My language and culture are terminal – will the plug be pulled?

No culture is static and mine is not only terminal, but in palliative care.

I am a member of a very small ethnic group and one of the youngest members to grow up still speaking the language.  As a group we were expelled from our home in 1939.  The generations born since the war are being assimilated into Germany and Canada and only hold onto to fading memories of a 700 year history.

Ever since I was young, I have spoken to my elders about our past.   I now have the front row seat for the death of a language and a culture.

Will I have anyone interested in hearing about one more small obscure culture that is terminal? Or is it time to pull the plug?

Bio: Bernard von Schulmann is a 46 year old resident of Victoria of Baltic German descent.   I was born in Vancouver but I was sent off to school not being able to speak any language other than Baltic German.

I am also many other things, but they are not what this talk is about.