1998 News from the Canberra Middelmanns
[This page is also available in German/auf Deutsch.]
December, 1998
Dear family and friends,
We wish you all joy this Christmas season, and some quiet moments for reflection in the midst of the busyness that Christmas and the end of the year inevitably bring. We hope that you are well and trust the some of your hopes and dreams were fulfilled during the past year. We wish the same for all people, wherever they are and for you all in 1999.
It has been a difficult year for us. The health of Raoul's mother declined rapidly early in the year. At the beginning of February Raoul flew to Munich for two weeks to be with her. There in the airport he met his brother Udo who had just arrived from New York. Raoul's mother was already in a hospice run by the Brothers of Mercy, in beautiful surroundings next to Nymphenburg Palace. She died peacefully on 12 February.
Both Raoul's sister Astrid and brother-in-law Jean Jacques had lovingly cared for her in the weeks prior to her admission to the hospice. She spoke with gratitude of her interesting life and approached her death quietly and calmly. Just eighteen hours before her death she and Raoul shared a bottle of beer, on the recommendation of the Bavarian doctor! On the return journey Raoul spent a most interesting day in and around the Spanish old city and fortress of Manila, Philippines.
Shortly before he left for Germany Raoul had progressed sufficiently with his book to be able to begin advertising its publication and invite orders at the pre-publication price. Unfortunately, however, dates needed to be pushed back as he had to attend to his mother's affairs with Astrid and Udo. Both Helen and he flew to Zuerich at the end of June to help pack up their mother's apartment in Bregenz, Austria. The interment of the ashes took place on 6 July in the old cemetery in Offenbach.
Helen and Raoul then hiked for four days in the Thuringian forest, using Schmalkalden (Smalcald) as their base. A few days later they flew from Zuerich to Belfast (Northern Ireland) and travelled in a rented car through the north and west of Ireland, among other things tracking down forebears of Helen in Limerick. They took the ferry to Scotland where between Glasgow and Manchester they visited many places connected to Helen's family: Glasgow, Inveraray, Stirling, Carnbee, Airth, Larbert, Falkirk, Ecclesmachan, Louden, Berwick, Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Morpeth, Monkwearmouth, Tanfield, Wylam, Durham, Sledmere, York, Swillington, Pontefract and Ackworth.
At times it was quite a nostalgic journey for Raoul, while for Helen it was a memorable journey of discovery. Such discoveries included the scope of the Roman occupation of Britain (we sat on Hadrian's Wall and walked in the ruins of the Roman Praetorium - below York Minster), the spread of early Celtic Christianity, the extent of the Saxon kingdoms of Britain, the power of the landed gentry, based on its influence in Parliament and on estates seized in the later 1530s from the monasteries, and the economic and social impact of the Industrial Revolution.
After our return Raoul needed to complete the task of preparing the book for printing. The manuscript was finally dispatched in mid-November to Openbook Publishers in Adelaide. Now he looks forward to see the result of years of research that have given him much pleasure as well as plenty of hard work. He hopes that those of you who have ordered the book will also enjoy the fruits of his labour.
Three of our children were also in Europe this year. For the hospitality which they received we as parents say a heartfelt thank you. We value the family and friendship ties that are maintained across generations and continents. Our son-in-law Craig Tischler had papers accepted for presentation at two conferences, one in Strobl, Austria, the other in Paris. Nicola (nearly 27) accompanied him and was able to be present at the interment of her grandmother's ashes, as well as getting to know some of her second cousins better.
After completing her degree in Science (Geography) with First Class Honours, Miriam (nearly 23) set off for 9 1/2 weeks to London, Paris, Prague, Munich, Italy, Turkey and Greece, where she especially appreciated the many layers of history. She begins work at the Australian Geological Survey Organisation on 1 February here in Canberra.
From early October to mid-November Richard and Keryn travelled with Martin (2 1/2) and Thomas (1) to the U.K., Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Robert (29) continues to work in the fruit industry in Loxton, South Australia. He helps friends to set up their computers and enjoys the world-wide contacts made through the internet and amateur radio. He is looking forward to a trip sometime also, most likely to the US where, for years, Nashville, Tennessee, has held an attraction, given his country and western music interests.
Helen continues to work as Lutheran chaplain at Calvary Hospital, Canberra, and as a pastoral care deacon in our congregation. She has presented workshops several days in the year on grief and grief counselling for a Diploma course on Counselling and Family Therapy. She is looking for more ways to use what she learned in Seward, Nebraska, a task even more difficult that she had anticipated.
Raoul and Helen
Email: middlman@austarmetro.com.au
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