“Old Vienna, B.C.” – my Mum’s family’s early years in Canada – 1938/39/40.

Anuschka, our translator, found this article from The Winnipeg Tribune ( July 29, 1939), recently. I shared it with my family members a few days ago, and now with my treefrogblog readers.

A couple of corrections: firstly, my grandfather died in the Vienna Detention Centre in the hands of the Nazis, not in a concentration camp. Secondly, my mother’s name was Leonore, Lore “Lori” for short (not Eleanor).

SOOKE HARBOUR HOUSE DAYS

Lore, the cowgirl, resting in her favourite place!

Teenage girl refugees hanging out; my family were animal lovers.

Peter ( see article) and his mother….they later moved to Winnipeg. Packing up and leaving Sooke.

My Mum told us some stories about this time in her life, age 18….it wasn’t always easy; her small cabin with her minimal possessions and clothing burned down due to someone else’s carelessness; people were ungrateful at times etc. She was fairly philosphical about it all: after all, people are people, lucky refugees or not….

They stayed there for about six months.

[On an interesting note, Gary and I spent 3 days of our honeymoon ( Jan. 1991) at Sooke Harbour House, now a lovely hotel with a famous herb garden and cuisine. There was no sign of commemoration as to the half year or so rental to a Mrs.Aszkanazy and her refugees back in 1938/39, and the management knew nothing about that piece of history. Perhaps I need to follow up one day with a written document and some photos…]

LYNN CREEK, NORTH VANCOUVER

Later in 1939, my Granny purchased 10 acres of land on Ross Road in the Lynn Valley area of North Vancouver. She was an ” eco- feminist” and wanted to live out her principles of living off the land. They built a house modeled on their country house in Altenmarkt, Austria, which was burned and destroyed by the Nazis.

[In 1969, when i was 11 years old, my brothers and I were taken to see the ruin by our Mum; Granny was also in Vienna at the time, but could not bring herself to accompany us. (This fact I read recently in her memoirs). I believe it was there that we met up with Milly, who had been my Mum and Lisl’s nanny when small. Milly brought her daughter, also Lori 🙂 I also recall getting a jolt from an electric fence in the area while we were playing!]

On the ten acres by Lynn Creek, they had a vegetable farm, fruit trees, berries, chickens, cows, bees, dogs and cats…and did indeed live off the land!

Dr. Redler was a political scientist and taught in Granny’s school for women. He was also active in the Resistance movement and was arrested for a time. He eventually made it to Canada with Granny’s help. His mother, Karoline, an active Christian Socialist and a Catholic, involved in relief work, was imprisoned and guillotined by the Nazis in 1944, for verbal reports of treasonous comments.

My mother lived with Granny at the Lynn Creek house while going to UBC; she would milk the cows early in the morning and then drive to UBC down the Dollarton Highway. My brothers and I frequently heard her stories of the time her brakes failed while coming down a steep North Van hill; luckily she pulled her hand brake hard and managed to stop before the highway!! We also heard how she once ran into a lamp-post with her Model A during her UBC commute.

[I guess i do take after my Mum some…i have been accused of repeating stories frequently, and I also have had car issues at times….not lamp-posts…my specialty is ditches….just ask my boys, they would be happy to fill you in on the details 🙂 ]

My Granny lived in the Lynn Creek house until 1956 and continued to nuture refugees and entertained many visitors from her women’s international political work as well as initiating and getting involved in local activities; both politics and music. In 1956, she moved to West Vancouver and began to concentrate on writing.

My Aunt Lisl moved back east, working in Montreal and overseas in Italy, and connecting with Uncle Fritz ( my Granny’s brother) and her grandmother, Malvine, who lived in Toronto by that time….they had been able to enter Canada in 1939.

[ Do check back as I hope to be writing a post on our amazing recent visits with Aunt Lisl….]

[During our childhood, we often went to Lynn Valley Canyon park for family outings and also for my annual birthday party with my girlfriends during elementary school days.  I recall my Mum would drive past the Lynn Creek house on Ross Road to see the big house, surrounded by subdivision homes. Then, at some point, i believe it was torn down…i think I better take some time this Fall, drive over there and check for sure….]

Wow! I am definitely finding this story intense, but it is real life, and I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to learn more about these events and these people, and to share with those who may be interested.