go to the war with them.  The emperor learned about his plans and sent officers to assassinate him.

The militia for both sides employed various military techniques and weapons during the Thirty Years War. Musketeers and pikemen served as the pillars of the Protestant and Catholic armies. The pikemen held off their enemies by using long spears and the musketeers would ride up close to them in heavy metal armor and fire pistols at the enemy. They would ride their horses out of range to reload. Their efforts were tedious and repeated over and over again. Canons were large and burdensome. Sometimes the canons would arrive at the end of the battles because it took so long to transport them.

                Improved formations and canons were introduced by Gustavus Adolphus. He improved the size and firing range of the canons. They were made light enough to be utilized more quickly when they were in battle.  Instead of attacking by using blocks of men, Adolphus had the men form a line. He taught his soldiers how to gallop with their horses and use lances and sabers at the same time. The Battle of Breitenfeld was the first time the new techniques and equipment were employed. Uniforms were not worn and most soldiers wore everyday clothes except for the some of the armor they could scavenge. The armies were distinguished from the common folk by the large battle flags they carried. Every army unit had a group of women who traveled with them. They cooked, did laundry and provided nursing for the soldiers. Adolphus insisted that the women who joined the units be the wives of the soldiers. No army at the time could survive without them.

                The soldiers who worked independently as mercenary units usually gave their allegiance to their captains. They were not always loyal to the prince who hired them. They would serve as back up for other army units and they would switch sides if the pay was better. The size of their units usually numbered 10,000 to 20,000. Sometimes they were taken as prisoners. If pay was not made available to them, they would help themselves to the resources of the villages they invaded. Only palace guards and a few staff officers who knew where to hire mercenaries posthaste were the personnel who were paid full-time salaries. Mercenaries usually came from Scotland, Italy, and Switzerland (White, 2012).

An army unit of approximately 30,000 soldiers required 150 tons of bread and fodder (food for their animals) a day. During that time, villagers only grew enough food to provide for their needs and the needs of their families with a little left over to sell at the market. They could not afford to have their food eaten by strangers who were just passing through. The soldiers stole their food, slaughtered their livestock, abused the women and tore apart buildings for firewood. They did not care that they put the lives of the villagers in jeopardy (Williams, 2011).

Anguish and despair was everywhere. Abandoned children were found living in cellars and eating rats by the Jesuits. They were rescued and brought to a monastery to be fed, housed and educated. Much of the countryside was riddled with ghost towns.

The Swedish soldiers were walking through one of the ghost towns. “Benkt, look at this town. There is no one here,” said Abbram.

“It’s actually a little unnerving to see all the carnage. Many of the buildings have been burned,” replied Benkt.

“I know it’s our job to make sure we destroy all of our enemies’ resources, but this seems to be going to far.”

“I think this is one of the villages Tilly destroyed some time ago,” said Benkt.

“He was ruthless and heartless I heard some of our officers say,” said Abbram.

“I am glad one of our men killed him,” said Benkt.

“I wonder if all the people who lived in this village were killed or did they escape?” asked Abbram.

“I hope some of them got away,” replied Benkt.

Throughout history, refugees have fled to other countries to seek solace from wars and other acts of brutality. The citizens of the cities that accepted refugees would find dead bodies daily as they walked around their city. They died mostly as a result of starvation. Eventually the refugees would be evacuated because there was no food or room for them. Some of the only available food would have been considered forbidden. Feet and hands were simmering in a cauldron at one of the temporary camps.  Corpses would be laying face up starring at the sky with grass sticking out of their mouths.

If the total destruction of villages was not enough, the bishop of Wurzburg had 9,000 witches burned at the stake between the years 1625 and 1628. An additional thousand were burned in the Silesian principality of Neisse between 1640 and 1641. The witch hunts were not primarily a vestige born of superstition. They were fueled by greed and ignorance. Many of the homesteads in which the witches lived before their deaths were confiscated by the locals. The religious conflicts also fueled the killing of many people suspected of being witches. For centuries holy wars existed that weeded out the threatening enemies which included Protestants and Catholics along with witches and demons.

The war was pulling in its neighboring nations France and Spain. They were natural enemies and Spain was linked to the Hapsburg family which included Belgium, Burgundy and a portion of Italy. Spain agreed to help Austria in their war against the Protestants if they agreed to help them annihilate the Protestant enemies of Spain in the Netherlands. The French joined forces with all the enemies of the Hapsburgs because of their affiliation with Spain.

“Why are we fighting these battles. We are not doing it for the peasants. They are laying dead all over the ground. Many have been thrown in the water. Is this fighting ever going to stop?” asked Peder, a French officer.

“We need to keep the end in sight. We want to destroy the Spanish in their tracks,” said Samuelle, another French officer.

“Their army is funded through the silver they are mining. They are a wealthy nation,” replied Peder.  Silver was delivered from mines to the Spanish colonies. Spain was the only European country able to maintain a fully manned and fully armed militia.

“We are struggling to keep our heads above water, but I know the effort will be worth it in the long run,” said Samuelle.

“Our country has always supported the Catholic ideals and now we are fighting against people who are Catholic,” said Peder.

“We cannot let the Hapsburgs gain control of the entire empire. They are headed in that direction.”

The Swedish armies continued fighting near the center of the empire. They switched their focus to the Spanish road where the Spanish allies and troops were transported from the Mediterranean and the Catholic mercenary recruiting grounds in Italy, across the Alps to the battlefields in the Spanish Netherlands. France also wanted to stop Spain from using this pathway. It was a long and arduous war.  

In the Rhineland area the French joined forces with the German and Dutch armies in tedious battles against the Spanish at the Spanish Netherlands. In 1643, the French army finally achieved an army unit that could rival the Spanish. The Spanish were cornered and taken over by the French at the Battle of Rocroi. As a result of this battle, the Spanish could not lend a hand to their Austrian allies. They needed to keep close to home to keep the French out of their territories (White, 2012). To add fuel to the fire, Sweden defeated the Hapsburgs imperialist at Jankau in 1645. The Hapsburgs were forced to make concessions which led to the Treaty of Westphalia.

The cost of the war was horrendous. Numbers vary but it is believed that approximately 20% of Germany’s population were killed. During the Thirty Years War many of the soldiers were mercenaries. If they could not collect their pay, they would raid villages to get their supplies. The armies on both sides, the Protestants and Catholics, marched and plundered through the country leaving cities, towns and villages in ruin. When the powerful contenders met in Westphalia, the balance of power was changed forever. Spain was no longer the ruling force and lost it hold on the Netherlands. The United Netherlands was recognized as an independent state. France rallied to the front of the line as the chief Western power. Sweden took over control of the Baltic area. All the member states from Germany to France gained full sovereignty. The Roman Catholic empire of Europe headed by a pope and emperor no longer existed. The structure of Europe became a collection of sovereign states (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017).