A Treasure From My Own History

This week we have talked a great deal about the value folk music places on sharing and continuing stories from one generation to the next. I decided to unearth some of my own history. Therefore, I went to my grandparents house and talked to my Opa about growing up in rural Germany during the 1930's. Here are some of the stories he told me.

Harry Lauterbach

"We have been good friends and play together but one time we came into an argument and it was in a sand pile. He ruined my sand castle and I ruined his. And we started fighting and I grabbed his rear end and ripped a big hole in his pants that his bum looked out. Everyone laughed and he cried. Now he said, “I cannot go home this way” so he went with me to my mom who was a seamstress. And she had to fix his pants. But the friendship still exist."

Punishment By My Teacher

"This was the day before I took care of my goats and played and forgot to do my homework and in the morning before I leave the house I knew what to expect from my teacher to get a punishment to get a paddle on my rear end. So I went to my mom’s chair and got her pillow that she was always sitting on and put it in my pants. (Laughter). The school starts, everyone turned in their homework except my homework was empty. The teacher didn’t talk much he just sent me to the front row and I had to bend over the bench and had to hold still. And he whipped me four times. Usually I jump by the first time but this time it didn’t hurt. And the second time it didn’t hurt either. And the first time he felt my bum and felt the pillow. He made me pull the pants and get the pillow out and start over again. And the class is over, I cried. And that was the lesson of the week and that was on a Friday. So that is it. Sometime I didn’t tell my mom I was ashamed."

Osterhase

"When I walked with my mom. I was eight years old to Rudolstadt. And on the way home I was sick of walking and tired and my mom couldn’t carry me. It was raining a little bit. And oil spots had been seen on the street. And my mom told me that it is Easter time and the Easter Bunny has been here. Look around and you see all the colorful spot where the Easter Bunny peed. And every so often I could see a colorful sport. And my mind was so occupied with the Easter Bunny’s pee that I forgot that my legs couldn’t carry me anymore."