Open Writing

She sat in the armchair, a slight figure, silver hair blonde-rinsed, grey eyes cloudy with age. Slowly her delicate fingers fondled a silver ring set with a large fresh-water pearl and, almost dreamily, she began her story.

“My mother was the eldest in a family of four girls brought up in a bourgeois Viennese home before the First World War. My grandfather owned a large veneer factory. Veneer was very fashionable then. It’s a highly skilled craft, very labour intensive. His business was successful and he had many orders from society people, aristocrats and the Court.

Emperor Franz Joseph paid him an official visit and ever afterwards grandfather idolised the him and would not hear a word against him. When the First World War started in 1914 Germany appealed for money and Grandfather invested everything in war bonds. When Germany lost the war, grandfather was financially ruined, without a penny to his name. But at the time I’m talking about, the family lived very comfortably in a large house, with plenty of staff, carriages and horses. They thought their life would go on for ever.

Vienna before the First World War was very gay, the centre of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It attracted many foreigners and was a political powder keg. Dissidents prowled the back alleys and preached sedition in the taverns. The Hungarian question was enormously important and it was well known that the Emperor was worried about the future. This situation grew more critical after the death of Crown Prince Rupert at Mayerling.

After dinner one evening Christina dropped a bombshell. “Papa, I want your permission to travel to Africa to marry Franz”.

Rocking on his toes in front of a blazing fire, the portly gentleman clutched the lapels of his smoking jacket and glared at his daughter. “What do you mean, you want to travel to Africa? Ridiculous. Put the idea out of your mind, I’ll have no such nonsense,” he roared, brushing his hand across his impressive grey moustache and smoothing his whiskers.

“But Papa, Franz has excellent prospects and has a good job in Johannesburg. He wants me to come to Africa to marry him, and I’ve agreed to do so.”

Hours of discussion followed and it was only days later when they all were exhausted and short-tempered from the strain, that grandfather had an idea. “Who’s prepared to go Africa with Christina to marry Franz? Unless one of your sisters will offer, I cannot give permission, as you cannot travel alone.”

“Dear Papa… I will”, the eager voice rose above the others, “All my life I’ve wanted to see other countries, to travel and experience excitement and danger. Just think, we’ll sail through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal and down the east coast of Africa past Mombasa. We’ll land at Durban, and take a train to Johannesburg where Christina and Franz will be reunited. After the wedding, we’ll live in his elegant house, near ‘Hohenheim’ on the north ridge of Johannesburg looking onto the Saxenwald forest. Franz says he lives very comfortably, even though Johannesburg is still a mining camp. He enjoys the energy of the people – something new happens all the time. He can make a lot of money from the Witwatersrand gold mines; he already knows people there.”

“You seem to know a great deal about all this,” grumbled grandfather.

“Yes Papa” the girls chorused, “We’ve spent many hours studying the map and Franz has written so many letters with stories about his life, we feel we know it already!”

At a family conference, father set out the rules. “I’ll give my permission for you to travel to Africa and marry Franz, if your sister Angelica travels with you as chaperone and companion. You are both to travel together and not separate at any time, she must live under the same roof as you and Franz after your marriage, and you are to write home every week reporting your progress and activities.”

The two sisters kissed their father dutifully, then made a hasty exit. Reaching their bedrooms they expelled their long-held breath, “I never thought he would consent,” Christina whispered in excitement, moving restlessly between window and table. Picking up a hairbrush she began to smooth her unruly curls.

“Mama understands, and has done everything she could to persuade him. I never doubted that he would consent, given time to think it over and with Mama‘s gentle insistence.”

“Now all we have to do is to get my trousseau together and book our sea passages and within a few weeks we’ll be on our way.”

“Which way will we travel?” Christina queried, excited now that permission had been granted. “How will we get out to Africa?”

“I expect that Papa will escort us on the train to Austrian port ofTrieste and we will sail from there to Durban. Franz will take us by train to Johannesburg.”

Weeks later, after a long but exciting journey through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal and down the East Coast of Africa, on a hazy summer’s morning, with the sun glinting off the curling waves, they entered Durban harbour.

Everything went as planned, and six months later, knowing that her beloved younger sister was happily married and expecting her first child, Angelica joined newly-made friends on a visit to German South West Africa. She loved the enormous expanses of desert, the rock formations, the huge sand dunes and the wide open spaces. She especially enjoyed Windhoek and Swakopmund with their strong German influences and Black Forest architecture.

