Insula DP camp (1945-49)  Berchtesgaden, Germany.

In 2005 we published a book titled,Insula. Over 25 persons, who had lived in Insula, contributed their stories. We are in the process of re-publishing the book with more stories and photos.

Did you live in the Insula DP camp? Did your parents or grandparents or someone you know who lived there? We have almost 600 names out of the 675 that had been in the Insula DP camp.
Please contact me to contribute either names, stories or photos for this worthwhile historical record of persons and those years.
The first edition of Insulal is in the Latvian Academic and National Libraries in Riga and also in the Occupational Museum.
See http://www.insulabook.com  website and contact information.
Insula in 1948 also became a study center (American Zone) along with Imbshausen (British zone) . It provided conferences for pastors , training of Sunday school teachers, and youth leadership training from the various DP camps. Dr. Howard Hong (1912-2010)was instrumental in his work as the first director of LWFSR
In 1999 Dr Hong received Latvia’s highest award to a non Latvian for his work with the refugees -the Order of the Three Stars.
http://www.stolaf.edu/collections/kierkegaard/about/hongs.html#howard

60th anniversary of the Senioreenwohn ( May 7, 2011)
Insula ,  Berchtesgaden, Germany
When 11 of us (3 from Australia, 4 from Canada and 4 from USA) approached Insula on a beautiful sun filled day with the snowcapped Alps serving as backdrop, a 20 foot Latvian flag was hanging by the entrance. There had been no Latvians living at Insula for the past 20 + years. It was an honor not only for us but for all the Latvians that had lived there.

It was a 7 hour celebration on Saturday May 7. Starting with an ecumenical church service,
followed by formal presentation in the meeting hall with various dignataries speaking in the packed hall.
Rolf Hopmann of Insula made apower point presentation of Insula during 1945-1949 when 675 Latvians(DPs) lived in Insula. Insula (island) was the name given by the Latvians and the name was retained when the DP camp was converted for the aged and infirm DPs who were not able to emigrate and now serving as a retirement home. There were over 325 Latvians that came from other DP camps to live out their remaining years at Insula. ( I have compiled the names of these Latvians)
The 11 of us were acknowledged and each us were presented with a 1948 Latvian Bible given by Britain during the DP years and a copy of the translated Insula book into German.
The festivities continued outside with a German cookout and music provided by 13 piece brass band with Bavarian dancers.
John Plume (USA) and Andris Zeicmanis (Austrlaia) were able to meet for the first time in over 62 years. They were buddies in the camp. They recalled the skiing, sledding and the stick games. (Andris’ dad died in the defense of Berlin against the Soviets.)
There was a rededication of Leo T. dad’s graveside marker. Leo’s dad died in 1947 and is buried in Berchtesgaden.
There were two “Study Centers” created in 1948 at Imbshausen in the British Zone and the other at Insula in Berchtesgaden in the American Zone. These centers lasted for two years. At Insula 37 different courses had been conducted with 2,137 “students” attending. Courses and conferences were held for pastors, Sunday school teachers, and youth leaders from various Baltic DP camps.
Did your grandparents, parents or you or someone that you know attend any of the courses at Insula?

V. Plume has noted these few years (1940-1950) were filled with anxiety, danger, fear, and hardship. They were not the pleasant times of our lives, but they remain in our memory, part of history and our legacy, As Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said”Life can only be understood backwards,but it must be lived forwards.”