Gathered

Neuhaus Displaced Persons Camp, Germany 1944. Relatives from my Dad's side adjust to camp life.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us.

A Closer Look (Part 80)

Southwestern Lithuania, about 1910. A relative (perhaps an uncle) of Mr. Irene's maternal Grandmother, Anna, takes things seriously.

Here's the original post.

Perception

Suburban Chicago, January 1964. Today, people in their sixties don't look like this, do they?

Why so grim?

Suburban Chicago, January 1965. Mom and I likely are on our way to shop.

Winter Wear

Suburban Chicago, January 1964. My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, stands in the backyard, near the Rec Room window. She rarely wore babushkas; the fabric of this one was like cheesecloth.

Dressed

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1930. Here again is a young Suzanne. Suzanne wears a Persian Lamb coat—what we call a "Karakulis."
 
Thanks to Suzanne's Granddaughter—my Kaunas Cousin—for making this photo available to us.

A Gathering in the Garden

Kaunas, Lithuania, 1936. This snapshot of my Dad's extended family was taken on the same day as this "cousins" photo. My Dad, flashing a satisfied smile, is the only subject wearing eye glasses. To Dad's left stands his twin sister, Jonė. Behind my Dad is his mother, my paternal Grandmother Tatjana, who looks serene. Her husband, my paternal Grandfather, Vytautas, is behind her.

The woman standing next to Tatjana is her beloved sister-in-law, Victoria, a sibling of Tatjana's husband, Vytautas. You've seen images of Victoria earlier here and here. The gentleman on Tatjana's left is Victoria's husband, and the three young people standing behind and in front of Victoria are her children. I earlier posted a photo of many of these family members together here.

Check out the coats and the karakul neck wraps.

Thanks to my Toronto Cousin for making this photo available to us. It's pretty exciting when I see a photo like this one for the first time.

Related by Marriage: Church Ladies

St. George's Parish, Bridgeport, Chicago, 1922. A group of first-wavers stands outside the Lithuanian church. Mr. Irene's maternal Grandmother, Anna, is tucked as fifth person from the left—she's the one with the white feathers in her hat! Anna's spinster sister, Petra, is the second person on the right—she has her left hand tucked into her coat.

Although this is a working-class group of women—most of their husbands labored in the stockyards—a couple of the ladies appear to be wearing fur coats (likely karakul).