The picture above has an interesting story. You may have noticed that handsome young American soldier on the left. That is Gunther Sadel, my father's younger brother. He, like my father, had a Jewish father and a Christian mother. Hitler didn't like that so Gunther and my grandfather first went to Amsterdam. Grandpa then went to the USA while Gunther spent a year in England. When Uncle Gunther got to the US he wound up joining the US Army. After spending a little time in a unit in Alabama (or somewhere else in the deep South?) he wound up on the staff of the general responsile for the Nurenberg Trials where the Nazi's were brought up on charges.

Uncle Gunther's unit was the OSS, Office of Special Services, which later became the CIA. As a member of the OSS you did not wear any rank insignia, anyone and everyone had to follow the directives of an OSS member in the completion of their duties. Side note: When the general found out he was only a corporal, he got a "battlefield" promotion to second lieutenant!!

One of Uncle Gunther's duties was to find witnesses to appear in the trials. The general called Uncle Gunther into his office and handed him his orders to find a particular witness. It turned out to be his mother, my grandmother, who he had lost contact with. Well, my grandmoter told me the story of when Uncle Gunther showed up at her door. I'll save that one for my book!

Some of Uncle Gunther's exploits can be found in a book, Nurmberg - Infamy on Trial by Joseph E. Persico