Karl, Eha & Marika(daughter) Lauk

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Karl Johannes Lauk & Eha Paigaline

Later – Helle Marika Lauk(daughter born Traunstein – Germany)

Born Tartu Estonia

Karl Johannes Lauk & Eha Paigaline left Estonia after the German invasion (July 7/9 1941). Moving to Germany after the occupation to an internment camp, they had a daughter Helle Marika Lauk on 22/10/1946 at Traunstein, Germany. They were married on the 13/08/1946 at the German Luthern Church in Geislingen.

They left Germany on the 28/11/1950 from Nordenham, Germany on the Anna Salen under Capt R.Enander to immigrate to Australia. They arrived in Fremantle on 31/12/1950 where they were put on trains and transported to the Northam Army Camp to live in tents. I can recall Eha commenting on her arrival in Northam in an Australian Jan summer, ‘ It was hot, there were lots of flies and I could smell strong scent of eucalyptus in the air’

Karl, Eha, Helle lived at the Army camp, where Harry John Lauk was born on the 28/09/1951 until they move to rented accommodation at 41 Radium St, Welshpool in 1952. Karl at this stage had got a job at Chamberlain Tractors as a fitter and turner tool maker. They had a further two girls Edith Jane & Doris Irene while living in Welshpool but eventually brought a block of land at 21 Marchamley St, Carlisle W.A.

and built a house, moving in 1961.

Eha who had a limited grasp of English found it very isolating and took up painting and drawing as an interest. She kept up this interest all her life and was particularly known for her Australian landscapes. Eha died 21/11/2000.

Karl\’s main interest was providing for his family, politics and current affairs with not much socialising with other Australian families. Karl died 27/03/1979 from heart failure but had suffered from depression all his life.

They were classed as new Australians and worked hard at obtaining the dream of home ownership which they eventually did in 1961.

The reason they ended up in Australia was by accident/fate. At the immigration camp in Germany where all refugees were being processed after the second world war, most people/families wanted to immigrate to America or Canada being the only two places in the world most had heard of. Two days before Karl. Eha & Marika were about to depart for America, after having waited 12 months, the female German officer processing his papers told him they had all been lost and he would have to go to the back of the queue and start all over again or if they wished they could get on a boat to Australia tomorrow. They thought what the hell a new life in Australia.

I remember Karl telling me he suspected the German processing his papers had lost them on purpose because she thought they were Jews and lying about it. They were not but in hindsight he often commented that it was a blessing in disguise because he loved Australia and would not have liked to live in America as it turned out.

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