It wouldn't even have to be war crimes. During WW2 there was often a dislike and mistrust of people with German names. If these people were the object of suspicion or even just malicious gossip, they could have become withdrawn and paranoid of people and the situation worsened over time until they were living with piles of old newspapers and their dead siblings.
90 Year old Women Found Living with 3 dead siblings
- Thread starter anthrobones
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It wouldn't even have to be war crimes. During WW2 there was often a dislike and mistrust of people with German names. If these people were the object of suspicion or even just malicious gossip, they could have become withdrawn and paranoid of people and the situation worsened over time until they were living with piles of old newspapers and their dead siblings.
Vegas Bride
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from reading all the articles it looks like the oldest sister had passed away in May of 2008, I'm thinking she may have been the authority figure in the family after their father died, and after she passed, the one remaining finally did seek out help, it is because of her talking to her lawyer that this was discovered.
I do wonder about the entire family and how these girls and their brother were raised, it was mentioned that the brother was special needs, does this mean that the girls were being raised to not have any outside interest? To not be allowed to date etc? How sad that they had such a limited existence if that's so. It just seems to me that these people did not have basic skills needed to live outside of their home, their father was a university professor and you would think they would have had quite a bit of education unless it was intentional to always keep them at home.
VB
I do wonder about the entire family and how these girls and their brother were raised, it was mentioned that the brother was special needs, does this mean that the girls were being raised to not have any outside interest? To not be allowed to date etc? How sad that they had such a limited existence if that's so. It just seems to me that these people did not have basic skills needed to live outside of their home, their father was a university professor and you would think they would have had quite a bit of education unless it was intentional to always keep them at home.
VB
I found something strange on Wikipedia. It lists Albrecht Graf von Bernstorff (March 22, 1809 – March 26, 1873 ) was a Prussian statesman. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_Graf_von_Bernstorff
But then on another page says he was a rodes scholar and German diplomat, executed for conspiracy against Hitler in 1945. He may have neen the nephew, Count Albrecht von Bernstorff (March 6, 1890 - April 23, 1945) Germany, Embassy counselor, banker http://andrejkoymasky.com/liv/fam/biov1/vonb1.html
Solf Circle German resistance group. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frau_Solf_Tea_Party
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notable_Rhodes_Scholars There could be some sort of connection to the family but it's not clear who and how.
Wikipedia is not 100% reliable as anyone can edit the page, but this family name has a great deal of political history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Heinrich_von_Bernstorff
So, who were Margrette's grandparents?
But then on another page says he was a rodes scholar and German diplomat, executed for conspiracy against Hitler in 1945. He may have neen the nephew, Count Albrecht von Bernstorff (March 6, 1890 - April 23, 1945) Germany, Embassy counselor, banker http://andrejkoymasky.com/liv/fam/biov1/vonb1.html
Solf Circle German resistance group. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frau_Solf_Tea_Party
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notable_Rhodes_Scholars There could be some sort of connection to the family but it's not clear who and how.
Wikipedia is not 100% reliable as anyone can edit the page, but this family name has a great deal of political history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Heinrich_von_Bernstorff
So, who were Margrette's grandparents?
Bernstorff is an uncommon name, so I am guessing these people are related.
During WW2 there were pro-Nazi organizations here in the United States like the German American Bund. It could be they had something to do with that and made some enemies among their neighbors. Or, they simply could have been viewed suspiciously due to their obviously German name and just kind of withdrew from having much contact with people. If they were dysfunctional to begin with this might well have driven them to lead a hermit like existence.
anthrobones
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Was there anything else ever reported on this?
Wrinkles
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Hello All,
I'm not finding any new reports on this. I saw this old article:
Found this old article
The article says: "There is no evidence of Social Security fraud, and Bernstorff has not been charged with a crime, police said. It's unclear how the Bernstorffs survived financially over the years."
Its not a crime to not report death and bury the dead (3 of them)? There is not a crime in an attorney not checking into the situation of a group of people he is managing an estate for (almost assuredly) checking on them and to see who is alive and dead? It is not a crime to turn any home into a mausoleum without a license?
Remembering Ms. B was approx. 61 to 65 when the first death occurred. She knew that body was there. She knew the others were and did not tell the truth when asked about where these people were -- she knew they were dead and in that house. She's in her 90s now, so does the law say, "Well you broke the law, but you're old now..." Was there really no law broken?
So who owns that house, what is being done with it, is it being investigated for other remains? Do we know where the father is buried or the mother?
What happens to house values when you have something like that house sitting next to you? Just how often are 3 dead bodies found in a house like that?
Supposedly Ms. B was cooperating with police...so what questions were asked and where are the answers. Are these public record? And where are the investigative reporters in the wake of this terrible find?
W
I'm not finding any new reports on this. I saw this old article:
Found this old article
The article says: "There is no evidence of Social Security fraud, and Bernstorff has not been charged with a crime, police said. It's unclear how the Bernstorffs survived financially over the years."
Its not a crime to not report death and bury the dead (3 of them)? There is not a crime in an attorney not checking into the situation of a group of people he is managing an estate for (almost assuredly) checking on them and to see who is alive and dead? It is not a crime to turn any home into a mausoleum without a license?
Remembering Ms. B was approx. 61 to 65 when the first death occurred. She knew that body was there. She knew the others were and did not tell the truth when asked about where these people were -- she knew they were dead and in that house. She's in her 90s now, so does the law say, "Well you broke the law, but you're old now..." Was there really no law broken?
So who owns that house, what is being done with it, is it being investigated for other remains? Do we know where the father is buried or the mother?
What happens to house values when you have something like that house sitting next to you? Just how often are 3 dead bodies found in a house like that?
Supposedly Ms. B was cooperating with police...so what questions were asked and where are the answers. Are these public record? And where are the investigative reporters in the wake of this terrible find?
W
MagicRose99
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After reading the article, I think there may have been some disfunction and mental issues with that family. None of the siblings had ever married or had children of their own. They were reclusive and didn't socialize much. I think "Ms. B", along with surviving siblings, just didn't want to or couldn't deal with letting go of the siblings as they passed and "Ms. B" just happens to be the last one.
Think about it... when the first one passed the other 3 siblings did nothing, contacted no one... and as each passed on, the remaining siblings did nothing, until there was just "Ms. B" left.
I wonder, if the social worker hadn't finally called to police to get inside the house, what would have happened when "Ms. B" passed on?
Think about it... when the first one passed the other 3 siblings did nothing, contacted no one... and as each passed on, the remaining siblings did nothing, until there was just "Ms. B" left.
I wonder, if the social worker hadn't finally called to police to get inside the house, what would have happened when "Ms. B" passed on?