America Deserves A Raise

Ingeborg’s   Song !

Watching through the barbed wire fence of the concentration camp, people stripping off their clothes, lined up and shot, buried in the grave they just dug, some still alive, left scars on 8 year Ingeborg. 

Growing up, Ingeborg’s father said, “Come here, I want all of you girls to learn how to play an instrument because if anything happens in your life you will always be able to support yourself”.  That proved true in Inga’s life. 

It was not unusual for American soldiers to come to the house as mama did laundry for them, but on this particular day mama was out, and when a soldier came to the door he was let in.  Ingebory was young, the soldier was big so the rape was swift, yet pregnant she became. 

Although the soldiers ID was in his clothes, her parents did not report his crime because he threatened to kill her whole family, coupled with severe poverty Ingeborg’s parents decided to leave Germany and come to America, with their daughter 5 months pregnant to be with her sister. 

Even without knowing English, Ingeborg began working to support herself and child, starting in a rubber factory,  than a glass factory, house cleaning, waitressing, cashiering, bartending, battery company soldering, bakeries, networks marketing, door to door sales, always working to support herself and 4 children, George, Robert, and Heidi,  plus one adopted daughter, Frances, whom she took in when the girls mother just left, raising her children without support or assistance from anyone.  She even started her own business buying and selling furniture, had a vegetable stand, sold shrimp, and naturally played her accordion to supplement her income continually. 

A repertoire of 500 international songs, her accordion nearly ½ her size, singing and yodeling, people and groups responding with genuine enjoyment to such liveliness!

Though her life has seen many heart aches, abusive marriages, one time her car, and every stick of furnishings, and clothing taken,  leaving her with only 17 cents.  Another time her arms broken, suffered a stroke, even conned by a man who stole the cash down payment when buying a house, yet her spirit remains undaunted, her gusto personality and attitude reflecting her motto, “Yesterday’s pain is gone, I will live today”. 

Pictures and articles about her appeared in the “Super Bowl Magazine”,  “Traveler Magazine”, many scrap books full of history reflects a busy life.  Not only entertaining at private parties, weddings, but Nursing Homes,  the VA, the Children’s Hospital, Shriners, always working, and surviving, like in the war. 

Today Ingeborg, now 74 years old, still plays the accordion at family Restaurants to supplement her income and performs when requested.  With a song in her Heart, she continues loving, laughing and giving ......