Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-23
TWO IOWA GIRLS REACH HOME
AFTER LONG AND ENFORCED
STAY IN HuNlAND,
ON VISIT WHEN WAR
BROKE. COULDN'T LEAVE
Lived With German Relatives and
Underwent All Of the hardships
Imposed on People by Exhaustins
War ConGitiens-Women Did Work
of Men, Even Working on Railroads.

Dubuque. September 23.-Two Du-
buQue girls. the Misses Charlotte and
Hulda Hepperle, have returned 10 the
home OF their parents after having
spent the past five years in Germany.
The two girls were in Germany Wis
iting relatives when the war broke
out and tho they sought to get home
during the entire duration of the war,
IL was not until recently that they
succeeded in getting out.
Even after the armistice was signed
1t was difficult to get away and il
took them from New Years until
about a month ago to get the neces-
sary passes to leave occupied terri
tory
During the entire war the two girls
lived at the homes OF relatives in the
town OF Goeppinger. in the southern
province and in the town Of Godesberg
IN the same province. During the out
break and the first part Of the war
they lived in Goepptnger and during
the years 1916 TO 1919 in Godesberg.
Had Hard Time Of II.
The girls underwent the same hard
ships and the same wartime conditions
and mode OF living as the German, peo-
pie. They tell a long story OF life and
living conditions during the war. Food
stuffs were extremely hard to get and
everything was given vut on cards.
Clothing and coal, OF which there was
q scarcity. were given out by the
same method. Only silk and paper
substitutes for cloth could be obtained.
There was little cloth of other ma
terlals but it was so poor in quality
and so expensive that the people pre-
terred the substitutes
Coal was very scarce and what little
there was was issued thru the card
system. No lights were burned except
in the occupied territory and where it
was necessary. The food that was
given out WIS OF such poor quality and
there was so little Of it that many
sick people died from the lack OF prop
err nourishment.
No Young Men There.
During their enforced stay in Ger
many during the war the girls lived
the life of the German people and were
under no restrictions except those the
German people themselves were under
The only indication Of confinement
was that they had to report to The
authorities when they wished to leave
the city boundaries.
The only thing that indicated that q
war was going on was the food and
housing conditions, the return Of ar
occasional wounded soldier or a death
report, and the fact that the towns
seemed to be practically stripped OF
young men. Only old men and boys
were left to do the work. The Ger.
man women pitched in an1 did every
kind OF work that the men had done
before they were called 20 war. Work.
Ing In the fields and even on the rail-
roads the German women filled tht
places Of the absent men.
Saw British Troops.
The town Of Godesburg is a sum.
mer resort and is one Of the fines
places on the Rhine. They said tina
| the fraternizing rule OF the army o.
occupation in regard to the German
girls was broken into many pieces
Many Of the German girls were en-.
gagged to members of the units located
| in their territory and reports were
that several marriages had taken place
The German people, according I;