Boertjie

The story of the people of South West and part of South Africa of "those times" is here recorded as accurately as possible. The facts and thus the selection of themes and events based special on the very meticulous diaries, numerous letters and pictures of Hermann Deetlefs and Elisabeth Deetlefs Reimer. Great effort has gone as correct as possible the events, emotions, fear and confusion of those difficult times to display. Today it is easy to investigate the facts stated by Internet.
Of course, there are always two or even more versions of this historical real heath: The scientifically neutral and politically colored. There is always then attempted to use the neutral facts, even when the neutral fact one or the other party did not fit. Many things not vote more with the modern views of today match, but it is just it: The minirokkie and more the "scandalous" Bikini was then big news today. This as an example. It is also a fact that not all allegations can not be recorded. Many vested but rumors and speculation of those days. Often it was only talks in the presence of the boy and own diary notes who provided information.
People using their first and last name called or where to be marked with a capital letter, is historically and as far as possible correctly. Persons only be called names, historically correct characters and exist or is the combination of two or more "real" people of that time. This applies especially to the lives of Hermann and Elisabeth Deetlefs itself: There are left only onbelangrikhede. Their well-documented life histories have been "story enough" but true from the beginning to the end.
It is obvious that also fictional bridges had to be built to connect the information meaningful. But in the fictional part is trying to stay true to the realities of that time. What things tremendously easier was that the "Southwestern" of those days were accustomed to talking to argue vehemently, to argue. There literally nothing happened that was not selected in the finest details figured out and hand. It was also easier because people had no television, no, they had the time.
Yet a final word on the use of the Afrikaans language: It is attempted to speak every individual "his" or "her" African, though it was still as flat or defective. Only when using curse words is an attempt to find a common mean. "Seasoned" language and words today as politically unacceptable money, is avoided as far as possible. The inclined reader will know how that kind of people, that this was necessary, spoke. In each case it was for the author, who do not curse, yes, never cursed, a rather difficult task to find these mean. Then have the words such as "sobyso" and "Usikus" that now as part of the African of those days in "West". "Sobyso" comes from the German "anyway" and means "in any case". An Afrikaans-speaking who used the word in the Republic, has made clear the word immediately that he was a "Suidwester" is. And "Usakos" just uninitiated said. This is expressed as "you-see" in English and "coffin" in Afrikaans.

Hannes Deetlefs pursuing his hobby, building models of the South African Railways One of those Southwest winds with gale force me on a dreary Sunday 29 September 1946 in Luderitz, then one of the "big port cities of West Africa" blew. The train, which actually has been waiting for the morning on Saturday at nine o'clock, so repeatedly whistled that the first sound was what I heard with great certainty.
In Windhoek I jogged in the Emma Hoogenhout Primary class and the breaks "Anglo-Boer War" played against "Ingelse" scholars, often enough with the result that our falling and fighting marks the break by master's lat yet another addition usually "three of the best", had to marks.
My father in 1960 principal of itself greatly to Johannesburg German Private School which led among other things that I matric passed three A-Languages.
Quite against my will, I am not selected for the military and that made things a little confused. Dad was on the assumption of "any foreign money or scholarships" because, as he always claimed, "it makes you more independent." My family went back in 1964 to Swakopmund and I had but my journey in Johannesburg finds itself. The result was that I started working as a clerk in the Department of Immigration in Rissik Street Johannesburg. It was incredibly boring. I went left and on my own a apprenticeship with a renowned German firm as kameradeskundige through it. Here I learned that a hundredth Millimeter precise.
Times, however, was difficult and so I landed in Johannesburg College of Education. And some pocket money for that I only every Saturday with the management of trucks, later earned the management of buses each morning and evening. There was no time or money for "pub crawls" or for girls who certainly a blessing or was.
After Johannesburg I tour buses for a very well-known company from Johannesburg to Durban and then to Cape Town and back management. It was always a fortnight with tourists from all over the world, very exciting. One of the assets that I have found the "sweetheart of my dreams."
I therefore abandon the coach-ryrery and started teaching in Swakopmund. The Swiss lady kept his word and we are faithful in 1973, and we are today, after more than forty years, still in love. Since we could not find any children, we adopted a ten-day-old girl. Unfortunately, this later bleached she is not white and was then "solve the clutter." In the end, so we just packed our things and Switzerland went. In Switzerland I had to learn that my qualifications at all worth nothing and I had to start from scratch. It was also a difficult time. But, I became a teacher again, to my retirement in all school types of education, including vocational schools. And so in between I get to play the piano and building sites Swiss diplomas Angry study. I am always invited to teach and full steam could teach a large class refugee children.