WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (VII)

Chapter VII: A series of transitions

My buddy and best friend Jürgen invited me to dinner. We were at our favorite Italian restaurant in the elegant part of Berlin Zehlendorf. We talked about times gone by. Yes - gone by. Well, I agreed and tried to explain that I really underwent a series of transitions. "And what are we doing together again?" Jürgen asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

 As I mentioned earlier: 1980 - the year of great upheavals? Up and downs? Oh yes... . 

My job as Editorial Assistant for law magazines made me a lot of inner reassurance. After one year, my then publisher told me, "Well, I told you - learning my doing". For this job, you don't need to study law!" Another project was on my desk. JURA - law, or legal education, a magazine for law students. By editing all posts and articles, I found myself back in a real law study. I was obsessed with doing a very good job. "My" authors belonged to the elite of German lawyers: attorneys, judges and politicians. One of the latters was the then German Federal Minister of Foreign Minister, who would sign my appointment as German Honorary Consul for the island of Mindanao many many years later.

My job was totally fulfilling. Ludwig van Beethoven was with me day and night. Some palm trees were still a long way off. I became a member of the Berlin Theatre Club. My publisher's wife Blandine Ebinger recommended me to become a member. 

"Some things can only be said softly, some things can only be done secretly". Friedrich Hollaender had written this, Hollaender, the one with "The Blue Angel". For Blandine did he write this  because she was his muse. And his former wife. Ebinger became acquainted with Friedrich Hollaender in 1919, and with him she became heavily invested as a performer, writer, and composer in the Berlin cabaret scene in the 1920s, beginning in the cabaret Schall und Rauch and the Café des Westens. She recorded many of her husband's, Friedrich Hollaender, cabaret songs, including the set of songs entitled Lieder eines armen Mädchens (Songs of a poor girl). Ebinger emigrated to the United States in 1937, returning to Berlin in 1947. She moved to Munich, where she met her second husband, the publisher Helwig Hassepflug, in 1961. They eventually settled back in Berlin, where she continued her career in the theater and as an actress on television productions.

Helwig Hassenpflug, my then publisher, became my mentor and my father figure. I would work for him and his company till 1999. As a Berlin Theatre Club member, I met a lot of TV and movie actors and actresses as well as performers from classics until pop - even German rock legend Udo Lindenberg in Hamburg or the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with star conductor Herbert von Karajan. And, my music library kept up growing ... .

On the other (sad) side: my list of friends got small and smaller and smaller.

My buddy Jürgen and I spent our last trip together in the Holy Land - in Israel. A sad good bye to each other. Jürgen planned to get married in South Korea.

Another one of my relationships had broken up. My mother got cancer. My father left us because of another woman.

I went to the nearest travel office planning to book a flight - taking me as far away as possible. The sales lady asked me, "Sir, I think you love Asia. How about the Philippines?" I agreed. Berlin - Frankfurt - Bangkok - Manila. And since I got three Filipina penfriends during that time, the Philippine round trip ticket Manila-Davao City-Zamboanga City-Manila was added.

(To be continued!)

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (VI)

Chapter VI: A new car, a new job and the Apartheid Regime

Yes, 1980 was a year of great upheaval for me. A new car was needed. An old sports car: Opel Manta. Because there was no speed limit in Germany during this time, I was mostly alone in the left lane of the motorway, the German Autobahn and mostly at night. 200 km/h - no problem.

In East Germany, the German Democratic Republic, everything was very different anyway. Speed limit 100 km/h and highway patrols at any corner.

After my return from Moscow I was really surprised at how quickly I got a visa for East Germany every time. I visited my "Lola" there as much I could. The border controls limited themselves to an absolute minimum. "We have to control you a little. It's our duty", whispered the two border police guys one day. "Have a nice stay in our republic!" I was able to explain the reactions very quickly; after all, I had flown from Berlin to Moscow "on the line of German-Russian Friendship"... .

And then came the big day in business. I had my job interview. To my great surprise, a young lady came up and said, "Please come, the publisher is waiting for you already". The publisher? I was actually expecting an interview with the Human Resources Director. At this point in time, I didn't see my future boss becoming my great mentor. He was a lawyer and responsible publisher of the law department. Besides, there was a Department of Medicine and a Department of Religion in this international publishing house based in Berlin, New York, and Amsterdam.

