03:37

Ruth Deutschmann

Benjamin Epp

Innsbruck

2008-08-20

Sylvia Manning ? Baumgartner

Nicole D´Incecco

1934

I was born in February 1914, end of August, beginning of September 1914 we came to Vienna. I can’t remember much from then, I can’t tell you, how it went exactly, I can only tell you that my grandmother lived for a comparatively long time. I first attended primary school in Innsbruck, then junior high school - where I had major difficulties with Latin. To pass junior high, which usually lasts four years I took five years. Then, to avoid Latin for good, I went to the commercial college in Innsbruck. From 1930-4 I attended commercial college, from which I then graduated. In 1934, Austria wasn't doing at all well economically. Because of that I tried to get to relatives in Holland. It turned out that these relatives had acquaintances, who were looking for someone from Austria whom they could pamper. I was going to go to Holland for a few months. Those few months I was to .. In Holland, they didn’t put water on the table, but whole milk, which contains a kind of fat, that didn’t agree with me. A few months of food and lodging turned into a year, if not more. I remember these Dutch men invited my parents to Oberstdorf. Oberstdorf is in Bavaria, near Kempten. My whole family met there. Then I continued to attend school in Innsbruck again. After high school graduation I considered: my father was an officer, my grandfather too, then it might be best for me to join the military too. This decision was the reason for me being a soldier for 42 years. And I only retired after 42 years.