Re: School memories
Lotte Evans (rylcae@MINYOS.ITS.RMIT.EDU.AU)
Wed, 27 Mar 1996 22:37:02 +1100
On Mon, 25 Mar 1996, Mary Haas wrote:
> In preparing a paper to give at a meeting of teachers, I am interested in
> having memories of schooling during WWII. What did you study about the war?
I was six years old when the war started, which was the age when children
in my hometown Vienna the capital of Austria started their schooling.
As for studying any war related material there wasn't anything like that
at all. We were told that the war was a 'just one' and that was about all
as I can remember.
> If and how did teachers deal with your feelings and fears about the war?
Since patriotism was encouraged at all times it was not quite the right
thing to show any frightened feelings. One was allowed to show fear of
the bombings during the latter part of the war but to show any ambivalent
feelings or any sort of pacifism would have meant a quick trip to a
concentration camp for all of my family. You see although my family were
catholics ( Austria is mainly a catholic country) my great grandparents
on my fathers side where jewish. My grandfather changed to catholizism to
marry my grandmother but under Hitler's regime this meant my blood was
tainted by my jewish ancestry. To top it all of my surname, Diamant is a
good old jewish name. With a background like that it would have been total
folly to show any opinions different from the Nazi partyline. Children
learn very quickly what not to say in circumsances like that.
> Did you take part in programs and drives supporting the war efforts?
I think the only programs kids where involved in was selling some sort of
emblems to raise funds for the war effort.
> How did you feel about these activities?
It was the done thing and I do not remember that it bothered me
especially.
> Did soldiers visit classes when they returned home on leave? What did
they tell you?
Nothing like that happened at my schools. I am mentioning schools in the
plural as I went through about seven of them due to the bombing of Vienna.
> Did you live in an area where there was a potentialor particular threat
that most children would not have encountered?
The only difference I can remember was that the appartment building we
lived in was in a direct line to a very large factory with a huge chimney and
the bombers would aim their load of bombs at that factory but never hit
it. But their trying to do so made for some very exciting times in my
neighbourhood.
> I am particularly interested in how the war impacted
> schools in Europe as the research literature does not cover this well.
Well Mary I hope this helps, if you want more information just let me know
Lotte Evans, RMIT University
Melbourne, Australia
rylcae@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au