Back in Johannesburg, Angelica learned that events in Europe had moved fast. Emperor Franz-Joseph’s heir, Archduke Franz-Ferdinand had been assassinated at Sarajevo which had set off a chain of events soon to plunge Europe, America and the colonies into a war. Knowing her duty was with her elderly parents, Angelica said her farewells and took passage on a British merchant ship back to Europe.

The voyage back to England was stormy and cold, the ship overcrowded, and the passengers preoccupied with thoughts of homes and families. Spirits were low and there was little fun or laughter. Angelica’s heart ached for those she had left behind; she had enjoyed every moment of her visit to South Africa and was happy knowing her sister and Franz were so much in love. Her loneliness and fears for the future made her sadness at parting very difficult, yet she longed to be back with her beloved family.

Day after day she stood at the ship’s rail, wiping tears from her cheeks, her heart heavy with dread. But there was one person on board who cared; the ship’s radio officer, and he did everything he could to cheer her up. He warmed her cold hands between his own, he brought an extra shawl for her shoulders when she shivered and he spent every moment he could spare from his duties with her.

“My dearest Angelica,” he murmured, tucking her hand warmly under his arm and gently twisting a strand of hair under her scarf. They were pacing the deck, the strong westerly breeze blowing the scudding clouds across a stormy sky. Enfolding her in his arms he kissed her gently before saying.

“I know how worried you are about your family and how sad you are to leave Christina and Franz and the little one on the way. You’re concerned about your father’s health and the future. I want to take care of you in the years to come, no matter what may happen. My dearest girl, I want to ask you a very important question. Will do me the honour of marrying me?”

But Angelica was too engaged with her family worries to respond, and deep in her heart she doubted that she could return his love in the way she felt should, as she has seen between Christina and Franz.

“Alfred, I really feel that with war coming and the future so uncertain, I cannot give you an answer. Please allow me leave a decision until the war is over, and then we’ll talk again. I’ll carry your love in my heart and will never forget you, but I really can’t marry you now.“

When she reached England, she only had thoughts of getting back to Austria. As an alien, she faced the threat of internment if she did not leave England immediately, but managed to cross on one of the last ferries to leave England, and then got a train to Vienna. She arrived exhausted and travel-worn three days later, after a dreadful journey.

Four years later, after terrible carnage, great loss of life and immense heartache, the war ended. One of the earliest casualties was Angelica’s lover, Radio Officer Alfred Smith. He had been lost when his ship was torpedoed in the North Atlantic. Angelica’s family had also suffered, grandfather had lost all his savings and closed his factory. His order book was empty; as the war had swept away his wealthy patrons and no one wanted expensive and luxurious decorations. Grandmother moved to live with her family in Thuringia and Angelica’s sisters were busy with war work.

Then, out of the chaos, a letter arrived advising her that Radio Officer Alfred Smith’s estate had been finalised in England and, “in memory of his great love” he had left her a sum of money. After consulting with grandpa, Angelica sent instructions that the money be deposited in an English bank and put the matter out of her mind.

In the nineteen-twenties, Angelica fell in love with a kind man, a lecturer at the Technical University of Vienna, and they married and set up home together, living in a small village not far from the city. Then one day, Clements came home full of excitement.

“Angelica, you know how hard life has been since the war ended and how difficult it is to find work. Your parents’ recent illness has put a great strain on the remaining family members, and due to your father’s unwise investments in War Bonds, all their money has gone. My friend Oswald in Zagreb says he will do what he can to help us. We can share his flat and he will help me to find a job. We’ll join him as soon as we can. I’m sure this is the best thing to do.”

With high hopes the couple packed their few possessions and journeyed to a new life in Yugoslavia. In 1928 Angelica gave birth to a baby girl. But the war clouds were gathering again, and a few years later Europe stood braced for another war. Soon the foundations of everything they had known were rocking and dissolving once more.

In quiet Zagreb, so far from the fighting and the bombings, Clements was determined not to be amongst the suppressed masses and before long their home became the centre of a group of dissidents. He was involved in underground activities, and a staunch member of the partisan forces. But these were dangerous days, and not only was he putting himself at risk, but his wife and child as well.

“Clements, I’ve begged you not to bring these people here. It is dangerous to draw attention to yourself and to this house and family. You know what can happen and how activists are taken away, tortured and shot. Please, if you must work for the cause, find another meeting place where you and the men can operate without alerting the authorities.”

But Anglica’s anguished plea fell on deaf ears and one night came the dreaded hammering on the door and Clements was taken away. Panic stricken, Angelica acted quickly and within a few days she had begged for an interview with the Mother Superior of the Catholic Convent.

