Erika Tomczak

Story

I was 19 years old, born and growing up in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, when ads about Australia like: “Australia the land of the future, Australia needs young people “etc. appeared in the local newspaper. I was totally convinced that Australia was waiting for me and I could make a difference. (Oh, the confidence of the young!!) I was an only child, my father died at the Russian front and my mother never remarried.

We left Bremerhaven and I shared the cabin with another 3 girls, all coming from Bavaria. Although coming from the “waterkant” I was the first one to be sea sick, while the other 3 never became ill. I did not take part in the English classes, feeling rather superior and confident that I could speak enough English. After all all I could say: “Good morning, how are you”. Needless to say that once we arrived at Fremantle and the customs officer said: “G’day, luv, howyagoin” I realised that I was in deep trouble.

When we went ashore and I saw all the shops advertising “Hamburger” I was so excited to find that all the people from Hamburg (also called Hamburger) had settled here. What a dissappointment to find out how wrong I was. After getting to an employment agency I was horrified to learn that I could not work in an office, but had to work as a cleaner in the nurses’ home at the Wagga Wagga Hospital. What a let down. Me, a secretary. In hindsight of course it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I learned to speak English very quickly, thanks to the patience of the country folk. I have nothing but fond memories of Wagga.

After a while I was able to move to Sydney and worked for a short time on one of the floors in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and then was able to get a position in the catering office. After that moved to better jobs and finally moved to South Australia. I met and married my late husband there and we went to South Africa for about 7 years. Upon return my only daughter was born and we started our own business. We sold the business and bought a farm near Coffs Harbour and lived there for 20 years.

My husband died and I eventually remarried the press attache who was responsible for putting the ads in the German papers. He had always wondered what kind of people were attracted to the ads and how they settled in Australia. Now he knows!!.

I love Australia and have never been back to Germany, as I remember too much of the war, hunger, poverty, ruins etc.

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