Auntie, Sister. Grandmother, Great-Grandmother,
Mother and Wife of German Descent
I've lived in Australia since 1959 together with my husband Peter. We have four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. I started blogging because I wanted to publish some of my childhood memories. I am blogging now also some of my other memories. I like to publish some photos too as well as a little bit of a diary from the present time. Occasionally I publish a story with a bit of fiction in it. Peter, my husband, is publishing some of his stories under berlioz1935.wordpress.com
Last Friday was the day when we strolled along the Kurfürstendamm. Since then we’ve been to quite a few other destinations. First of all we had family visiting us for afternoon coffee and cake. I’ll be writing about this some other time.
Sunday was a lovely, balmy, very sunny day as forecast. So we went to see our dear family friends Ingrid and Erhard. During the summer months they often stay in their little summer cottage which is surrounded by a beautiful garden area. They invited us to spend the day with them in their garden with plenty of homegrown cooked food, which was delicious. I’ll blog about this later on.
On Monday Ilse came to see us. We had delicious pizza at a close by Italian Restaurant sitting outside in lovely sunshine. For afternoon coffee and cake we went to baker Thürmann, also close by.
Yesterday, Tuesday, our destination was Bayrischer Platz. Just round the corner is Bozener Strasse, where I grew up. I felt quite nostalgic to see my old stomping ground again. We picked up a few large, shiny, rather big chestnuts from under the huge tree at the end of Bozener Strasse. I remember this tree very well from my childhood!
We had lunch at a baker’s shop close by. Next door was an Italian restaurant where lots of people were sitting outside enjoying the beautiful sunshine. We ordered gelato with fresh cream and soon were sitting outside too with these lovely ice-cream dishes which cost only three Euros each!
It was midday when we heard the freedom bells from the close by Rathaus at John-F-Kennedy-Platz. It was only a short walk for us to this place. In front of the Rathaus was a market. An Indian fellow sold jackets. I bought a warm jacket from him. He told us, he had relatives in Brisbane when we mentioned that we were from Australia.
Another spot from the past beckoned: Stadtpark Schöneberg. This place awakened heaps of memories in us. We took a seat close to the pond where we could watch the ducks. I remembered pictures of me standing close to the duck-pond as a toddler more than seventy-five years ago! I felt so tired by then I actually nodded off a bit sitting with Peter on a bench with the sun shining on us.
The Underground station Rathaus Schöneberg is right next to the duck-pond. So we took the underground to go back home to Hansaplatz. We took heaps of pictures every day. But here now is only a small sample of them:
Some pumpkins from Ingrid’s gardenTuesday night was a balmy night and we went to the Brandenburg Gate. I tried to catch Peter in front of the Gate.Uta and Ilse on Monday, 17th September 2012Uta loves the Berlin BearThe Chestnut tree is still there
Part of the Duck Pond with Rathaus Schöneberg Underground Station in the background
For most of the week we experienced a rather cold wind. One day we went to the Kurfürstendamm to have lunch at Café Kranzler. The cold wind at the top of the building prevented us from sitting outside. However we were able to take a few pictures from the lovely outside area. Some people sitting in the more protected areas outside cafés of the Ku’damm were able to enjoy the sunshine.
Outside Area of Café Kranzler
We both had a “Tagesgericht” and some drinks.People enjoying sitting in the sunshine
With our daughter just before we have to leaveYesterday with Klaudia on a rather cool day
I apologize for not being able to write much at present. Unfortunately I had frequent cold attacks during the past few days. Luckily there’s internet connection in our little Berlin apartment, but I think inserting pictures is going to be a slow process. This is why the bulk of the Berlin pictures I’ll safe for publication for when we’ll be back in Australia. So today I show just a small sample of the pictures we’ve taken so far.
Last Saturday, 8th September, Caroline and Matthew saw us off at Sydney airport. We had a good flight and arrived at Tegel airport in Berlin early on Sunday morning. where Klaudia was waiting for us and took us to the apartment of Peter’s sister Ilse. We stayed there for a lovely welcome. We knew our apartment wasn’t available till 2 pm. Ilse served us coffee and homemade cheesecake. She also provided a bag full of things to eat for when we would arrive at our apartment. We arrived early in the Hansa Viertel with Klaudia and all our luggage in Klaudia’a car. We passed the time walking with Klaudia through the Tiergarten towards the Teahouse of the English Garden. It was a balmy late summer day. We sat outside eating some of the beautiful food Ilse had packed for us: Slices of crusty ryebread, zwiebelwurst, Harzer cheese, butter, bananas etc. A bit later we had coffee in front of the Teahouse.
Strolling back to where Klaudia’s car was parked we arrived at the apartment at exactly 2 pm and were let in. The place turned out to be just right for us. We are going to stay in it for two months! After this we’ll stay 100 km north of Berlin in a small place called Neu Canow. For the 16th November we have booked our flight back to Australia.
On Saturday, the 1st of September, was Natasha’s 21st Birthday Party.
On Sunday, the 2nd, Peter and I had a lovely day with our youngest daughter. This was Fathers Day here in Australia!
