Annelies Schaerer Munzker

Why and how I came to Canada

I was born 1931 the second of five children into a very well off family in Vienna / Austria. After a care free wonderful childhood my life changed with the end of the Second World War when we lost everything. Early 1944 I was evacuated with my high school to a mountain side south of Vienna from where we had to flee from the Russian army in April 1945 right across Austria in trucks and cattle cars. The journey took quite a few days interrupted by air raids, disrupted rail lines and thousands of dislocated people with no place to go. Finally we landed in a hotel on top of the ‘Muttersberg’ in Vorarlberg where the news of the end of the war later reached us. Since no mail or phone service for months I finally found my parents and siblings after another adventurous country crossing in the fall NW of Vienna. To continue school I had to live in the dorm of my high school (two class rooms were furnished with cots for homeless girls like me). 1948-50 I went to Switzerland to work as a ‘mother’s helper’ with three small children – what a wonderful time! 1950-53 I took my nurses training at the Allgemeines Krankenhaus (State hospital) in Vienna. We were all so poor, six in one room, but formed life long friendships. Since it was impossible to find a room in bombed out, war torn and occupied Vienna and I didn’t want to continue to share a room with 3 others at the residence for years to come I decided to emigrate.

With a friend’s help and connections I chose Canada. Not really having a home since I was 13 years old it was not too hard to say good bye to my parents at the railway station. I stopped over in Switzerland at my former employer and continued to Rotterdam / Holland to catch the Groote Beer and start my big adventure and new life (October 22 1953 – October 28 1953).

It was a small and no-frill ship, I shared a cabin with bunk beds with Mrs. Appeltauer and two young daughters from Amstetten / Austria, the father had to stay at the men’s quarters for the 8 day journey. They settled in London / Ontario and we stayed in contact for many years. Washrooms / showers were down the corridor, dining room on another floor. I was sea sick from second to last day but only missed one breakfast. Time went fast playing cards and games, sing alongs and having fun with other young people. End of October it was chilly outside, sometimes quite rough but we also saw some dolphins playing along the boat. The dining room was usually quite empty, the tables had raised edges to keep dishes and food from sliding off. I really can’t remember any meals but I ate and got enough. There were mostly Dutch families on board with many children who all had matching jackets – donated by their government?

Since I paid my own trip as landed immigrant and had a job offer, all papers in order and spoke some English I passed quickly through immigration and security and mostly remember the huge bare room with endless rows of luggage sorted alphabetically. It took awhile to find my two cardboard suitcases holding all my earthly belongings. The train was right across, we all piled in and I arrived tired, dirty and hungry 36 hours later in Toronto.

I can’t remember if I ever had a train ticket or saw a conductor, I had not enough money to buy any food, the berths were uncomfortable, not a pleasant ride.

My first impression of Canada: big, empty, flat, shabby houses out in nowhere but tall antennas and big cars beside each one. Our train went through ‘town and country’ often no barriers on road crossings. Finally Quebec City looked civilized and old country like. For a country less than 100 years old I found it very backward not at all new and modern as expected. In Toronto I sat waiting about 12 hours until I got picked up, too scared to leave my suit cases alone to find a washroom or ask a stranger for help – what a long and lonely day. Late afternoon the friend of my Vienna friend picked me up and we drove about 4 hours to Kitchener on a two lane high way – now 6 – 12 lane 401! We stopped at a gas station where I saw my very first small black and white T.V. on a shelf high up in a corner. I thought: ‘this is it?’ and maybe this disappointment never made a T.V. lover out of me. Arriving in Kitchener the living room was dark except a bigger T.V. I started going around shaking hands with the family, not common here, and felt not welcomed at all. I obviously interrupted a program. But the family was nice enough to help me to get an interview at K.W. Hospital 3 km down the main street and I started fulltime as nurses aid the following week with 3 times the pay then as an R.N. in Vienna and got my registered nurses papers in July 1954. They also took me shopping, all these strange food, packaging and oh those confusing store coupons! I couldn’t eat enough bananas – what a treat. For my room I paid $5.-/week with laundry, I was very happy about my luck and good start. Soon after I met my Swiss husband, also alone in Canada, at night school, we were married in October 1954 have 5 happily married children and 7 wonderful grandchildren. I worked in Kitchener, London and since 1957 Stratford where I enjoy my retirement now.

I never thought I would leave my family and country forever but never regretted my decision to come to Canada and call myself a proud Canadian since 1959.