Thiendorf, march 16th 2003

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1. About my grandmother Hauke Jakobs Schüür, born as Ruiter, who lived from 1844 to 1935.

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Hauke Jacobs Schüür was my grandma and was married to Klaas Schüür. Regretfully my grandpa passed away soon (1896), so I didn’t met him. My grandma brought five wonderful children to the world, and one of them was my mother Antje Claasen Schüür, who in the year of 1911 married in Emden with the railroader Robert Spier. Soon after, my dad was transferred to Sulingen, a small town on the Lower Saxony. He took his mother in law with him. And so she lived as our Oma until the end of her life with us. Yes, our Oma! To us children, my sister Ida, 2 years younger, she and I, she was the dearest grandma in the world. She was always there for us. She had her favorite place, an armchair next to the kitchen’s window, from where she could see everything and watch over us. Specially, when we were young. Oma would play with us, helped us with advices and acts, everytime we needed. She had to solve things when we would fight – what happened once in a while. Sometimes she would also say “you must beat each other up”, however she wasn’t serious. We had the best Oma in the world! Still today I think about her many times.

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On the long winter nights we would gather together around the stove, Oma, mother and us two kids. Then the stove door was opened, we looked at the embers and Oma would tell ancient stories, and about her life.  Then arrived her 90 years birthday. We celebrated in great style. The house was full of guests. Our relatives came in great number to honor Oma. She was very excited and for almost one hour she recited verses from her school times and told events from her life, for the admiration of all guests. Half a year later she wasn’t among us anymore. In the last months of her life her legs got worse each time. Going up the stairs in the end was no more possible, since the rooms stayed on the second floor. Then my father carried Oma every night up the stairs, and in the morning down again, without complaining. He also must have respected and loved Oma.

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2. About my uncle Heinrich Menno Schüür, born in 1877.

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According to the conversations between my mother and our grandmother, uncle Heinrich was a happy and adventurer lad. Oma many times was worried about this. More then details I cannot remember. I was too young at the time. Uncle Haini was married with  to Voskea Reuwsaat and had eight children, of wich one is still alive today, Klara. My uncle lived for a while on the Netherlands (or Low Countries) and one day decided to emigrate with all family to Brasil.

 

In January 1924 the day arrived. They still made a farewell trip to all the parents and as the last part they’ve been in my parents house in Sulingen. My parents let the Christmas tree for a long time, on the wrong opinion that it would be the last time that they would experience Christmas. Then when at night we walked into the living room and wanted to sing a hymn, little John from Juliane asked “not to sing”. And so we did a little celebration without singing. On the next morning came the great farewell. This was particularly painful for Oma. Becouse she knew she wouldn’t see her son and grandchildren anymore. About the crossing uncle Heinrich wrote an interesting report. I believe you have this one.

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3. About my uncle Niklas Julius Schüür, born in 1885.

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My uncle Niklas Julius Schüür was the youngest and last son of our Oma and was married to Johanna de Boer. When whe were kids we once were, on summer vacation, visiting aunt Hanni and uncle Niklas. We were so lovely treated by both, that this visit until today is in my memories. Behind their house runned a water channel. This was the perfect place for us to play. Once in a while uncle Niklas would take us in his canoe through the streams of Emden, since he was and amateur fisherman. For us children it was a great joy. Uncle Niklas would many times a year visit his mother and sister and would bring a package of smoked eels. The joy was big. 

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This is what remained from my memories after so much time. Believe they’re not of much use.

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Maybe I should add, for better understanding, some lines about myself. I was born in 1913. My parents and all my relatives are from East Frisia. For the last 48 years of my life I stood on Saxony on the area of Dresden and in reality should have become a saxon. But it’s not like that. In my heart and in my way of  being I consider myself from Frisia, even though I never lived there and just visited.

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With 17 years old I left my parents house and lived almost only in big cities. In Hannover, Hamburgo, Kiel, then 1 year of military service and jail, lived 10 years with my wife and worked next to the Black Sea (on subtropical clime). After the returning to Germany I found a good job in Dresden and landed in a village near Dresden with about 350 residents (where the rabbits and the foxes would wish each other good night). In here Uwe ordered to build for us a beautiful house with a winter garden, balcony, pool and a garden around. In here we feel very good.

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Adalbert Spier