We did collect the ashes on Tuesday and settled the payment for the funeral. We told them that they provided an excellent service and that we can highly recommend them. It is a family run establishment. We felt very well looked after and can’t thank them enough. They really did their very best with all the funeral arrangements.
We saw Baby Lucas with his Mum and Dad on Saturday. I was allowed to hold the little man for a bit. He is so lovely! Peter was at the back near the big garage where the party had already started. By the time Peter thought of taking pictures of little Lucas, his Mum had taken him home already. But we might get a chance for pics tomorrow night. Our daughter Monika and some of her family want to come to our place to farewell us before we leave for Sydney on Friday.
On Friday we’re going to stay overnight in Sydney at daughter Caroline’s place from where Caroline is going to drive us to the airport on Saturday. Our plane leaves Sydney at 14.00 hrs (2 pm).
The pictures start with Saturday’s party, then there are some pics from Fathers Day, followed by pics from our outing to the Western Suburbs of Sydney, where we picked up the ashes. After lunch at Merrylands we went to the Central Park at Merrylands West. By 2 pm we were at our late daughter Gaby’s place where we saw David and also four caring friends of our daughter’s. They had come because someone was expected to pick up all the equipment our daughter had been using. I think her iron lung is supposed to go to a museum.
Big 21 for Natasha this is the sweet Birthday GirlOne of the very welcome outside gas heaters
A peek at the birthday cake in the fridge.Natasha’s Mum baked the cake herself. Here she puts the finishing touches to it.Natasha and her boyfriend
Grandma is having a good timeMonika sees to it that people can try the cowboy hat on for a drink!Does it work all right?Fantastic!Wow!Peter is taking a rest after taking all these pics
There were people dancing to disco music in the spare garage but I am afraid I haven’t got any pictures of this. Amazingly Grandma had one dance with Grandpa and very much enjoyed it. It’s so good to still be able to enjoy a bit of dancing!
So this was Saturday night. Now come the Sunday pictures.
We took a walk to this lovely lake site.Peter took this picture of Caroline and me.
Along this footpath we walked back to where the car was parkedAt Forest Grove we were being served beautifully brewed tea which was being kept hot with tea-lights.
This is where we picked up the ashes and paid the bill on Tuesday.This is a view in Central Park, Merrylands West.They’re doing some up-grading of the animal enclosures. This is why at present one cannot see any animals.
There was no waterfall and the flood-way looked quite dry.
This is where we soon will be going again. Probably we’re going to stay with my brother Peter and his wife Astrid from the 8th November to the 16th November. It might actually be a bit cold already in November. Sometimes they even have snow in November!
Berlin is surrounded by the land of Brandenburg. In 2010 we travelled from Berlin through Brandenburg in a northerly direction. Where Brandenburg ends Mecklenburg-Vorpommern starts. The ‘border’ was marked by some signs near the road. We took some pictures of these signs.
Rheinsberg-Kleinzerlang is in Brandenburg. We took a picture of its marina.
With todays pictures is also included a postcard from the Baltic Sea resort Warnemunde as well as a picture from Warnemunde which we took ourselves.
I mentioned in another blog that we stayed in 2010 at my brother’s place in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The picture of the lake is my favourite. This lake is just a few steps away from my brother’s property!
This is getting serious now, namely our departure for Berlin. Just now I looked at all the photos we took in June 2010 while we were over there. There’s very good public transport in Berlin. We traveled by suburban train, bus, underground or tram.
A Berlin underground-train
You can also travel by boat. Berlin has many, many water-ways.On the right is a suburban train, on the left an inter-city train (Regional-Bahn)Wall-Decoration at an underground train-stationWaiting for the underground, usually between two and three minutes!Entrance to an underground stationPeter at Brandenburg GateConcert Hall at Gendarmen MarktPeter at Gendarmen-MarktUta at Gendarmen-MarktStill the Gendarmen-MarktA sign for an a Italian Coffee ShopHere we had some very good coffee.Sculptures to remember the children who had to escape Berlin during WW IIPeter on balcony of holiday flatHumboldt’s Home, may be open for visitors on a Monday
In 2010 we stayed in Berlin for about one month, and for one week we stayed at my brother’s place ca. 100 km north of Berlin. On our next trip we’re going to stay in Berlin for two months and also for one week at my brother’s place which is in a very secluded little hamlet surrounded by wonderful waterways and wooded areas. I hope I’ll be able to walk a lot. Peter is planning on doing some running.
Looking at photos from Berlin from 2010 brings back memories. I wonder how many pictures we’ll be able to shoot on our next trip! In about 15 days there may be some postings from Berlin. So stay tuned for this!
I find calm and inner peace reflecting on something like this. We found this verse the other day when we were walking with Caroline around the Nan Tien Temple.
We took the following photos after we had a very satisfying vegetarian lunch in the temples downstairs tea-rooms.
The ramp leads up to our kitchen door. Gaby in her wheelchair at age 16 1/2. From left to right: Her Papa, Brother, Mama and Sister.
The other day I came across some notes I made about some conversations in our family towards the end of summer of 1974 when Gaby was sixteen, Monika fifteen, Martin close to fourteen, Peter close to thirty-nine and I also thirty-nine.
