Growing up in Germany during World War II, Gerda Vance’s whole life was changed by the war. Now living at Morning Pointe of Hixson, Tennessee, Gerda has amazing stories to tell of this pivotal time in history.
Early Childhood
Gerda was born on April 13, 1933, the only child of Bruno and Margarete Zemmel. Her father was an architect before World War II started.
The family lived in Berlin, and Gerda remembers there being gooseberries and apple trees out in front of their home. Sometimes, her father would ask her, “You want an apple?” and when she said, yes, he would lift her up to reach one, often from the very top of the tree
These idyllic moments did not last long, however. When Gerda was 6, Germany invaded Poland, and World War II officially began. Her father was called to serve as a pilot, and he was killed in service.
Rations made civilian life difficult, and in school, Gerda was forced to say, “Heil Hitler” every day with her schoolmates.
Bombs were another threat, especially since Gerda’s family lived in the capital. One day, while Gerda was at school and her mother was out of the house, their home was hit by a bomb. Unfortunately, her grandmother was in the house at the time and was killed.
Across the Frozen Baltic Sea
In 1943, Gerda’s mother made the decision to send Gerda to East Prussia, where she was from, to stay with a cousin who had a young daughter about the same age. Off she went, no questions asked.
“I was brought up to just listen and do what people told me,” Gerda said.
In 1945, however, the situation changed. The local population was terrified by the advance of the Soviet Red Army, and a mass exodus began. Gerda and her aunt became two of hundreds of thousands of refugees, many of whom fled across the frozen Baltic Sea. Thousands died along the way, especially the elderly, many due to the harsh winter weather.
“Wherever there was a town, we would stop,” said Gerda. “German elderly couples with maybe only one bedroom, they would take us in, and I remember a few times we slept on the floor.”
When they reached land, Gerda’s aunt put a name tag around her neck and put her on a train to Berlin. From there, she was on her own and had to rely on friendly adults to read her name tag and guide her to find her mother.
“I didn’t know if my mom was still alive,” Gerda remembered. “We didn’t have telephone communication like we do today.”
She eventually made it back to Berlin by bus, and to her mother. The family members were so happy to be reunited.
Occupation of Berlin
The hardships were not over even after Gerda made it safely back home. Food and supplies were scarce, and Gerda’s mother went to great lengths to protect and provide for her.
After the end of the war, the Soviets took over the city of Berlin. Gerda was 12 at the time, and she remembers her mother dressing her up as an old woman and giving her a cane to protect her from potential assault by soldiers.
During the occupation, Gerda also remembered her mother sewing gold coins into the hem of her mink coat to buy fresh produce and dairy. She would sell the food and buy cigarettes, then sell those to make more money for the two women to live off of.
As the Allies divided up Berlin, Gerda was fortunate to live in the American sector close to the Berlin Tempelhof Airport.
“The Americans were good to us,” Gerda said. “They gave us food and chewing gum. They would ask us children to come over and use the pool, and they would entertain us. As a child, it was such a blessing.”
Sometimes, the Americans would even drop candy from their bomber planes, a real treat for the kids.
Work, Marriage, and the USA
Gerda had an advantage in this new Germany. As an adolescent, she had been recommended by a teacher to study English, and she was able to speak, write, and understand the language.
“I don’t mean to brag, but God gave me a brain, and I always wanted to learn something,” Gerda said.
She not only completed high school but went on to the University of Berlin, where she earned a degree in journalism. She also learned linotype and got a job at the German Medical Journal while she was in college.
After college, Gerda was working in Tempelhof, and there, she met an American military man named Charles Hilliard Higdon, and they were soon a couple. They married in 1954, then moved to the United States in 1955.
The cultural transition was less of a challenge than Gerda expected, and Charles’ family welcomed her with open arms. And although the couple never had children, Gerda continues to be close to his family.
“I was so fortunate I spoke English, and everybody I met was very kind,” she said. “The people [in America] are so friendly. I was very much accepted.”
In the U.S., the Higdons started out in Colorado Springs, then moved to Columbus, Georgia, and finally settled in Mobile, Alabama. Charles continued in the military, discharging after 20 years of service.
In Mobile, Gerda bought a small grocery store and worked in the office for a while. Eventually, she bought a location of The Village Inn Pancake House from the franchise. There, she also worked in the office during the week. She particularly enjoyed working the cash register on the weekends and chatting with customers. To boot, The Village Inn had quite a few German-speaking customers. According to Gerda, it’s true that Germans like their pancakes!
In the late 1960s, Gerda moved her mother to the United States, and she worked alongside her daughter for a while at the restaurant.
Although Gerda and Charles divorced, she remains friends with his family, especially her niece Vanessa Higdon.
Gerda remarried to Shull Vance, a Marine Corps veteran and golf superintendent, in the early 2000s. For a while, they lived on a golf course in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and, again, Gerda put her business experience to use by working at the golf course office. She also enjoyed playing tennis. The Vances were married for about 10 years before he passed away, and Gerda moved to Tennessee to live with Vanessa.
A few years ago, the two ladies visited Germany. Gerda traveled familiar streets and saw the bunker where she and her mother had hidden during air raids and the corridor where the American troops dropped food and candy.
Morning Pointe
As Gerda got older, she started needing more assistance. She chose Morning Pointe of Hixson so she could be close to family, and she moved in in early 2023. She found a home that also satisfies her social needs.
“I enjoy the people,” Gerda said. “I feel very comfortable here. I’ve made new friends. I like conversation and talking about history.”
Gerda also enjoys exercising at the community.
“I’m 90 years old, but I can walk, I can talk, I can bend over – it’s God’s blessing,” Gerda says.
Thank you for blessing us with your stories and history, Gerda. We are glad you are part of our Morning Pointe Family!
