Remarkable journey that led German PoW to new life in Ross-shire
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A GERMAN soldier sent to America as a prisoner of war, who decided to stay in Ross-shire instead of returning to his homeland, has set down his compelling story in a new book.
My Story, My Journey (from Silesia to Scotland) is a fascinating account of Paul Lippok’s life which saw him settle in Easter Ross 70 years ago.
The 89-year-old, who still lives in Tain with his wife Ehrentraut, was encouraged to write his memoirs by friends and family.
“I’m not a computer wizard but I enjoyed writing it,” said Mr Lippok.
“But once I started, I discovered it could be an interesting story.”
Mr Lippok was born in 1926 in Silesia, a province on the border between Germany and Poland.
After only a few months as a postal worker he was called up by the German Army.
Barely a year later, in 1944, he was captured just outside the Italian capital.
Along with hundreds of fellow prisoners he found himself on a ship bound for America and after a short stay in Oklahoma they were sent to the Napa Valley near San Francisco to pick fruit. The POWs also had a turn at cotton picking during their confinement.
“It was an experience,” said Mr Lippok. “To me it was just like a holiday. We were well treated and well fed.”
However, when Armistice Day came the Germans suffered “short rations” for two days.
“I think it was just to show us, ‘You lost the war, we can do what we want with you’.
Four months after the war ended the German prisoners found themselves on a ship heading home, or so they thought.
After three weeks the ship docked in Liverpool. It was there to pick up American troops.
Mr Lippok found himself on a train heading north along with around 60 other prisoners. Their destination was the tiny village of Comrie in Perthshire.
He recalled: “The next morning the British commandant said ‘You are here because there are many problems feeding people, you would be better here. You will stay here until you are demobbed’.
“After three days, they detailed some of us, on a small train with three carriages, all the way up north to barracks at Brahan Castle, near Dingwall.”
His journey did not end there, however. After another few days he was on an even smaller train headed further north.
Mr Lippok was one of the last to be dropped off after a tour of the Fearn peninsula by truck.
He ended up at Viewfield Farm, in Tain, which was owned by the Munro family. It would become his adopted home for the next few years.
When it was time for him to be demobbed he had a choice to make – either to go home to Germany or stay at his new home.
“I was encouraged to stay,” he said. “I was like an adopted son they never had.”
An accomplished pianist, Mr Lippok helped form a local Scottish Dance, The Mansfield Accordion Band, which consisted of himself, Ackie Ross, David Dundas, Georg Hlubeck and Duncan Mackenzie.
He was introduced to his future wife through the pages of a German magazine, which had a friendship column.
“I hadn’t thought of getting married. I was quite happy playing with the band and by then I had a part-time job as a waiter in the Mansfield Hotel,” he said.
“I had also bought my first car, a Morris 8, which made me the band chauffeur.”
However, one advert in the friendship column of the Mann in der Zeit magazine eventually caught his eye. It was from two friends looking for company and possible marriage.
He decided to write to them.
It turned out one of the friends was Ehrentraut Krause, destined to be his future bride.
The couple exchanged correspondence for a number of months and the friendship blossomed.
By the end of October 1954 they had met in Ehrentraut’s home town of Hamelin – home of the Pied Piper. A year later the couple were married there.
They set up home at Viewfield Farm and have two sons, Andreas and Marcus and a daughter, Bernadett.
They celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on October 15.
Mr Lippok, who became a naturalised citizen in 1971, left the farm when the owner died, and started a successful building business.
“We had already bought a piece of land and I built my home on it,” he said.
“In fact, I built all the six houses on our road. I had a joiner and a mason working with me, although we always sub-contracted plumping and electrical work.”
Since retiring 25 years ago Mr Lippok, a devout Roman Catholic, studied to become a deacon. He serves the Alness, Invergordon and Tain areas.
He is also a founder member of the Garrick Singers in Tain, and takes an interest in the local museum.
Copies of his book are available from Tain library or at www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk priced £26.99 hardback; £16.99 paperback or £2.99 e-book.
