Mrs. Anna Bering

Anna Pfeiffer was born on August 13, 1923 to Paul and Sussanna Pfeiffer in a small town in Yugoslavia called Sigmundfeld. Two years later her younger brother, Jakob, was born. Life in Sigmundfeld was much like life at that time in any other small town in America. Kids went to school and after school they tended to their chores. Anna’s family owned the general store in town which she helped to run everyday. She was very good in math and quickly learned to add customer’s purchases accurately. Her store didn’t have a cash register. Later in life, her daughter would marvel at her ability to have figured out an entire grocery cart’s worth of groceries to within a few cents before reaching the cashier. She would just chuckle and say “that’s what I did when I was your age”.

Sigmundfeld was not unlike many small towns in Central Europe that Germans had immigrated to before World War I when the region was called Austria Hungary. After the dismantling of Austria Hungary, German settlements fell into territories that were politically unstable. Things were fine until the outbreak of World War II. Unfortunately, the 1.5 million Germans living in these settlements at this time got caught up in the political power struggles and ended up under communist control.

Anna and Anton Bering grew up in Sigmundfeld together but it wasn’t until about 1941/42, when she was 18, that they fell in love. But things turned for the worst. Anton was forced in the German army. Shortly thereafter, communists stormed the town in the middle of the night and made everyone leave their home. For three years Anna and her mother were in a concentration camp. Camps were divided into children, elderly and sickly people, and those who were able to work in the fields. Those in camps who could not work were typically starved. Anna and her family lost their home, their store and many loved ones and friends. It was a horrible time.

In 1947, when the war ended, Anna and Anton reunited in Austria. They were finally married on April 4, 1948. Their first child, Anton Jr. was born a year later on May 22, 1949 in Graz, Austria. Their second child, Wolfgang, arrived on August 10, 1954 in Linz Austria. Sonja, was their third child and she was born on July 30, 1957. With three children now, Anna and Anton decided to find a better life and come to America. Anna’s mother was already living in Detroit, Michigan, along with other relatives that had survived the war. She had come to Detroit in 1952 and wrote to Anna regularly trying to convince the family to join her. Then in January of 1958, the family finally packed up what little they had and came to America.

Anton painted homes and Anna was a housekeeper at first. They took any odd jobs they could find. It was difficult in a new country not being able to speak a word of english, but they perservered; they were hard working people. In 1963 the family moved into a brand new home in Warren, Michigan. Anton was a tool and die maker and Anna worked part time as a housekeeper. They raised their three children Tony, Wolfgang and Sonja and lived in the house on Gail Dr. for thirty years.

Anna and Anton joined a German Club, Carpathia, where they re-connected with other Germans who had suffered the same fate during World War II. Through the club they were able to once again play the music and dance the way they did before their lives were changed forever by war. They took their three children to the club as well where all three learned to speak, read and write German. They belonged to the club for over 30 years and met many wonderful friends there.

Anna Bering did not play sports or go to college. She was a hard working, devoted wife and mother. She was a wonderful seamstress and sewed beautiful dresses for herself and her daughter. She was an excellent cook and baker. Most of all she loved her family more than anything. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy. She has 7 grandchildren: Bianca and Tony, Jr. Bering, Michael and Nicholas Bering, Mark, Christopher and Noelle Caprarese.

Growing up there was never a time she wasn’t available when asked to babysit any of her grandchildren. Her husband, her children and grandchildren were her life. On May 21, 1994 she lost her husband to cancer. Shortly thereafter she left her home on Gail Dr. after 30 years to live in a condo in Clinton Township. On May 17, 2010 she passed away just the way she wanted to – surrounded by those she loved the most.