Jewish Affairs - South African Jewish Board of Deputies

JEWISH AFFAIRS ROSH HASHANAH 2012Africa and the first in Namibia. Lucian alsobecame a lawyer, practicing first in Windhoekand then in Swakopmund. In the early years hewas great fun, a fine sportsman and in later yearswhat a dancer! He took life too seriously as hematured.When war broke out in 1939, quite a lot oflocal Germans were interned, and some by thenhad even returned to Germany. The flags withswastikas were very obvious in Kaiser Street, andthere was a very active Nazi party in the town. Aswe were young and had many German friends wewere not aware of certain activities, except thatmany young men and boys fought up “North”.Some did not come back. In our home we had thewireless blaring forth day and night, even gettingnews from Germany (Zeesen was the name of thestation).After school, I studied at the Michaelis Schoolof Art in Cape Town and had singing lessons withAl Bini Bini a well-known Italian musician. Itwas a sad time in many ways as the war was onand we lost quite a few friends. But I learnt somuch – going to lectures, concerts etc. Duringthis time, I met Larry Jacobson, a medical student.We married in early January 1947 and decided togo back to Windhoek. The country had excitedLarry on two previous visits so, after three daysand three nights on the train, we arrived “Home”.South West Africa, now Namibia, is a mostfascinating country, large but not over-populated.The ethnic groups comprised of Bushmen,Hereros, Damaras, Namas and Ovambo peoples.I was very interested in these people, whosecustoms, dress and physiques were so diverse,and started a lot of my speciality portraituredepicting them.We were extremely lucky to be surrounded bypeople of such diverse backgrounds, allcontributing to the excitement of a young country.As a family, we took full part in all that was goingon. After World War I, by which time SWA wasunder South African control, Windhoek and somesmaller towns built sports fields, establishedorchestras and a range of other culturalorganisations, all quite amazing for a countrywhere there were then only a few thousand whitepeople and one million blacks.After our arrival in 1947, Larry began lookingfor a practice and we landed up in Lüderitzbucht.I hated it. As my husband said, the wind blew onlytwice during the five years we were there - oncefor two years and once for three years. There wereno trees, just Skeleton Coast desert, no freshwater and no fresh milk or vegetables. Sanitationwas the bucket system up amongst the rocks.When my mother came to see me she cried –imagine a nice Jewish girl in a place like this! Ouressentials were brought down by lorry. Our twochildren, Janine and David, were born there.The author in Windhoek next to one of her sculptures, circa. 1970.4