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If someone learns English first, that would be the basis of their grammar and structure. This doesn't change when you learn other languages. I've known several German women who married American GIs and have been here for 60 years yet still have German accents and grammar structure.
Your little stories always make me smile. And, you know I always have my own stories to match yours. Sure, a person can find examples of Germans who have migr. to the USA and who never lost their German accent. And, you've named two. Well, my whole family (paternal and maternal) relatives and friends migr. from Russia. Their first language was German. Some never lost their accent while others have. You'd never be able to tell that both my parents spoke German first. All of my family speak only English, now, and probably couldn't speak German if they tried. Sure they'd know a few words and probably if they were around Germans for a couple of weeks they'd speak it but poorly. Plus, it's a gutteral language and it's exhausting to push out the German words for a long period of time if you're not use to speaking it. My mother can switch back and forth with ease. My Dad has lost his German completely.
Now, this isn't as true with the relatives who live in the mid-west such as the Dakotas. Some towns sound like little Germany. Although, this is starting to change with the younger generation because they are going away to college and after four years are not as inclined to use German. Many are not returning to the small town where they grew-up. Often they marry outsiders, whom they've met while away, who don't speak German.
Remember, AA was submerged in Germany for quite some time.
It's been too long since I've heard AA speak on film. I do recall her saying, "How shall I tell you who I am." I was struck by her English because a German would have twisted the English around to something like, "Who am I? I can not tell you." So, the words would not have given the same dramatic affect.
Did my relatives speak Russian? Yes. When Alex. III demanded everything be Russianized because he had seen German-Russians were starting to dominate the list of officers in the army and as other officials, he passed a decree that ALL schools be taught by Russian teachers and that the Russian language was to be used. Other languages like German could be spoken but there was a time limit given during each day. One acception was in the old Polish areas, the Poles could not speak Polish in school at any time. Some German-Russians went as far as Russianizing their names.
Like Chat, I do know there are testimonies of all kinds about what AA spoke and what she didn't speak. I tend to believe the first people (nurses and docotors) who were around AA at Dalldorf. I see no reason why they should lie. They had nothing to gain. Also, some testified in AA's trial so we have exactly what they said in the German court.
When Felix stated that AA could speak "good German" he was indicating she was also speaking High German which was being taught in schools at that time. The teachers and religious leaders wanted to nationalize one single language so all the Germans could understand each other. They rediculed their student who spoke Low and Middle German in hopes it would shame them into thinking their dialect was inferior and they'd speak High German.
When the Nazi collected AA and FS's silbings togather, it was recorded that AA had a hard time understanding FS's silbing's Low German and that she replied in High German when she did reply.
Speaking of the Nazis. I find it interesting that Hilter became interested in AA and demanded that his men find out if AA really was the GD Anastasia. The Nazis had every advantage of discovering the truth and often times they even forced what wasn't true to be true. AA was never declared a fraud by the Nazis.
Yes, there was one policeman who signed some document stating that he believed AA was FS but we've gone over this before and I'll have to freshen my memory because I've forgotten the details and why I had the opinion that this was not evidence that I'd take to court with me to prove AA was FS.
AGRBear