“Madam, my child and I are in great danger. I was born in Vienna of a wealthy Jewish family, where my father had a large factory. My father lost all he had in the Great War and I have nothing. A week ago my husband was dragged away in the dead of night and I am afraid for my life and that of my little daughter. Please will you give us succour. I plead with you Madam, we will do anything, anything if you will agree to give us the protection of your church and Convent.”

“My child, I may be able to help your daughter, but there is no time for you to convert to Catholicism. There is nothing I can do for you. I cannot give you refuge, but I will take your daughter into the convent, although it puts everyone at risk. She will have to be very careful and obey me in everything. You will have to understand that if Louisa comes into the convent, she will become a lay helper. She cannot attend school as her papers show she is Jewish. As you know, the Germans have forbidden Jewish children to get an education. Even though I do this for you in the name of God’s grace and mercy, there is no guarantee that you child will be safe. Her future rests in the hands of God, and Him alone.”

Louisa’s heart broke with the sadness of parting and months passed before she could look around at her surroundings. There was the huge convent kitchen, vegetable gardens and the sewing rooms with looms and embroidery frames. As time passed she worked in all of these, applying herself and doing what she could to forget her earlier life with her beloved mama and papa, but she vowed she would never allow their memory to fade.

Through all the dangers of the occupation Louisa kept as quiet as a mouse. With her blonde hair, delicate features and small frame, she looked pure Aryan. “Where do you come from, little girl?” one lazy young man asked her as he leant against a sunny wall, idly kicking a pebble as he waited for his commanding officer to finish his inspection. Upstairs the soldiers were prodding the straw mattresses and firing into the ceilings, hoping to find any fugitives hiding there.

“My grandparents live over there, sir” she answered quietly, keeping her head down and not looking at him. “You speak excellent German,” he sneered, enjoying her discomfort. “Yes, sir, my grandfather was Bavarian and fought in the First World War” she answered, and before he could continue the officer appeared and ordered the squad to form up and march back to headquarters.

The war ended; survivors drifted all over Europe. Louisa longed for news of her relatives but dreaded knowing. “Dear girl, you must contact the Red Cross. They’ll be able to trace your family, they’re doing it all the time,” one of the kinder nuns said, realising Louisa knew nothing about their fate.

“I don’t want to find out”, Louisa replied sadly, her eyes filling with tears, “I’ve heard what the Germans did, just leave things as they are”.

In a few months Louisa turned 18 and the Reverend Mother spoke to her. “I cannot keep you in the convent any longer now you’re eighteen. You’ll have to find work. I suggest you return to Vienna and get a job.”

The British, American and Russian Tri-Partite Alliance were in temporary control, restoring order and providing stability until a new government was elected. Louisa was sent to a British Army barracks and told to report to the administration section.

“What can you do, girl?” the burly English sergeant barked.

“Well, Sir, I’m quite good with figures,” she replied hesitantly, throwing him a timid smile.

“Right, that’s it then,” he barked, snapping shut his register, thankful that another exhausting day was over. All these refugees, it’s enough to break a man’s heart, trying to find jobs for them. And all so that they can get a plate of thin soup and a slice of bread.

“I’m putting you to work in the Army Pay Corps. You’ll help with the soldier’s pay packets. Marge will show you the ropes.”

And so it was that Louisa eked out an existence in post-war Vienna amongst the bombed out ruins, the rubble and the refugees, all the while longing to find another life where she could be safe, and warm and never be afraid again.

But how to do it?

Apart from Christina’s son in South Africa, Louisa was alone in the world. At this time, Europe was in a ferment, with survivors trying to contact relatives in other countries, away from the terrifying past and the threat of more fighting. Many fled to America, some to Australia; the officials were relocating people all over the world. With the help of the Red Cross, Louisa was able to make contact with her relatives in Johannesburg. But how to get there? That was the problem.

Then she remembered her mother’s story about the ship’s radio officer in 1913, and how, when he died, he had left her a small inheritance. Enquiries were made and wheels were set in motion, the English bank was instructed to release the funds. It was discovered that the small sum Alfred Smith had left in memory of his love for her mother was just sufficient to buy her a ticket to a new life. Some months later, Louisa arrived in South Africa, and before very long found a job working for an agricultural machinery company in Cradock. An extraordinary juxtaposition, from the ruins of post-war Vienna to the quiet farming town of Cradock.

Louisa settled down and when her employers moved their head office to Vereeniging, she moved with them. She was promoted, and worked in several responsible secretarial jobs as well as travelling widely. Now, she’s reached a gracious old age in full possession of her facilities. Her courage and commonsense, and her mother’s lover’s inheritance gave her a life at a time when the world was in turmoil. She is an object lesson in luck and an extraordinary combination of circumstances which contributed to her survival.