Im Vorbhalt
[Banater Post 5. Okt.2007] 

Unlängscht, wie ich die Blättr hinr’em Haus zammgerechelt han, sinn mer de Vetter Matz un die Bässl Bewi widr mol ingfall. Die hann damals im zweite Haus vun uns gwohnt un ware im Vorbhalt. Des muß so um 1940 odr 1941 gwen sinn, do war ich also finf Johr alt.

Ich sinn oft hin gang weil se mich gere gsiehn han un weil se mich zum Mittachesse ingelad hann. Ich erinner mich noch immer wie ich die Treppe ruff gelaaf sin. In dr Kich han ich mer a Leffl, a Gawl un a Stamplglas ausm Kaschte ghol. A Tellr han se for mich schun ufm Tisch stehn ghat.

Die Bässl Bewi hat immr etwas Warmes gekocht ghat un de Vetter Matz hat die Weinflasch an seiner rechti Seit stehn ghat. Ich hann immer a phaar Troppe Wein ins Stamplglas griet, dann hann mer angstoßt, de Vetter Matz hat so irgend a Spruch gsaat un mir hann’s uns schmecke gelosst.

De Vettr Matz un die Bässl Bewi han a scheenes Haus ghat. Des war kleen, nor a Zimmer, a Kich, un a Speis. Mer hat misse a paar Treppe ruff gehn, dorch de Gang, zu der Kuchltihr. Ihe Kinner han im Rundell gewohnt un sin meischtens am Sunntach uf Besuch kumm. Die alte Leit han alles ghatt, was se gebraucht han; sie ware gsund un hann scheen mitnanner glebt.

De Vetter Matz is im 1940 gstorb un hat des ganzi Elend mit der Enteignung un mit de Koloniste net mehr erlewe misse. Die Bässl Bewi is dann zu ihre Kinner gezoo und hat noch so zehn Johr gelebt.

Villi Johre später hann ich mer Gedanke gmacht iwr wievill Frucht, Kukrutz, Grumbiere, Berte Laab un Liter Wein die Kinner im Johr ihre Vorbhalter han misse gin. Ich han dann mei Onkel – de Schneider Hans, wu langi Johre in dr Kunschthalle vun Baden-Baden angstellt war – gfroot, wie des so war mit dem Vorbhalt: wer hat bstimmt wievill die Kinner ihre Eltre schuldig ware? War des irgendwu uffgschrieb? Was is passiert wann die Kinner des net inghal han? Un er hat do druff geanwort dass des wahrscheinlich ufgrschrieb war, villeich vun Zeie unnerschrieb, awr net vum Notär odr ’me Advokat, weil jo a Jedr gwißt hat, was sich gheert.

Un dann hat mei Onkel gemennt dass die Leit wu reich genug ware, un wu sich des leischte han kenne, im Vorbhalt sicher a scheenes Lewe ghat han. Die ärmere Leit han sich miße iwrgin, mit Allem was se ghat han, un han dann mit jingere Leit gwohnt, manchmol schenner un manchmol net so scheen.

Jetz macht der Staat die Altersversorchung, un braucht drzu natierlich a ganzi Armee vun Angstellte, wu jo aach alli mitesse misse.  Awr a Rente kriet dann a Jeder, ob er arm war oder reich, solang wie er in seim Lewe gearweit hat. Der wu drzu noch etwas uf die Seit geleet hat, is halt widder besser dran, wie der wu net in der Lage war etwas zsamm zu spare. Gleichheit hat’s friher net gin un git’s aach heit net.

Old-Time Retirement
Translated by Nick Tullius

Recently, as I was raking the leaves behind our House, Vetter Matz and Bässl Bewi came to my mind. At that time they lived  two houses away from our house and were a retired couple. It must have been around 1940 or 1941, when I was about five years old.

I went there often because they really liked to see me and they also invited me for lunch. I still remember how I walked up the stairs. In the kitchen I took a spoon, a fork and a small shot glass out of the drawer. They had already set a plate for me on the table.

Bässl Bewi always had prepared a warm meal and Vetter Matz kept the bottle of wine standing at his right side. I always got a few drops of wine in my shot glass, then we clinked the glasses, Vetter Matz made a toast and we enjoyed the meal.

Vetter Matz and Bässl Bewi had a nice little house. It was small, only one room, a kitchen and a pantry. To get to the kitchen door, you had to take a few stairs to the veranda. Their children  lived in the Rondell and came mostly on Sunday to visit. The old people had everything they needed, they were healthy and lived a nice life together.

Vetter Matz died in 1940 and did not have to endure the whole misery of expropriation and colonists. Bässl Bewi then moved in with her children and lived for another ten years.

Many years later I wondered about how much wheat, maize, potato, Berte of maize leaves and litres of wine the children had to provide every year to their retired parents. I  asked my uncle - Schneider Hans, who spent many years in the employ of the Kunsthalle Baden-Baden - how were the provisions for the retirees determined: who decided how much the children needed to give to their parents? Was that written somewhere? What happened when the children did not respect the agreement? His answer was that this was probably written somewhere, signed by witnesses, but not signed, by a notary or an lawyer, because everyone knew what was the proper thing to do.

And then my uncle added that people who were rich enough to afford it, certainly had a nice life in retirement. The poorer people had to give all their possessions to a young couple, and then live with that couple, sometimes  better and sometimes worse.

Today the state takes care of pensions, and of course uses an army of staff, who also have to be paid.  But then everyone gets a pension, whether he is poor or rich, as long as he has worked in his life. Whoever put something else aside, will always be better off, than those who were not able to save anything. There was no equality in the past and there is none today.