This is from my blog, but is such an odd and interesting story I wanted to share it here. I value your opinions.
Obituaries are not generally about death. When well-written, they are small biographies, sometimes even parables. Today we deal with a small mystery.
The Washington Post is reporting the peaceful death of John Noble at his home in Dresden, Germany. He was born in the US in 1923. Mr. Noble’s father was in the photography industry in the United States but moved back to his German homeland in 1938. His son went along and together they took over a camera factory which they ran with some small success.
After the War, John was held by the Soviets in brutal conditions until his release was forced by the Eisenhower Administration in 1955. He wrote a pair of books describing his captivity and after the fall of East Germany returned to his Dresden home.
A remarkable life. But the obituary raises more questions than it answers.
Why did the elder Mr. Noble return to Germany in 1938? War was near on the horizon. Was he motivated by politics? Was he returning to Hitler’s Germany as loyal Volksdeutsch?
The father and son “took over” a camera factory. From who? Was it formerly owned by an oppressed minority in Germany?
Given his age, John Noble most likely was forced to join the Hitler Youth, and given his age was most likely conscripted. What can we learn from his years of military service?
I make no accusations. Before yesterday I never heard of this gentleman. I simply do not know the details that seem to be critical parts of the story. In truth I suppose it is none of our business now. He has gone before a higher court. Further we ought not to speak ill of the dead, or at least not without a good reason.
Hmm, interesting story.
It seems his father was in poor health and was sent to a spa - believe it or not, Germany is famous for their spas with healing effects so, as a German, that probably seemed like a good idea at the time.
He was originally working in photography when he got ill, so working for a camera company in Germany is not a stretch.
According to the article, they “revived” (not "took over) a camera company and got the position by answering an ad in the paper.
Going to Germany in 1938? Well, probably in hindsight not the best of ideas, but who knows what they knew when they set off to go there - and remember, he was German so he probably was just going home to get healthy and be near relatives and family. One thing that amazes me is that everyone assumes every single German back then was a card carrying member of the Gestapo. Many people were totally apolitical (sort of like in the US today) and went about their daily lives wishing the idiots in power were gone (again, sort of like in the US today).
I know nothing about the Noble family other than what I read in that obit. But unless there is some sinister bit of info left out, it sounds to me like a guy that simply moved back to their home country for health reasons, stuck to the family trade of photographic equipment, got captured by the Russians and had a pretty miserable decade or so in a Gulag where he found Jesus and eventually took his act on the road and wrote a few books about his experiences.
I know lots of Germans with similar stories. They were just as caught up in political events as everyone else, tried to keep their families together and retain some semblance of a normal life until everything crashed around them, leaving them to pick up the pieces after the war ended - with family members killed or missing and never to be heard from again.
The guy certainly suffered a lot of bad luck. Wrong place, wrong time. The deal to take over the company still seems flakey. (Not that I can prove it.) Who placed the ad? We simply do not know. Further, we know he owned the trademarks of the company. That indicates the family took ownership of the company.
Still, if you thought you had trouble in your life, this guy beats you in trumps.