03:28

Ruth Deutschmann

Benjamin Epp

Innsbruck

Sylvia Manning - Baumgartner

Nicole D´Incecco

1924

We were brought up ? yes... My father was very ethical and also taught us about religion ? both my parents were very devout. My father became religious through my mother. He looked after our upbringing. Mother was more generous and gave us a lot of freedom. They did take care that we went to good schools and grew up healthily. We were never really allowed to talk which was a big disadvantage for me. I sometimes don't know how to express myself very well when I speak. During meals we always had to be silent. "Children should be seen and not heard." Of course there were a lot of children. We wanted to gossip and say: "I like this.", "I don't like that." - That was not permitted. "You have to clean your plate." I was often sent to stand in the corner because I was already allergic to milk and couldn't eat milk products. My parents thought it was just my imagination ? so I had to stand in the corner. "You will eat this and no discussion". That was difficult but I got survived. We took a lot of hikes in nature. The whole family together. We weren't allowed to drink anything. That was horrible for us. Today they say you should drink a lot. During those hikes my father always said: "You don't drink while hiking." God knows why. Well. That way we got to know the outdoors very well. My parents were always home. I don't remember that they left home even once. In those days no one went on holidays, that wasn't done. When we came back from school somebody was always home. Apparently we were rich but I never felt this wealth. There was little food. We did have servants. But the servants were not paid particularly well. But we kept them 'til the end and they took part at every festivity. Christmas, Easter ? usually they didn't have family of their own any more and were happy to be with us, to have us as their family. For me they were friends, girlfriends, and I liked to spend time in the kitchen though I wasn't supposed to.