What is an interesting fact about one of your ancestors?

3 comments

1. My great grandfather was a POW while fighting the japanese invading his country. His then-fiancée, my great grandmother, just…somehow went to where he was being tortured and convinced enemy soldiers to allow her to feed and bathe him after torture sessions.

   Once he was released, he had his daughter (my aunt) transcribe what happened to him. I never met the man, but the way he writes about each painful and humiliating event, contrasting with how his fiancée never flinched even at the worst of it…what a bond.

2. One of my ancestors assassinated a president. 😬

3. My great grandmother changed her race. When aparthied started in South Africa (late 1940s) inter-racial marriage was banned. My great grandmother is white, Irish, while my great grandfather was considered brown (by legal standards).

   Instead of forcing mixed marriages to separate, the government gave White spouses the opportunity to relinquish their status as White, and legally become Brown (on their identity document). Being brown would give her less human rights but allow them to stay married.

   If you wanted to continue being White (maintaining full human rights) you had to get a divorce.