Clippings     

Breda Germans Are Loyal Americans

The Des Moines Register, Sunday, May 16th 1943

Breda Folks May Have German Blood But All of Them Are Loyal Americans

The clipping at the left shows the five younger children of Ben and Mary Nieland as they left for school at St. Bernard's Catholic School in Breda. They are holding their lunch buckets and wishing their mother Mary "Good-bye." The photo on the shelf is of their brother, Arthur Nieland, who was reported as Missing in Action in the Philippines. The photograph was taken in the kitchen of their farm home located four and a half miles north and one mile west of Breda. Nielands still live there today.

The caption reads:

Typical of the youth in the German community of Breda are the five children of Mr. and Mrs. Ben A. Nieland, bidding their mother good-by as they leave for school. Each carrying a lunch pail, they are (left to right) Patrick, 19; Syril, 16; Paul, 13; Jolene, 8, and Charlotte, 6. On the shelf is a picture of another brother, Arthur, reported missing in the Philippines.

back to History page