How do I get my belongings back?

My ex-boyfriend and I got engaged before he left Germany and went back to Washington State after being stationed in Germany. He took most of my belongings with him and had them shipped by the Army together with his stuff. Two months later, after the things had just arrived there, he dumped me over the phone. I had given him no reason for this.

My things are in his uncle's garage, who is threatening to get rid of him. I have had no contact with my ex-boyfriend over the last two years.

His mother mentioned something about "his new family", so I am assuming that he has at least one child with another girl. They are not willing to pay for sending my things back. They are in several cardboard boxes that could well be over 100kg heavy -- they won't even give me the weight and dimensions for me to get a quote.

I need to get my things back to get closure, apart from the fact that there is a lot of sentimental value, as he had asked me to pack everything that I would want around me when I get there, so I wouldn't be home-sick...! If I wanted to replace everything -- not that this would be possible -- it might cost me something like 1000 Euro.

What can I do? I don't see why I should pay for the shipping if it was his idea to get engaged, to ship my things, and to break up with me. But most importantly, I really want my stuff back.

PS It took his ex-wife two years to get him to send her things from Germany back to the states! I did not even know about her and her things for the longest time! She only got some of them back because she refused to sign the divorce papers until she had a guarantee she'd get them back.