Several years later and my mother looks very different, but Bluebell looks about the same.
My father didn't have a dog, but here he is at about the same time (1940) at the Berlin Zoo posing with his sister and two lion cubs. Soon, my parents' countries would be at war with each other.
In 1943, allied bombing destroyed the Berlin Zoo, resulting in the death of many of the animals.
My father emigrated to the United States after the war.
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Hey Christine, wanted to tell you my mom was from Berlin too! Born 1939 and moved to the states in the 1960s. There were 4 sisters and they all married Americans and moved over here. The Zoo, rebuilt after the war, was a huge destination for me when I used to go visit my grandparents. I have a very match to your dad's picture with 2 lion cubs on my lap when I'm about 7 or 8 years old. They even still did them in black and white even though it was in was in the 70's!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating context you have created by showing us your parents as kids when the world was on the brink of war.
ReplyDeleteHi Christine, your photos make me smile! That is pretty sad about the bombing of the zoo; that war was so horrible. Thanks so much for stopping by to see me.
ReplyDeleteHappy Sepia Saturday,
Kathy M.
Great family photos, and isn't funny how our dogs often change very little....in our life time as we grow up...yours was a great comparison.
ReplyDeleteA Scottish Bluebell has a certain ring to it. Lions are fine at that age - but later they would make a meal of a dog; the dog might not change much with age but the lions definitely do. We have Westies (West Highland Terriers) in our village but no Scotties as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteChristine what beautiful photos. Bluebell looks to have been a fine companion.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. The second photo reminds me of Dorothy & Toto in the Wizard of Oz.
ReplyDeleteColleen
http://leavesnbranches.blogspot.com/
What a treat for a child it must have been to hold a furry lion cub, love the expressions on your father and aunt's faces. Bluebell is a super name for a Scots Terrier, and a very cute dog.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, all of them. :)
ReplyDeleteThat second photo is beautiful. The third picture is also nice; seeing these kids just before the war is poignant.
ReplyDeleteWow! Wonderful photos! Dogs, lions, family and history all together.
ReplyDeleteBluebell - what a lovely name for a loved pet. Interesting to see pictures of your parents at the same time too.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful photographs (and, by the way, I hope you like dogs!)
ReplyDeletegreat post, christine!!
ReplyDeleteGreat family photos and the history, love the Scotties (of course) and how sad about the Zoo! :-(
ReplyDeleteEven little lions would have scared me when I was that age. I can remember refusing to pose with a chimpanzee at Dublin zoo.
ReplyDeleteThe second photo reminded me of something from a movie--both Shirley Temple and Wizard of Oz.
ReplyDeletelovely photos!
ReplyDeleteposing with lion cubs..my goodness!! what a fabulous photo! that certainly wouldn't happen now,would it!
such a shame about the Zoo...so many sad events then. Hopefully,the world has learned.........
thanks for sharing this post..very powerful.
I love both of the photos with Bluebell. And the lion cubs are fantastic. It's hard to imagine letting kids be photographed with lion cubs. Aren't you glad they did. though? Now you have this fantastic photo. How horrible to think of what must have happened to those cubs. And everything else that happened in that horrible war...and every other war. Will we never learn?
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Beautiful family photos with Bluebell. And the story behind the photos is touching. Easy to forget the individual stories behind a war that fades with each passing year. Your post puts that right.
ReplyDeleteBluebell holds herself with SUCH dignity! Sweet photos, Christine, and it's interesting to be reminded of all the innocent children whose lives are touched by war.
ReplyDeleteA special combo that I hope is displayed in a frame on the wall too. My family had a shaggy Scotty too, but no lions, only fat cats.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures - the first one shows how small your Mum and Audrey were as Scottish terriers aren't large dogs. Love the lion cubs too :-) Jo
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful photos. I really think it is interesting to see the lion cubs.
ReplyDeleteTerrific photos! That one with the lions is just screaming out for a caption, I think. Something along the lines of:
ReplyDeleteJust keep smiling Leona, Dad will head them off at the gate and then we'll have us some kind of feast at Feeding Time!
Lovely pictures all around and a great story of love to come.If it hadn't been for the war, your father might never had had emigrated...
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