My travel plans to South Africa were not a hindrance. I was able to start my job as Editorial Assistant for law magazines on January 1, 1980. I have never studied law in my life.

October 1980 I traveled to South Africa - more precisely from Berlin to London and then by British Airways from London to Johannesburg with a stopover in Kenya with its snow-capped Kilimanjaro. 

Lisa waited for me. One of my penfriends from all over the world. She had moved from Austria to South Africa. In January 1972, I received her first letter from Vienna. Now in 1980 we should finally get to know each other personally. 

Not in Austria but in South Africa -  a country with the Apartheid policy.

Apartheid (Afrikaans: “apartness”) is the name of the policy that governed relations between the white minority and the nonwhite majority of South Africa during the 20th century. Although racial segregation had long been in practice there, the apartheid name was first used about 1948 to describe the racial segregation policies embraced by the white minority government. Apartheid dictated where South Africans, on the basis of their race, could live and work, the type of education they could receive, and whether they could vote. Events in the early 1990s marked the end of legislated apartheid, but the social and economic effects remained deeply entrenched.

It was an unforgettable trip in a camping bus to gold mines, wildlife, desserts and visiting the different tribes. 

On my return flight I remembered a very specific country. One of the stewardesses was born there as she told me: Philippines. Well, the Philippines was getting closer and closer into my life. I guessed it after several conversations with this wonderful Filipina.

(To be continued!)

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (V)

Chapter V: Crocodiles, rum and reggae

Jamaica? Did I mention Jamaica earlier? Yes, sure. Somehow, I wanted to be a loner, even though it was travelling. The travel plans between me and my buddy Jürgen became more and more different. Sad to say,

Our last trip together brought us to Gran Canaria in 1978. A wonderful island  belonging to a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean west of the African coast. A five-hours-flight nonstop from Berlin. Just a little something for Jürgen and me as global travelers. Several years later, I would stay on Gran Canaria more often - even for a second honeymoon. 

Jamaica, yes. An amazing island in the Carribean sea. A German Foreign Aid School Project brought me there. My previous journeys to Canada and the United States of America in 1975 have been mostly projects of the then Organization for International Contacts - back then it was located in the old West German capital Bonn.

Jamaica in 1979. A school project of the German Foreign Aid allowed me to visit this Carribean island.

 It was not really a vacation stay but long enough for some extraordinary experiences. Rum, well... . Rum and Coke, the long drink  Maitai - I am not sure if its origin is really from Jamaica. Here, we tried buko ( fresh coconut juice and Jamaica rum). Jamaica and its Blue Mountains.

Crocodiles? Yes, many. An organized river trip by tour guides up to the Dunn River Waterfalls in Ochos Rios made it possible to encounter many of these breathtaking species. Beethoven and Asia were somehow so very far away... .

Speaking of music. "No woman - no cry"! One of my most spectacular life open air music events was the one with legendary King of Reggae Bob Marley.  He scribbled his name on one of the records I bought there. Unforgettable seconds ... .

1980 became a really great change in my private and business life. The ups and downs pulled my nerves. My job as circulation manager in a publishing house did not satisfy me any more. As a typical risk taker, I followed the recommendation of my very closed office mate and applied to another publisher.

 

In the same year, I took on another challenge and traveled to South Africa, more precisely to Johannesburg. A trip to London and another 11 hours direct flight took me there. Lisa invited me. Lisa, my "oldest friend" ever. We "met" as pen pals in 1972 while she was residing in Vienna, Austria.

(To be continued!)

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (III)

Chapter 3: Land of the setting sun

Our touch down in Tokyo was precise to the minute. "Like in Germany", commented my buddy Jürgen. And he continued, "The Japanese have a lot in common with the Germans, they are always on time and love to work a lot". 

Well, this was 1976. I am not sure about nowadays. Fact was, I plunged into a world with many opposites to mine. It also meant that in the future I would make many mistakes that could not be consistent with Japanese tradition.

