The 2019 Camp Ohio Reunion – Part 2 Revelations and Insights

July 19, 2019.  The Camp Ohio Reunion in Prince Edward Island is already a distant memory, but what a wonderful one!  By the time we gathered together for our review of some of the Camp Ohio photos, we had already had a chance to share stories from the reception the day before (See The 2019 Camp Ohio Reunion – Part 1…. The Opening Reception and Interview).

We are very lucky to have a rich collection of photos from Camp Ohio, but one feels like an archeologist or anthropologist quite often as we try to figure out the date and context of a photo.  In addition to identifying the people in a photo, many times the location is a mystery.

One photo illustrates the challenge of trying to identify a photo with no background information.  The photo may only be 70+ years old, but the questions are no different than the ones faced by those looking at ancient artifacts that are thousands of years old.

Take a look at the photo below and perhaps you see the dilemma.  While it’s clear the photo was taken outside a barracks in Camp Ohio,  it’s not clear when and why the photo was taken, let alone who is in the photo.  Many of the people who were recognized belonged to the Ukrainian Orthodox church, so at first it appeared to be some kind of church photo.  Was it a choir?  Was it for a religious festival?  You can see the man standing at the far right is wearing an armband.  What did that represent?  All of the people in the photo were wearing ribbons on their left side.

It would have been left as a church related photo, except for the fact that everyone looked glum (or serious) and the people in the front row are sitting with their arms crossed.  This was not typical of a church photo, so the mystery deepened.

The photo was sent to several former residents, with no results regarding context, until Olga KATCHAN and Vala BEREHULAK wrote me that “We think the photo is of a sport organization (sportova drushyna). The folding of the hands is typical of sports groups.”  This reply illustrated how important it is to have the knowledge and recollections of former residents!

We still don’t know the circumstances or date of the photo, but we have a context that makes sense now.

Taken individually, each Camp Ohio photo is a snapshot in time.  But what we noticed in looking through a number of photos on a large screen brought out some surprising revelations:

• Camp Ohio was a tidy place.  In none of the photos does one see the litter and dirt that is commonly associated where a large group of people are congregated.
• People are very nicely dressed.  Except for people in uniforms, or theatre productions, sports photos, and photos from forestry operations, men are wearing suits and women are in dresses.  People took pride in their appearance and it showed.  Much of the clothing people wore had been donated, much as today we send donations of clothing and shoes, and talented seamstresses and tailors among the residents altered the clothes to fit as needed.
• Theatrical costumes and scenery were outstanding.  In an interview with former Camp Ohio resident Iryna SCHUMYLOWICH in 2016, I had asked about the costumes and set designs for the various productions and the various choirs.  She explained that “the costumes were made out of old donated clothing and the sets were made out of any materials on hand. Camp inhabitants did the sewing and the set construction and painting.”  There was no budget for these activities, as far as she was aware.
• People were very talented.  Photos show people in various cultural activities, indicating that not only were there painters and carpenters able to make sets and costumes, but there were musicians and dancers.
• Church played an important role in camp life.  It’s not clear whether people were exceptionally religious, but it was clear that the structure of religion played an important role.  It provided stability in an unstable period as the cycles and rituals of life continued.  Children were born, couples married, and people died.
• Education was important.  There are many photos of children attending school, adults in literacy or other adult education classes.

The photos deliberately tell a positive story about Camp Ohio, as well they should. Underlying the good things that one should remember and celebrate are some of the negative aspects that people remembered as well.  These were discussed at a later point during the reunion.  First, though, it was time for another photo op and lunch!

If you come to Prince Edward Island, a photo by the 13 km long Confederation Bridge is a must.  That was our first stop before lunch.

In the background you can see the 13 km long Confederation Bridge, which links the island to mainland Canada. Left to right: Meinhard Janssen (of Germany), Phillip Shovk (of Australia), Marilyn Berezowsky (of Canada), Roman Berezowsky (of Canada), Daria Valkenburg (of Canada), Brigitte Janssen (of Germany). (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg.)

Visitors to the island who love seafood are never disappointed, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Lobster Barn in the village of Victoria-By-The-Sea.

Roman Berezowsky gets a bib in preparation for his lobster dinner at Lobster Barn! (Photo credit: Marilyn Berezowsky)

We had a lot of fun, and returned back to Chez Shea in Kinkora, refreshed and ready to continue with the discussions back in time to Burgdorf and Germany during the 1940s, with a presentation on displaced persons who were entertainers during the war and post-war period.

Comments can be made on this blog or by sending an email to dariadv@yahoo.ca. Don’t forget to check out the photos on our website at http://www.dpcamps.org/burgdorf.html.

© Daria Valkenburg