The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1957-08-30
Flight From Communism eliminated by Couple With Citizenship
After Three Yelrs In Refugee Camp,
they Fc,tnd Nelr Home In Po,rIlatan


Mrs Ludwig was five month!
pregnant then. and she and tht
others were forced to spend thu
Z nieht IN = small cellar room with
100 others.
Then tue LudWigs just wanted
70 get out She, however, was sus-
pected of being spy Finally g
German policeman was convinced
Of her truthfulness, and helped
the Ludwigs to the West German
line.
There the LudWig's hopes were
dashed again. for they were tolo
chat the refugee camps were all
filled.
Caught Again
Austria" decided the Ludwigs
Again they had to go through the
Russians, and again they were
caught at the line. Two more
hours in jail While papers were
check d.
Spies. they said at first.
Harmless" they concluded.
Finally after IA days and nights
Of hiding in the woods, Of walk
ing in streams. they made it
around the Russians without get
ting caught But they had to drop
Their sultcases and run.
By the time that they arrived
IN Austria. Mrs Ludwig was i'll.
She was taken to the hospital
with only the clothes that she had
on as her possessions, and it was
at the hospital that Ricky, now 8,
was born. The American and
Swiss Red Gross societies gave the
LudWigs clothes for the baby
Ludwigs in Camp Years
For three years the Ludwigs
were at the American Army-spon-
sored refugee camp. A second
child, Helga, now 7, was born
there.
At that time the Ludwigs hadn't
considered coming to the United
states. They had heard nothing
behind the iron curtain. They did
not know that they couldn't re-
turn to Karl's home, for in l947
KING Michael Of Rumania had
abdicated, and the Communist
controlled government in Bucka-
rest had proclaimed PEOPLES
Republic December 30. OF this
the Ludwigs knew nothing. AT the
camp they discovered that the
situation in Rumania was as bad
as that from which they had fled.
One day Karl came home and
asked Anna how she'd like To 20
10 America. Disbeheving at first.
'he was soon convinced of the
luthentlcity Of the proposal. and
M Ludwigs signed a contract
With a religious organization to
BRING them here.
required to Spend Year on Farm
They were required to spend
me year on a farm. and in Oc-
ober, 1851, they came to Powha-
an county They went to a farm
lear Fine Creek Mills. but the
armer had bad luck. and after
i've months. sold out. From there
hey went to Bellmeade. where
hey worked at the convent to
inish out their year.
The year over. Kurt, opened
watch repair shop in Powhatan.
ie Is now employed at Flight Re
earch. Inc. Byrd airport in Rich
nond, doing the work he really
owes, his wife says. They moved
0 Sandston recently so that he could
)e closer to his work.
He hasn't seen his parents since
Ne was taken away BY the Rus
ians. Since then his father has
lied. and now the LudWigs arc
fying to get his mother, who is
SIN in Rumania. over here. To do
hat they had to be citizens, one
equirement now out Of the way.
Town Name Changed
She is in Dumbraveni. Rumania
low the town known as Eliesa-
oethstadt, Slebenburger during
Nazi times Since the war the
name has been changed back to
he original Rumanian.
The Ludwigs have been sending
her money to support her. which
viii make it easier for them to
oring her over here. She will have
to leave all of her property there.
HoWever a less stringent ruling
than IL seems. for as Mrs. Ludwig
xplalnS. Most of us traded away
al the expensive things for pota-
toes during the war