I don’t know what age I was when I began to truly understand the importance of the stories I was hearing. The loud booming German voice that could captivate an audience wherever we were. Oh, he had many stories to tell, and whenever he talked everyone listened closely, intrigued and amazed by the things they would hear. Everyone trying to imagine what it must have been like to experience the things he had in his life.

The person who I speak of is my father. Jochen Earnst Heinrich Robiller. Born in Danzig, Germany, or at that time the Free City State of Danzig, in 1937. I was born in 1984. My mom was 42 when she had me, and my dad 47. By 1984, my dad had apparently experienced more things in his life than some folks experience in their whole lives. And as soon as I was old enough to remember, he told me about those things.

My bedtime stories were very different than the ones my peers were hearing. He didn’t need to read me fairy tales, because the tales he had to tell were much more interesting than anything that could be found in a fictional book.

Despite moving to the United States at the age of 18 and learning English along the way, some things are still a struggle to this day. Written English being one of them, and I can’t blame him. English has so many silly strange spelling rules to learn and understand. And although my father has such incredible stories to tell, some of the beauty of them can get lost when he tries to write them down.

This is where I come in. I’ve spend my whole life hearing his stories. I have often been requested to edit his works of writing, and after a bit of contemplation, I came up with this solution. Instead of me just editing his writing, we would collaborate. From his writing, I will bring them to life on the page the way he brings them to life in person.

My father has far too many experiences and stories to tell for the world not to hear. And with everything that is happening in the political climate today, I feel that some of his stories and experiences as a child in WWII Germany would bring incite and information that many could learn from. He’s been there and done that. He went from a child in Nazi Germany, to a young man coming to America with dreams of success as a Stone Mason, to a U.S. Marine, a Boat Builder, a Hang Gliding Instructor, a Restaurateur, a World Traveler, a Father, and so much more that I would surely miss if I attempted to write everything he’s done in a sentence. So I won’t, instead I will tell the tales. I will introduce you little by little to an incredible man and the stories he’s told, so they will be preserved for all to know. There is just too much that could be lost if you’ve never had the chance to hear them yourself.

So welcome to our blog. Welcome to the Tales My Father Told Me. Please enjoy and let us know what you think. These stories will be told in no particular order at this time. Eventually, we may use this as a gathering place to make a book. We will see. One step at a time. We hope you enjoy!