Our family stays were designed in such a way that we could get to know typical Japanese life in different social classes. In Tokyo, my "papa-san" was a television director. In Kyoto, my "papa-san" worked as a bank employee. In Osaka, I found myself in the countryside - my "papa-san" was a rice farmer. The great moment, Michiko would enter my life.

Tokyo - a breathtaking city where we lived in a small space. I got the impression that the TV studios where I was allowed to go in and out were bigger than our home. My "papa-san" made it possible to put me on screen in different TV-shows as "his son from Germany". I was overwhelmed... . 

My appetite for media of all kinds grew. It was television first.

Kyoto followed. And a bank manager. I remembered that my parents always wanted me to become a bank manager one day. But even then, I already knew I wanted to be a journalist one day.

Osaka follows. An awesome and wonderful life in the province remains with me from my childhood - just a little bit different. Now I had countless rice fields in front of me. Only many years later in the Philippines would I get the same feeling that I did here. And in Osaka, I met my first love at sight in Asia - Michiko.

It was the love story of my life at this time. I learned that we couldn't walk hand-in-hands behind the public. I learned that she could never travel to Germany and marry me there. I learned a lot more about Japanese traditions.

Six months after returning back to Germany, I got a very sad message from another Japanese close friend. A terrible earthquake had killed her and her family.

Hiroshima was one one of my saddest experiences in Japan that was never forgotten in my heart. Visiting the atomic bomb memorial left me with a lot of doubt and negative thoughts. As an opponent of the arms and war, in 1974 I had moved to West Berlin -  a place, where, as German citizen, I couldn't be drafted into the army. West Berlin is a place that would dramatically shape my future. Not only because one day I would even meet Nora Aunor there personally.

After my return from Japan, another big event awaited me in West-Berlin. A trip to Moscow. A trip and invitation. Radio Moscow - German Language Production had written a letter. For me a journey into uncertainty. A journey in between the world powers during the Cold War. I asked my buddy Jürgen to accompany me. "What do you want in Moscow, man? It's already in winter", he asked me.

I could convince him to travel with me. 5 days - not longer! I agreed.

(To be continued!)

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (II)

 

Chapter 2: Michiko and "Lola"

The doors of our plane opened. My buddy and I were at the very beginning, as we had always booked rows 1 A to B. The Filipino stewardess whispered: "A wonderful stay in the Philippines!" She did this with a smile that almost killed me. I would remember that smile for years. And yes, this smile and this memory would one day for my decision to immigrate to the Philippines forever. 1982 - but before that, a great deal would happen in the whole world for me.

As I said: the doors of our plane opened. While we walked down the aisle we realized what to expect. Highly armed soldiers stood meter by meter and accompanied us to the bus that was supposed to take us to an equally highly guarded hotel in Malate, Manila. Material law prevailed in the Philippines in 1976. Our stay in the office ended with a guarded breakfast and an equally guarded transfer to the airport for our flight to Tokyo.

But I just couldn't forget that Filipino smile... .

During that time, my grandmother resided in the Eastern Germany, the so-called Democratic Republic of Germany, although one might wonder where the democratic element would be here. I am not a fan of political conflicts. One will look for it here in this biography in vain.

I loved my grandmother like no one else in the world. Well, my wife is a very big exception! "Lola", born in 1899 (!) lived and survived  World War I and II. Since moving to West Berlin in 1974, I've had the opportunity to visit her much more often. Lola asked me: "Where exactly is Japan?" I asked her about her old school atlas, which she found in one of her closets after a long time. Lola was shocked when I showed her Japan.  I calmed her down.

About after five minutes she came back and gave me something.  It was a rosary. It's still with me up to now. "This is supposed to protect you on this big journey, and I know it would be your last big journey!" she said. 

Many trips followed, including to North Africa, Russia, and Jamaica. But more on that later. Our flight to Tokyo with Philippine Airlines was ready for boarding. And again, I captured the smile of the Philippine stewardess ... .

There are now three months family home stay ahead me. It has been organized by the International YMCA. I would stay in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka as well as Hiroshima. The latter with very impressive feelings. And there was something more impressive. I should meet Michiko in Osaka.

(To be continued!)