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Witness History

Lithuania's 'wolf children'

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.41.6K Ratings

🗓️ 29 January 2025

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the aftermath of World War Two, children were left orphaned, or separated from their families.

They were forced to flee East Prussia when the Red Army advanced.

Whilst trying to survive, on their way to Lithuania, they were likened to hungry wolves roaming through forests.

Now aged 84, 'wolf child' Luise Quitsch tells Megan Jones about her journey and what life was like growing up in Lithuania.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Luise. Credit: Luise Quitsch)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello, I'm Greg Jenner. I'm the host of Your Dead to Me, where the best names in comedy and history join me to learn about and laugh at the past.

0:08.7

You are a traitor. And in the new series, we'll meet Aristotle.

0:12.0

I think he might have been a time traveller. Someone who's like almost a glitch.

0:15.2

We'll dive into the causes of the British Civil Wars in the 1600s.

0:18.3

In England at this period, there's people can't get on the housing ladder.

0:21.4

This sounds familiar. And we'll discover the arts and crafts movement. I love the clothes. I love

0:26.4

the vibe. Yes, we're a comedy show that takes history seriously and then laughs at it. You're dead to me.

0:31.2

Listen first on BBC Sounds.

0:37.1

Hello, you're listening to the Witness History podcast from the BBC World Service with me,

0:42.6

Megan Jones. I'm taking you back to the final months of World War II, when thousands of

0:51.1

children were forced to flee their homes.

0:57.5

Compared to hungry wolves roaming through the forests,

1:00.2

this is the story of the wolf children.

1:04.3

It's January 1945.

1:08.5

We're in the German city of Labio,

1:11.0

which is now called Polyesk in Russia.

1:17.4

As they're trying to end the war, the Soviet army is rapidly advancing, launching an attack.

1:22.2

Deep snow, lack of roads and rivers which do not freeze, hamper operations.

1:25.8

In the wake of the enemy who've been compelled to shorten their front,

1:30.9

the mobile forces of the Great Red Army move forward relentlessly all along the line.

1:32.9

Louisa Quitt, she's German.

1:37.3

She's four years old and at home with her five brothers and sisters and their mother. When the Red Army was advancing towards us, everyone stayed home, but my aunt, my mother's sister.

...

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