Marianne Gillmer was born in Germany during World War II. Growing up in her village during those tragic years was tough on her family, especially after her father died in battle. She was aware of death at a young age, but she and her best friend still found ways to remain playful and adventurous. In this story, she tells her daughter Susan about one of her most peculiar playgrounds – the local cemetery.
This story was produced by Eva Soncin and recorded in the San Francisco StoryCorps booth in the Contemporary Jewish Museum.