Kolbinger, Frank (1918-1977)

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/29/ [15730]

Biographical Information: Frank Kolbinger was born in Becker, Minnesota, on April 5, 1918. Frank’s early years were largely spent attending school and working on his family’s farm (located a few miles east of Becker), before he enlisted as a soldier during World War II. Upon the conclusion of his military service, Frank returned home to Becker, where he worked as a general store owner and later as the town’s postmaster for multiple years. Kolbinger passed away on March 4, 1977 at the age of 58. He was survived by his wife Agnes, three daughters, and eight grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 27, 1973, Frank Kolbinger discussed his life within Becker, Minnesota. Much of Frank’s interview touched on his childhood and adolescent years during the Great Depression, where he emphasized various differences in living conditions between his life then and at the time of the interview. Frank noted that during the Great Depression, his family frequently faced problems like a lack of running water, electricity, and refrigeration, while machines like snowplows and school buses that made getting to school easier were only rarely present (if at all) within Becker at the time. Additionally, Frank also discussed some of the different jobs that he worked during his adult life, including during World War II where he landed in France on D-Day, and his later positions as a general store owner and the postmaster of Becker.

Interview conducted by Thomas Przybilla