Physical Labor

Few Americans realize that World War II did not really end until 1957, with the surrender of the last SS unit operating as a terrorist group in the Austrian and Bavarian Alps, against American targets.  Up north, it was 1946 now and another story.  The war was over and the rebuilding of Germany was to commence.  The only fighting was verbal between the British, Canadian and Americans - and then again, collectively against the Russians on the east bank of the Elbe River.
Fritz and Irma had been wealthy before the war.  He was an architect and a decent investor.  However, the banks were gone, the Deutschmark devalued and any bank balances decreased by 90% automatically.  They were wiped out, but at least they still had something to pull from in an economy where cash ruled - as few had it.  And luckily for them, there was a real need for architects.

Drilling a new well, father center.

Father was able to get a job as a day laborer for basically starvation wages, especially considering that he now had a wife to support.  Hamburg had been flattened and the entire infrastructure had to be replaced.  You also must realize that by the time of father's capture he was more dead than alive.  The regular meals from working on the farms had helped him to recover somewhat, however he had little muscle to rely on and he really had need of them!

Ditches needed to be dug for sewers, water supply and gas pipelines - there was little machinery to do the jobs.  Roads rebuilt, factories restored, apartment complexes built, everything everywhere had to be replaced.  So the work was there but the economics were not.  There was nowhere to live other than the street and a day's labor provide little enough food for one - much less two.  Then there was the question of being able to find food for sale in the first place.  And father was stuck as he had no real skills for this labor market.

Something had to change and father had few resources in his favor.  He held a mathematics doctorate, however the university was gone and little need for instructors anywhere.  He could go over to the Americans under the Operation Paperclip offer to German scientists, but he still believed he would be executed, if he did.  The British and Canadians had no use for him, nor did the Germans for that matter.  His education had left him fluent in French, 5 forms of German and English.  So on weekends he was able to hold down a job as a waiter.  Notice in the photo that he is 6'1" tall and weighed all of 96 pounds at the time!  Interestingly, at the table is Uncle Fritz; I assume the dress is attached to his wife Irma.

In the local paper one day he saw an advertisement for seaman needed immediately for shipping out of Bremerhaven.  And so he had to take a chance and identify himself as a Captain in the now defunct German Navy, in hopes of at least being able to feed his wife.  As I mentioned earlier, how he acquired his commission, much less in the Navy, is beyond my knowledge.  Yet, he had managed it during the war and as a teenager to boot.

His hope was a posting on a North Sea freighter.....

Ponzi Scheme

Being aware of the legal implications of this post I will not go into details - so you will not be tempted to do, as my father figured out how to, scam credit card companies.

Father held a doctorate in mathematics which he received at 16 years of age.  Yes, he was brilliant - his IQ was documented as 195.  I only know this as the government kept really close tabs on us children, with much testing annually.  I know my IQ is only 10 points lower than his, and much higher than my sister's.  However, it was very frustrating because throughout my entire life I never could understand math.  A solid 'F' student in that most horrible of subjects.  It was not until only a few years ago I finally learned my bent was in art, not math.  Sigh.....

With father dead, someone had to go through his financial records.  My sister, whom was an accountant, could not deal with it so it fell to me.  I was stunned by the disaster I found.  Father was brilliant in math - how could he ever have created the disaster I found?

Bank accounts commonly opened and closed, dozens of credit cards and his expenses far out ran his income.  What on earth?!?!?!?!?

It took me three full weeks to understand father had created a credit card ponzi scheme.  (NO I will not tell you how he did it!)  The scheme had 16 layers to it and near as I could tell, he knew exactly what he was doing - it would take another decade before the scheme fell apart and I think he was planning on being dead by then anyway.  It completely blew me away!  Not only the fact that I could understand what he had done, but that someone could have conceived of the idea in the first place - it was brilliant!  I guess my naive honest genes came from my mother's side!

Needless to say, his entire estate was taken to resolve only a small portion of the debt he held.  As far as I know, the ponzi scheme is still running and everyone is happy.  Go figure!

However, I came home and called all of my children, pseudo-children and those I love together and told them I would personally pay for them to attend Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University - so that none of them would ever do as father had done.  Surprisingly, only two of my children, one pseudo-child and one dear friend took me up on my offer.

I attended as well and finally understood how money works - of course it was too late by then for me, I was laid off when I returned home from father's funeral.  Nothing like having your job sent to India, while you join the unemployment line.  Especially, since I finally understood how to correct my finances and in 13 months could have cleared up a lifetime of mismanagement...