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I just found something huge about my granpa and I think he doesn't know it

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U

UnluckyKate

Member
okay, SORRY for clickbait title, but I want to write this story that is happening to me, in a way you can live the same chains of events as I did. Spoiling the title wouldn't be good.

So, I'm doing paperwork for my grand parents they are old. I'm french. For some administrations for their new home I need their birth certificates. I'm heading to townhall but they will only delivers me copies I need originals... I'm swearing a bit because it's been like 80 years, how will I find originals...

So I investigate their papers and with them. I find my gran mother papers in her native town hall. Then come my gran dad. I find the village he was born. Mind you : tiniest village in France. The town hall is like a doll house converted into a musuem, its lovely but so old and tiny. I ask for the paper, the original from this copy I have of his brith certificate.

And after looking into the archive, the very old lady comes back with a puzzled face. She shows me a certificate :
- same city template one as my copy
- same registration number
- same date of birth
- same eye colors
- different name.

I'm confused. Is it a mistake ? Why is the copy having a different name ? A different person was born the same day here ? She's as puzzled as me... Could it be a mistake ? They don't have any other. Did my granpa changed name ? I never knew it. I call him. He says he never changed his name...

I'm so confused. The old lady at the desk is searching the archive again and again... then, she says to me, that the lady who worked with her is still alive and she's leaving right across the street, she might know something... I'm very confused but why not... Maybe the former employee had a different way of organizing...

So I walk across the street, and ring the bell. A very old voice asks " who's this "
And I'm like " uh... hello ? I'm looking for my granpa birth certificate and the townhall have this original not matching my copy... The lady told me you used to work there... maybe you could help ? " and as I say this, I realize how stupid that sound, that I'm bothering a very old lady... she can't possibly help

" come in young man "

This is so awkward; I sit, she offers tea, I offer to help, I ask her again, she listen, she is smiling, she's so old a bit trembling like a leaf. She looks at me and she ask " what's his name ? " (my granpa) and I answer. She gets up and she says " my mother always talked about the war, how she tried to help them, I think I have the paper somewhere "

I'm so confused. The war ? Help them ? She comes back with a file and she gives it to me. " Open up, maybe it's in here " she says... So I open the dusty file and some OLD official paper are protected in plastic inside... Birth certificates, familly books, wedding certificates...

And I found it. I found the same matching brith certificate for my granpa but with his real name. It was inside her file. I still didn't get it. Why is there two with a different name ?

She answered : " my mom told me about this boy. His parents were jew. They were fleeing but they were scared for their boy so they had my mom forge a new birth certificate and identity and they gave him to a local farm to be raised as a local "

Jesus fuck.

My granpa was jew and his parents saved him.

" did his parents ever came back ? "

" No "

" But I never knew this, he never told us ! Do you know when this happened ? "

" I don't know for sure, but my mom spoke of him as a baby "

Holy Crap.

I called my mom (my granpa's daughter) she didn't knew. She freaked out. She's sure he doesn't know.

I'm 12% jew by blood ?

It means the original stayed in the townhall and the fake was out. Did they exchange after the war and put the original back in ?

Shit is crazy. I feel I uncovered some huge secret. I feel like trying to track his original parents... But if they never came back ? Were they victim of holocaust ? Did they survive but decided to not take their boy from his new home ? They can't be alive they should be over 100 years old now... But I'm curious about their history and legacy.

Holy crap.

What to do. This been so shocking for me.

EDIT : tiny update: going to look for his parents soon. Not telling him for the moment.
 
S

santi_yo

Member
I'd watch that movie.

Do you think he can handle it? Everybody should know the truth, but you know him better than us.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
That's crazy man.

Now the question is are you going to tell him? Seems like it'd be a multitude of heart breaks

- his parents weren't his real parents
- he never met his birth parents
- his birth parents were likely killed in world War 2, and he lived a comfy life without ever knowing.

It's a tough decision. Something you should likely talk with your mom, any siblings she might have, and ultimately your grandma if she's still alive.

You have a very interesting and possible stressful decision to make.

Edit: personally man? I'd try to find out who his real parents were, see where they were buried (if they have remains) and give him all of this information.
 
U

UnluckyKate

Member
Obliterator said:
If this is true this is absolutely fucking insane
Click to expand...

John Kowalski said:
Write the damn book op time to cash in on depressing family history
Click to expand...

I think there are A LOT of these stories in France and in every country Nazi deported jews...

But by now, I would assume most of these familly secret would have gone out and people made peace with it.

But I think my mom never had a clue if my grandfather didn't know himself...

Its not like I looked for it, it's not a familly mystery... Never been... it just happened...

I don't think anything will change but I needed to vent
 
W

Wyndstryker

Member
If this is true then it can be a life changing mission to uncover the truth.

