Childhood in Postwar Germany

Childhood in postwar Germany was a far different experience, than what to have today, in our modern and materialistic society. Few of us today, realize or can imagine the suffering which resulted from years of conflict, on the European continent during World War Two. It was an experience that children felt the most, firsthand. The countless family members or parents who were killed, the fear sitting in a cold bunker while allied bombers destroyed entire cities, not to mention the hunger felt almost daily, These children grew up in refugee camps or foster homes, and were grateful for the simple things, that my GIs gave them.

Since pictures often say more than words, this book presents images, taken by American GI professional photographers in Postwar Germany, depicting the hardships and daily life of German children. It describes some of the programs, such as GYA (German Youth Activities), or the CARE packages that laid the foundation of a new German / American relationship, that still exists today.

Dr. John Provan was born in 1956, in Steubenville, Ohio. His father, an Air Force Chief Master Sergeant that was assigned in Germany for almost 20 years, where he grew up in the Kaiserslautern and Rhein-Main areas, experiencing first-hand the remnants of this devastation. His work on such topics as the Berlin Airlift has expanded his background and through years of work, he has managed to acquire a unique collection of U.S. military activities in Germany.