Gerda Elsa Berta Ršder

Story

Living in Berlin employment was hard to get. When there was short term work my Mum Gerda and Dad Jo were absent from the home for several hours a day and my brother Wolfgang and I were often home alone and we always got into mischief. My Dad finally said “enough”. He came home one day and announced we were leaving Berlin forever and going to the land called “Australia”. We, as kids, were excited to be leaving on a big ship.

We left from Bremer Haven on the “Fairsea” for a six weeks journey across water. My Mum Gerda was constantly sea sick on most days and wanted to get off and go back home. She was also grieving at having to leave her 14 year old Daughter Christa behind with her Sister in Berlin until we were settled in Australia. My Dad Jo was having a wonderful time on board managing to buy himself a couple of beers on board each day. My brother and I were, as usual, in trouble, jumping into the swimming pool fully clothed and were always up to no good. We met a wonderful family on board and 2 of the sisters and I are still the best of friends and see each other often. So, all in all, it was an exciting journey to another land and another life. I was 11 years old at the time and my brother was 7 years old.

We arrived in Fremantle Perth on the 10th June 1956 – my Mum Gerda’s Birthday which was really good timing. She did not see this however as a Birthday Gift. She wanted to turn around and go back. It was winter and we of course did not feel the cold and were wearing summer garments and getting strange looks from the “Australians “. We were given a meal of frankfurters, our first meal on Australian ground. My mother and I did not eat the meal as she told us “these frankfurters are made from Kangaroo because they are red ” So, we went hungry. We were sent to Bonegilla camp and from there were herded onto a train to Sydney and then down to Wollongong where my father Jo had already received work at the Steelworks. Life was hard, but my Dad managed to receive a house from the Housing Commission in Berkeley which we thought was terrific as we all had a room to ourselves. Coming from a background where the 4 of us slept in one room, this place was a Palace. My brother and I were enrolled in school and were always made fun of because of the language barrier and our clothing. My poor brother was still wearing Bavarian leather pants and he really did get a hiding. Fortunately my brother always had a good sense of humour and laughed along with them. I took it a little harder as I was a teenager. Things settled down, we made lots of friends, my Mum was trying really hard to learn the language and money was starting to roll in. I was blessed with a son Brett born in 1968 and life was great. We all received a shock when my Dad Jo died at the early age of 54 years. My Mum, same age, never got over losing the love of her life, never marrying again and she died at the age of 74. Thank you Mum and Dad for taking us on the journey of a lifetime to this great country where, I always say, God lives. I have been back to Germany but will always call “Australia” home. My family have been Australian citizens since 1960 and we are proud to call ourselves “Aussies”

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