March 21st

I'll catch up with March 17, 18 and 19 soon - but wanted to post March 21st on the day, because it is Dad's 80th birthday.

Hans Mueller was born on this day in 1939 in Rheinbach, a town in the region of Rhineland-Westphalia in Germany.  He was born into a country in turmoil which was about to have war declared upon it.  The first five years of his life were lived while this conflict raged.  He was evacuated but was lucky to have relatives who lived on a farm in the country so he was able to stay with family.  You visited these country family folks in 1988 and enjoyed yourself immensely!

Hans was the second child for Karl Müller and Klara Schwalb.  He was born 10 years after their first son, Werner.  When I asked Omi why so long between she replied that the doctor had told her that having a baby may help her with "woman troubles".  I guess there are worse reasons to be conceived!

The family lived on Aachener Strasse (Street).  Karl had an autobody business on the premises.  Despite post war difficulties, I feel that dad had mostly an OK childhood.  He was brought up in the catholic church because of his mother.  He did however miss quite a bit of school as a youngster when he was ill with (can't remember the name) - he was very close to having a leg amputated because of the infection.  He claimed that when he snuck out to play in a swimming hole, the natural bacteria of the mud cured him.

The war and the genocidal ambitions of the Third Reich was to have a major impact on dad's thinking and belief system as it did for so many of his generation.  He was keen to leave and embraced Canada in 1957.

And to the other March 21st birthday.  On this day in 1864 Peter Fisken was born.  He is your first cousin 3X removed.  Your third great grandfather, another Peter Fisken, is this Peter's grandfather.

Peter was born in LUSS, Dumbartonshire (the lovely village on Loch Lomond).  He was the third of six children born to sawyer Alexander Fisken and Mary Ann Watt.