Today we want to deal in detail with the topic of family history, with the memories of past times and the experiences of our parents or grandparents.
But family history can also be the present. These special moments can be with our little children, for example. Every day there is something different to discover. If you could, wouldn’t you like to capture every minute in a picture. And later, years or decades later, when you are a grandmother or grandfather yourself, you might have a story to tell about your family, and pictures too.
But the moment when two people have found each other and plan a life together, a family life together, with children, and everything that goes with it, this can be the beginning of a family story. And when these two people become grandparents themselves and later tell about this time in their lives, it is not uncommon for them to shed a few tears.
Family history – difficult to define
Have you ever tried to define the term family history? If not, try it once. You will find that it is not so easy.
Family history is simply so multifaceted that you will probably never find one, generally valid definition for it. And that is a good thing. Thus, family history always remains individual and exciting, detached from all firmly defined parameters. After all, an exciting vacation adventure of a family of four is just as much family history as the the stories that extended family members tell each other.
Actually happened or just invented? – Material for thousands of books and films
If you are an author who wants to tell a family story, you either need to do good research or have a lively imagination. In any case, a real or imagined family always provides enough material for a story worth reading.
The family that emigrated to America, the family that moves around the houses singing, the family that lost sight of itself in the turmoil of a world war and then at some point finds itself again. Or the family that has become wealthy and influential due to criminal machinations. Or the family that has also become wealthy and influential, but through diligence and energy with their own hands work. There are family stories for every taste: exciting, sad, informative, impressive, worthy of imitation and admonition, all the fates of families.
The true old stories – theme at every family reunion
When the family gets together again, the past is often the number one topic of conversation in social gatherings.
Each of the relatives has something to contribute to the common life stories. Old memories are evoked and stories are told that have almost been forgotten. Or stories that were kept secret for years because they are embarrassing, but now contribute to the laughter and joy. Gaps in memory are mutually closed, sad incidents from the past are lived through together or simply the “how nice it was before” feeling is created.
Who has not experienced it, cannot imagine it
Our children growing up in the age of digitalization are blessed with technical possibilities that were unimaginable 100, 50 and sometimes even 20 years ago. On the other hand, our parents and grandparents have grown up under conditions of which we, and certainly not our children, have any idea.
This makes it all the more important for our generation to learn as much as possible about those times. On the one hand, to learn from it, on the other hand, perhaps to become grateful again for the advantages of the present time, which are often taken for granted.
Grandpa was in the war, grandma was a wreck
Do you still belong to the generation that can say that about your grandparents? If so, then you have received first-hand accounts of that time. Then you must have hung on your grandfather’s stories, with gleaming eyes, who tells of a time when houses were completely darkened in the evenings, when people went out into the country to forage so that the family could eat. Your grandmother’s stories about how hundreds of women joined forces to create a future for their children and grandchildren from the ruins of a world war were certainly exciting.
Repetition desired
Not only children, but we as well, cannot hear the old stories often enough, we want to have them repeated to us over and over again. Because they often sound so incredible. Because they simply cannot imagine what it is like to stand in line for hours for a loaf of bread. Or to help with the potato harvest so that they can take some of the potatoes home in the evening. Or to be slipped some chewing gum by a grinning US soldier.
And these stories gradually fade away. Because the generation that experienced them will unfortunately soon no longer be around. Then you can no longer ask anyone, although it would be so important. Because if you can’t ask anyone, there are no answers.
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Carrying it into the next generation – but how?
It is not uncommon for families to sit in front of an old photo album and no longer be able to identify the people in it. One begins to puzzle, suspects similarities and inferring identities of people who are unfortunately no longer known. And often this leads to the slight reproach to the previous generations that they would have labeled the photos better or would have preferred to record one or the other event in writing. Unfortunately, this is usually not possible afterwards.
How often did people used to say in their stories: You can really write a book about this. If only Grandpa or Grandma had done that.
You can do better!
Start writing a book about significant events in your family history.
Now you’re probably thinking: I should write a book? I’m not a writer or an author. No, you are not, you don’t have to be.
But if you could record your grandparents’ or parents’ experiences in a book, I’m sure you would like that, wouldn’t you? If you or your children could read about that time without having to rely on fuzzy stories, that would be a great thing
Thanks to Meminto Stories you are closer to your own individual book than you think. Because we write it for you. We help you to record experiences and events from your family history in a book. Choose the topic that is important to you and that you would like to write about. We create this book for you, step by step.
A book by Meminto is a great gift idea. For your grandparents, parents, children or yourself.
Meminto – with just a few clicks to your own book!