Can also make a great book/movie/quick billion dollars
 
G

GulAtiCa

Member
That's one hell of a story. Good thing you went to find the original copy. Who knows if this would have ever been found out if you never did
 
X

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
Wait...so the real one with a different name was in the official records, and the woman across the street had a copy of the fake one?
 
N

NHarmonic.

Member
Wow amazing story dude!

Kinda difficult to try and track his parents, though... might be worth a shot if you want to know the truth.
 
E

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
If I was you I would tell him, with your mother of course. I think it's the right thing to do, especially at his age, it's not something to leave to later. I think it would be good to try and find if he has family still alive, probably has some extended one and family history is pretty important for Jews, so it's not just for him but for others too who would be glad to find out.
 
A

Arcteryx

Member
Trippy. If it was me, I would investigate into the family that raised him and then ask him, "if there was something that would completely change your view of your life...would you want to know?".
 
T

turmoil

Banned
Wow holy fuck.

Consider very carefully if you really want to tell him that. Maybe he can't take something as huge like this at his age.
 
M

M52B28

Banned
Ether_Snake said:
If I was you I would tell him, with your mother of course. I think it's the right thing to do, especially at his age, it's not something to leave to later. I think it would be good to try and find if he has family still alive, probably has some extended one and family history is pretty important for Jews, so it's not just for him but for others too who would be glad to find out.
Click to expand...
!

Tell him.
 
M

Mimosa97

Member
Quelle histoire de fou ... bordel de merde ...

How old is your grandpa OP ? I feel like you him owe the truth. More so now that his own daughter knows. How is his health ?

Also in what region did this happen ?
 
H

Harpuia

Member
Damn what a story. I came in thinking this was not gonna be worth it and is probably the op making a mountain out of a molehill. Instead it's just a plain old mountain.

I mouthed "holy fuck!" Once your story got to the bomb shell.

You know your grandpa better than we do. Unfortunately we can't tell you if it's a good idea to let him know.
 
U

UnluckyKate

Member
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
 
K

Korey

Member
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...
He deserves to know. Yea it'll be shocking but it's his life and heritage.
 
I

Irnbru

Member
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...

If I was an old person I'd still like to know tbh, it's part of his and your families history , but you'd know your family better than I haha
 
F

Familienoberhauptvogel

Banned
You're either 100% Jew since the religion is among other things passed down by parentage or probably a much more miniscule amount of ethnic jewish.

Pretty awesome story though and that the old lady kept all those files. I'd tell him, unless he is in poor health condition.
 
M

Mimosa97

Member
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...

Think about his parents's sacrifice. Shouldn't they be acknowledged ?

Also he might have relatives ... Does he have brothers and sisters from his adopted parents ?
 
X

xxracerxx

Don't worry, I'll vouch for them.
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...
Just because they were not biological parents/siblings doesn't make them any less family.

Tell your grandfather.
 
W

Wyndstryker

Member
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...

Don't even take our opinion for it.

Just say you found something unusual on your trip doing the paperwork and go from there.
 
C

Chichikov

Member
That was actually quite common during World War II.
Sadly, if the parents didn't came back it probably mean that they died in The Holocaust (though it's not certain, there are stories about people finding their kids years later after they've been raised as Christians).

I think it's worth following up, if you have his parents names there's a chance you'd be able to track something about them.

As for whether or not you should tell him, I would probably leave that decision to your parents. I think I would personally would like to know, but that's neither here nor there.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...
Like i said, ask the people most involved around his life for their advice. His children and wife, who know him the best, what they think.
 
E

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
UnluckyKate said:
To all saying I should tell him...

I have no idea... It's really a hard call to make...

Imagine, living all your life with the idea of your parents, your siblings being your familly... And at past 80 years old, your grand son with his pesky internet friends tells you that nope, you were merely adopted because your real parents were jews and probably died while you were a baby... and did all this to protect you.

I don't know... how would I react to that ? That's a lot to take
Click to expand...

Don't underestimate how quickly you could find info about his family. Start with that but start quickly, you can make that call afterward. For all you know a family out there knows that a great-grand mother or father left their baby somewhere in France but never heard of him again since they died or something like that.

If you have his real name now, you could possibly find his parents' and if they had brothers/sisters. Give it a shot, you can probably contact even some Jewish organization in France for help, once they look into it if they believe it's likely to be true they will definitely do what they can to help find more info.
 
C

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
That's quite a story. Talk it over with your mum, your grandma (if she's still alive) and other eventual relatives on your mum's side. And try to find the names of his biological parents and where they are buried (unless they somehow survived and are still alive). And if your family agrees, tell your granddad, and give him all the info you have. Best of wishes to you.
 
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