By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 6/2/05)

When Melvin Bielawski returned to the United States from Germany in 1947, he came back with a little something new.

"She’s my souvenir," he said about his wife, Frances.

The couple met when Melvin spent some time off in Berchtesgaden, Frances’ hometown.

Being from Toledo, Ohio, where there are hardly hills, not to mention mountains, Melvin was fascinated with the Alps.

On July 14, 1946, the last day of a stay in Berchtesgaden, he and the other men from his company visited a mountain lake. Before they left one of the men convinced Melvin to go back to the hotel. On their way they saw Frances and a friend walking.

"Now I can see why you would want to go back to Berchtesgaden," Melvin said to his friend.

The two men tried to talk to the women in German, Polish and English. The women mumbled to each other but did not speak to the men.

"We didn’t want to talk to strangers like that," Frances said.

"I’m not afraid to confess that I was attracted to her immediately," Melvin said.

While they were trying to get the two women to talk to them, a car came speeding down the road. Melvin and his companion pulled the girls out of the way, and they were still speechless.

"The least you could say is thank you," Melvin said.

Frances thanked him.

They made plans to attend a dance that night at the Post Hotel.

Melvin was determined that he would return to Berchtesgaden and the girl he had met. A week or two later, he told the first sergeant where he wanted to go. He was told he could "as long as you’re back on duty by Monday."

The couple continued to date in this manner until they decided to get married.

During this time after World War II, there was a ban on fraternization and marriage between Americans stationed in Germany and Germans, Hungarians and Bulgarians.

In order to stay with the woman he wanted to marry, Melvin tried to get a civilian job, but wasn’t able to attain one. He was due to be discharged by Jan. 1, 1947, so in December he reenlisted for another year.

He said he knew, "If I go back to the States, she’s going to have a tough time, because the Germans (that knew she wanted to marry an American) wouldn’t like her."

Luckily, on Jan. 1, 1947, the wedding ban was lifted and the couple was allowed to be able to be married. In order to marry, Melvin had to have at least six months of service remaining; he had to get approval from his chaplain and commanding officer; he had to agree to never return to Germany; and they would be told what day to get married on.

On Monday, Aug. 25, 1947, the couple was married, first by the state, and then in the church. They were the first German-American couple married in Berchtesgaden with the approval of the Army, and one of the first in Germany. While only a dozen people were invited, hundreds attended.

After a two week honeymoon, the couple had to tackle their living situation. Melvin was not allowed to share a private residence with Frances, and Frances was not allowed to live in the military housing. Luckily, they knew the head of the Post Hotel who offered them a place to live there.

"I think God took us by the hand," Melvin said. "Everything worked out perfect."

In November 1947, the couple moved to the United States.

When they landed in New York, Frances went to a shoe store and bought the first pair of shoes she tried on. It wasn’t until they reached Toledo that she told Melvin they didn’t fit.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t think they had any more," Frances said, unaccustomed to living without rations and outside a barter system.

"People in this country have been blessed," Melvin said.

When they settled in Toledo, Melvin worked for the Army and attended the University of Toledo under the G.I. Bill. During the next 10 years, Frances’ mother would come live with them and two sons would be born, Robert and Greg.

In 1957 Melvin applied to work in Germany and the family moved there. A third son, David, was born while they were there.

After eight years, the family wanted to return to the United States. When given job choices in several cities, Melvin asked Frances where she wanted to live. She asked which was the closest and easiest city to get back to Germany. The family moved to Alexandria and Melvin took a job at the Pentagon.

This August, the couple will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary.

While the story of their courtship and marriage is interesting, it is not unique.

"There are so many stories like this — service people who met their spouses at military installations," Melvin said.

He has recently written a book with their story in it, but not because he hopes to earn royalties. He wrote it for many reasons, he said, but mostly so that future generations of Bielawskis will know the story of Melvin and Frances and how they started their lives together.