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Dr. Alfred H. Meckel, age 94, passed away on April 16, 2018 in Cincinnati, OH. Beloved husband of the late Ingeborg R. Meckel, father of Timothy S. (the late Ellen Polly) Meckel, grandfather of Christopher V., Stephanie W., Andrew R., and Caroline M. Meckel, brother-in-law of Karla Mackley, uncle of Kara Name. He completed his dental education at the University of Munich in 1951 and was immediately employed upon graduation by the US Army in Germany as a civilian dentist from 1951-1953 where he met his beloved wife, Ingeborg Meckel. The couple was married in Garmisch Partenkirchen in the fall of 1953 and immediately moved to Cincinnati thereafter. Upon completing his US dental degree at Northwestern University in 1957, Dr. Meckel was employed as a research dentist by the Procter and Gamble Company from which he ultimately retired 40 years later in 1997. He enjoyed retirement almost to this day on his 15 acre farm in Bright Indiana where he pursued his passion for landscaping and fishing. He was also very active in various local German groups. Services were performed in a private family service at Spring Grove cemetery on Saturday, April 21. Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent to the Meckel Family Fund at The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati Ohio.
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This is my interview with Dr. Alfred Meckel and his World War II experience. He was born in 1924 when Germany was still in hard times due to the harsh sanctions from the rest of the world after World War 1. As a young boy at the age of 9 Hitler came to power. At such a young age he thought that Hitler would be the man who could lead Germany out of its tough economic hardships and bring them up to the rest of the world’s standards. It was not until several years into the war that he was more critical and found out that the regime was brutal and faced many problems with no human rights and oppression against others with different political and religious views. During the times when Hitler was in power, he started what …show more content…
The only thing he could find were some large chunks of coal that the guys were resting their heads on. He laughed as he was recalling the look on the faces of the instructors when he arrived having been sleeping on coal for the past few nights. When he finally arrived and received basic training in France. It was pretty rough by his accounts. Food was very scarce only black coffee and a chunk of bread with a sausage link was given out in the morning and that was all the rations for the day so you had to make the most of it. His basic training was somewhat special, based on the fact that his unit was in quarantine for 3 weeks due to chicken pox running amongst the training facilities. He was put on a train again and shipped off after the graduation of basic training. After another two days by train he arrived in Poland to his pilot school. Since he was just a recruit his job was just to stand guard duty in the airfield for the first 6 months and set off the alarms at the sound of incoming allied aircraft. He claims he mostly just sat around and ate about two pounds of grapes a day since his post was surrounded by grape fields.
After very tough physical and mental testing he was accepted into the pilot school. This he said was the greatest time that he had during his war experience. The pilots were fed extremely well in comparison to the rest of the German army. In addition to the excellent treatment he was also learning how to fly all of
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/German-Ww2-Veteran-Interview-F3E3EN3VC
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Dr. Alfred H. Meckel, age 94, passed away on April 16, 2018 in Cincinnati, OH. Beloved husband of the late Ingeborg R. Meckel, father of Timothy S. (the late Ellen Polly) Meckel, grandfather of Christopher V., Stephanie W., Andrew R., and Caroline M. Meckel, brother-in-law of Karla Mackley, uncle of Kara Name. He completed his dental education at the University of Munich in 1951 and was immediately employed upon graduation by the US Army in Germany as a civilian dentist from 1951-1953 where he met his beloved wife, Ingeborg Meckel. The couple was married in Garmisch Partenkirchen in the fall of 1953 and immediately moved to Cincinnati thereafter. Upon completing his US dental degree at Northwestern University in 1957, Dr. Meckel was employed as a research dentist by the Procter and Gamble Company from which he ultimately retired 40 years later in 1997. He enjoyed retirement almost to this day on his 15 acre farm in Bright Indiana where he pursued his passion for landscaping and fishing. He was also very active in various local German groups. Services were performed in a private family service at Spring Grove cemetery on Saturday, April 21. Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent to the Meckel Family Fund at The Seven Hills School, Cincinnati Ohio.
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This is my interview with Dr. Alfred Meckel and his World War II experience. He was born in 1924 when Germany was still in hard times due to the harsh sanctions from the rest of the world after World War 1. As a young boy at the age of 9 Hitler came to power. At such a young age he thought that Hitler would be the man who could lead Germany out of its tough economic hardships and bring them up to the rest of the world’s standards. It was not until several years into the war that he was more critical and found out that the regime was brutal and faced many problems with no human rights and oppression against others with different political and religious views. During the times when Hitler was in power, he started what …show more content…
The only thing he could find were some large chunks of coal that the guys were resting their heads on. He laughed as he was recalling the look on the faces of the instructors when he arrived having been sleeping on coal for the past few nights. When he finally arrived and received basic training in France. It was pretty rough by his accounts. Food was very scarce only black coffee and a chunk of bread with a sausage link was given out in the morning and that was all the rations for the day so you had to make the most of it. His basic training was somewhat special, based on the fact that his unit was in quarantine for 3 weeks due to chicken pox running amongst the training facilities. He was put on a train again and shipped off after the graduation of basic training. After another two days by train he arrived in Poland to his pilot school. Since he was just a recruit his job was just to stand guard duty in the airfield for the first 6 months and set off the alarms at the sound of incoming allied aircraft. He claims he mostly just sat around and ate about two pounds of grapes a day since his post was surrounded by grape fields.
After very tough physical and mental testing he was accepted into the pilot school. This he said was the greatest time that he had during his war experience. The pilots were fed extremely well in comparison to the rest of the German army. In addition to the excellent treatment he was also learning how to fly all of
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/German-Ww2-Veteran-Interview-F3E3EN3VC
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BRIGHT, Ind. - Ingeborg R. Meckel's positive outlook helped her weather the hard times she experienced throughout life.
The retired teacher died Wednesday of cancer at her home here. She was 79.
At age 15, she moved from her birthplace - Erfurt, Germany to Dresden, when World War II broke out. Surviving the Dresden fire bombings in 1945, she then moved to Garmisch, Germany, to work as a human resources director for the U.S. Army.
She hired Dr. Alfred H. Meckel, whom she married in 1951, before the couple immigrated to the United States.
The Meckels moved to Cincinnati in 1954, because of the area's strong German influence and because Mrs. Meckel's sister, Karla Mackley, lived there.
In 1967, she became "Frau Meckel," a German teacher at the Lotspeich School, now part of Seven Hills School in Madisonville.
In addition to teaching, Mrs. Meckel thought it important to experience the culture of other countries. During her 20-year teaching career, she took more 350 children to Germany and Austria on ski trips.
"Known for her eternal optimism, love for children and an insatiable desire to promote cultural understanding, she was able to combine all of these interests over the span of her career teaching German in kindergarten through sixth grade at Lotspeich School," said her son, Timothy S. Meckel of Wellesley, Mass.
" 'Oma,' as she was affectionately referred to by her grandchildren, delighted in watching young children explore and discover."
She retired in 1987.
Her interests included having many pets, one of which was her 40-pound carp, Charlie, who became a local celebrity when he appeared on Channel 12's By George show in 1988. But Mrs. Meckel turned down an invitation to appear on the David Letterman Show because she did not want to harm Charlie with the traveling.
In addition to her husband of 51 years and son, survivors include a sister, Karla Mackley of College Hill; three grandchildren, and a niece, Kara Name of Dallas.
Visitation will be 1-2 p.m. today in the Norman Chapel, Spring Grove Cemetery, 4521 Spring Grove Ave, Winton Place, with a funeral service following at 2 p.m.
Memorials: Margaret Mary Hospice, P.O. Box 226, Batesville, IN 47006.
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