ONE AFTERNOON IN FEBRUARY 1974
Gaby, my daughter, sits in her wheelchair in the kitchen close to the open door. Peter, her father, helps her to sort out her record-club order.
I am outside close to the open door. I am stretched out on the lawn under a large umbrella, taking notes of the following conversation.
Gaby: I should’ve written on that form ‘please hurry’. Gee, I’m glad I’m going to get that record at last. Will you put all this away now, please?
Peter: Wie, das willste auch aufheben? Das ist doch nur Reklame, Menschenskind!
What, you’re going to keep that too? These are only adds, for heaven’s sake!
Gaby: I keep everything from the record-club.
Peter: So, wo kommt das hin? So, where does this go?
Gaby: Right at the back of the folder. It’s nice paper, isn’t it?
Peter: Nee.
Gaby: That’s the second record I’ve ordered. Are they going to send me a receipt?
Peter: No, das ist covered. The balance is going to show it. Kommt das hier rin?
Gaby: No, it goes into the blue folder.
Son Martin comes up the ramp. He carries his school-case., greets me with ‘Hi, Mum’, enters the house. A little later daughter Monika follows, also with school- case and saying ‘Hi, Mum!’ I say ‘Hi, Martin! Hi, Monika!’ As Martin enters the
house, Peter and Gaby are still deep in conversation.
Peter: Martin, was sagt man denn, wenn man hier hereinkommt? — Good-day!
What do you say when you come in here? — Good-day!
Martin: You were talking.
Monika says ‘Hi’ as she enters. And Peter says: ‘Hallo, Monika!’
A bit later Peter and Martin talk with Gaby about her school-certificate.
Martin: That bit of scrap-paper, is that all you’ve got?
Peter: Mehr braucht se doch nicht. Das ist das certificate.
She doesn’t need anything else. This is the certificate.
Martin: Actually you shouldn’t have passed since you didn’t work right through
the year.
Peter: Hat se gut gearbeitet, hat se auch bestanden.
Oh, she worked well, that’s how she passed.
Martin: But she didn’t arbeite gut. She didn’t work well.
Peter: Nun lass man gut sein. Sie hat schon gut gearbeitet.
Now leave her alone. She did work quite well.
A bit later
Monika: Gee, it’s hot! Pat and Donna are coming in a minute. They want a lift over to
Warilla Grove. Who’s going to take us to Warilla Grove? It’s late already, you
know?
(calling from outside)
Uta: Papa’s going to take you!
Monika: Better hurry up!
Gaby: Papa, don’t forget to mail my record-order! The letter-box gets emptied soon!
Peter: Wann musst Du auf der Arbeit sein, Monika?
When do you have to be at work, Monika?
Monika: We have to leave within the next five or ten minutes.
Peter: Ich fahre erst tanken. I go to get some petrol first.
Peter leaves in a hurry.
Pat and Donna come up the ramp. Monika greets them and goes inside with them.
I hear a terrible noise from the neighbours’ backyard: One of their sons goes on his mini-bike round and round in the backyard.
A bit later Wayne comes up the ramp. He carries a beach-towel.
Uta: Hi, Wayne! Do you want to go to the pool with Martin?
Waine: Yeah.
Uta: Best thing you can do in this weather!
Waine: Yeah.
Wayne enters the house. Peter returns from getting petrol. Soon after he leaves with Monika, Pat and Donna in the car. (At Warilla Grove Monika is going to get some training at the Woolworths cash register.)
Martin and Wayne leave for the pool. The mini-bike has stopped making
noise. I enter the house.
Gaby: Heh, Mama, you have to buy some food today, don’t you?
Uta: That’s right.
Gaby: When are you going?
Uta: Later.
Gaby: Better go before five thirty.
Uta: Yes, I’ll do that.
Gaby: How much money have you got?
Uta: I don’t know.
(A bit later.)
Gaby: Mama, can you move my left foot? (I do it.)
Can I go on the Pfanne when Papa gets back?
Uta: Yes, sure.
(She means when Peter gets back, she wants him to lie her on her bed, so that I can put her on her bed-pan.)
Gaby: Can I have a Vitamin C tablet?
I give her one. There’s some more noise from the mini-bike. Peter
returns.
Peter: I just remembered, I forgot to post your letter.
Gaby: God, how could you forget! — Can you post the letter, Mama? You have to go now because the letter-box gets emptied soon.
Peter: Mensch, ist mir warm! My goodness, I feel so hot and sweaty!
Uta: Willst Du nicht zum Pool gehen? Martin ist mit Wayne zum Pool
gegangen. Wouldn’t you like to go to the swimming pool? Martin did go
to the pool with Waine.
Peter: Ich bin schon ewig nicht am Pool gewesen. It’s been ages since I went
to the pool.
Uta: Ein bisschen Schwimmen würde Dir gut tun. A bit of swimming would be
good for you!
Apparently Gaby wants her letter posted before she goes to the toilet.
I get ready to post the letter and do some shopping. The mini-bike makes
an awful lot of noise again.
AuntyUta 