Lost Children in war aftermath......

[LAstry]

Years ago I read in "Smithsonian Magazine " an article of young German/European adults who were trying to trace their lives....after their parent(s) had been killed and they were too young to know their names or ethnic backgrounds in the waning days of 1944-1945...I just realized that with DNA could that be of help to those who are still searching for their blood relations?

[gebhk]

Hi LAstry

I am sure it could help, but I suspect only in the 'diagnosis conformation stage'. That is because you need to have samples to compare your DNA with. In other words it can be extremely useful in confirming whether the people you find that you think are your relatives are indeed so (providing they consent to be tested, that is). Unfortunately you have to find them first.

An interesting question.

[Hans1906]

The english and german Wiki about "Wolfskind(er)" (Zweiter Weltkrieg):

English: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_children
German: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfskind ... Weltkrieg)

- Kinder nach dem Krieg: Wolfskinder - Kinderschicksale der Nachkriegszeit
- Children after the war: wolf children - the fate of children in the post-war period



There are a lot of similar documentaries and links on this topic, but please search for yourself.., I don't want to write more about it at the moment.


Hans

P.S. The topic is deeply tragic, I myself knew and know only a few people with this fate, many have already passed away.
I wish you the best of luck in your research...

[ManfredV]

In German we called them "Suchkinder". Parents lost their children and babies and little children didn't knew their names.
After war Red Cross and other special departments tried to find relatives. In many cases they were sucessful, but many fates were never clarified. They had no DNA research.
Also some fiction books and movies were made.