Alexanderhausen
HOME | HISTORY | MEMORIES | LITERATURE | RESEARCH | PHOTOS | LINKS
     


Vor phaar Wuche han ich gschrieb, wie ich in der Temeschwarer Elektrisch mit eener Schwowin ins Gspräch kumm sin un erfahr han, dass es die Bäsl Margaretha Mayer aus Retlingen war, die eigentlich aus Sacklas stammt. Ich war in dem Summer for längri Zeit in Deitschland un mir han mitnaner telefoniert. Die Bäsl hat mer ach ihre Buch gschickt, des wu se gschrieb hat un ich sin begeischtert dervun. In eem Telefongspräch hat die Bäsl Margaretha mer vun frieher verzählt, wie des selmols in Sacklas war un dass se oft starkes Hemweh hat. Sie is jo nimi die Jingschti, drum hat se de weite Wech uf sich ghol, um noch eemol hem zu kumme. Uner anrem ach folgendi wohri Begebenheit:

Mei Lissi-Tant, die han ich stark gheere ghat. Sie hat in ihrem Lewe vill mitgemacht un hat während em Zweite Weltkriech mit zwaa harti Schicksalsschläch zurecht kumme misse. Erschter hat ihre Mann inricke misse, er is verscholl un nie wiederkumm. Dann war die Reih am Sohn in de Kriech zu ziehe. Es war schun fascht Kriegsend, wie e Beileidsbrief vum Feld kumm is, dass a de Bu gfall is. Domols war se am verzweifle un es hat lang gedauert, bis se sich dermit abgfunn hat, dass se sich vun selmols an leenich dorchschlaan hat misse.

Als Kind han ich mei Lissi-Tant gheere un oft ufgsucht. Sie hat die scheenschte Gschichte verzähle kenne. Sie war e ausgezeichneti Kechin un hat de beschte Kuche backe kenne. Dervun hat se immer parat ghat, wann ich hin kumm sin.

Doch die scheenschte Stunde han mer in der Stub vor em Kredenzschank verbrung, iwer dem zwaa ingeraamti Bilder vun Mann un Sohn ghong han. Mir han uf zwa Schamle gsitzt un ich sin nit satt gin mit Zuhorche, wann die Tant vun de Zeite verzählt hat, in der se alli drei glicklich un zufriede gelebt han. Ich han schun längscht gewisst, dass em Klosi, also em Bu vun der Tant, am beschte die Vanillikränzle gschmeckt han. Un in de ganze Johre, an die ich mich erinnre kann, hat in der Speis e Schuhschachtl gstann, die war angfillt mit Vanillikränzle. Während em Verzähle hat die Tant die Schachtl mit de Leckerbisse gebrung un mir han dervun genascht. Die Tant hat derbei nie gekrisch. Wahrscheinlich hat se mich nit verängschtiche wille. Doch ihrer zittrich Stimm war anzuheere, dass se sich bemieht hat, die Träne zruckzuhalle. Ja, der Kriech un die Zeit dernoh, die han vill Unheil iwer die Deitsche im Banat gebrung. Doch wem kann mer heit do dran die Schuld gin? Mir hoffe nor, dass solch Leed niemehr iwer die Menschheit kummt!“

 

Vanillikränzle in der Schuhschachtl

"Vanilla crescents in the shoe box"

By Helen Alba-Kling
From the book "Die Grellekett" (The chain of beads)

Translation by Nick Tullius

A few weeks ago I wrote how on the tram of Temeschwar I had a conversation with a Schwaebin, and found out that she was the Bäsl Margaret Mayer from Reutlingen, who actually comes from Sacklas. That summer, I spent a long time in Germany and we spoke on the phone with each other. Bäsl Margaretha also sent me the book she wrote and I am thrilled with it. In a telephone conversation, Bäsl Margaretha told me about the past, how it was at that time in Sacklas and that she often suffers much from homesickness. She is not the youngest, that's why she undertook the long journey, to come home again. Among other things, she also told me the following true story:

I liked my Aunt Lissi very much. She suffered much in her life and had to cope with two hard strokes of fate during the Second World War. First her husband had to join the army, he went missing and never returned again. Then it was the turn of the son to go to war. The war was almost ended, when she received a letter of condolence from the field, that the boy was also killed. At that time she was in complete despair and it took a long time until she resigned herself to the fact that from then on she had to struggle through life all alone.

As a child I visited my aunt Lissi often. She had the most beautiful stories to tell. She was also an excellent cook and could bake the best cakes, some of which she had always ready when I came visiting.

But we spent the most beautiful hours in the living room in front of two framed pictures, one of the husband and one of the son, hung up above the credenza. We sat on two stools and I would never tire listening, when my aunt told the stories of the time when they all lived here happy and contented. I already knew that Klosi, the son of my aunt, liked the vanilla crescents best. And in all the years that I can remember, a shoe box filled with vanilla crescents was sitting in the pantry. While telling the stories, my aunt brought the box with the crescents and we nibbled on some of them. On these occasions my aunt never cried. Probably she did not want to scare me. However, you could hear from her trembling voice that she was holding back her tears. Yes, the war and the time following it have brought much misfortune over the Germans of the Banat. But whom can you blame today? We only hope that suc h suffering never befall mankind again!"

Translated by Nick Tullius 2016.05.10


Village Coordinator: Nick Tullius

The Banat | Danube Swabian History | Nick Tullius Files | Join the DVHH Mail List

© 2005 Nick Tullius, unless otherwise noted - Report broken links

Last updated: 26 Aug 2020