Mum and daughter hug for first time in 70 years

By MiNDFOOD

Image: Margot Bachmann
Image: Margot Bachmann
Reunited at last! World War Two tore this mum and daughter apart

A mother and daughter, torn apart during WW2 are back in each other’s lives after 7 long decades.

German citizen Margot Bachmann always wanted to know her Italian mother, Gianna now 91, and couldn’t believe her luck when she discovered she was still alive.

Gianna, a survivor of the forced labor camps of Nazi Germany northern, fell in love with a German soldier, became pregnant and gave birth to her baby girl in October 1944.

Thanks to the Italian Red Cross and the International Tracing Service, the mother who hails from the Italian village of Novellara was given the opportunity to embrace her child again.

Gianna’s child was removed from her and eventually adopted and raised by the soldier’s parents. Margot’s strict father forbade her from searching for her mother, so she waited till he had passed away before beginning her search.

Despite both women fearing the other had died, Bachmann hoped it wasn’t true.

“I wanted to know who my mother was, whether we are alike, perhaps find some photos and information about her,” Bachmann said. “I would never have dared to hope that I would ever be able to embrace her. Now I am overjoyed to find out that she is well and that we can get to know each other.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Print Recipe

BECOME A MiNDFOOD SUBSCRIBER TODAY

Let us keep you up to date with our weekly MiNDFOOD e-newsletters which include the weekly menu plan, health and news updates or tempt your taste buds with the MiNDFOOD Daily Recipe. 

Member Login