Georg Gerk & Pia Dieser

This photograph of the Georg and Pia (Dieser) Gerk family, was taken in Josefstal in April of 1939. Just two years later the entire family will be deported to Siberia. Georg will be imprisoned in a labour camp in Krasnoturinsk…in the Ural Mountains near the city of Sverdlovsk.

Georg was born in Josefstal on July 14, 1912…his parents were Mattias Gerk and Katarina Buss. Georg will pass away in Krasnoturinsk at the age of 85 in 1997.

Here is his birth record:

Pia Dieser was born, also in Josefstal, to parents Georg Dieser and Elenora Kisser on March 11, 1915. She will marry Georg Gerk in November of 1931 in Josefstal. As far as we know they had 4 children. Pia will pass away, also in Krasnoturinsk, on September 28, 1999.

Here is her birth record:

It’s one of the rare photographs taken in Josefstal just before the deportation, courtesy of the grandchildren. We wonder what their life was like….and what stories they would have to tell.