H.F. Leuteritz

This is a first-hand account that goes with the Immigration Story (as well as other documents, audio recording, and photos) of the Leuteritz (1951) and Huber (1952) families (German Immigrants) found on the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 website.

Herman Leuteritz (1920-2008) Account of Immigration to Canada in 1951

With limited occupational opportunities we decided to immigrate and left in October 1951 after selling 2 klubsessel (lounge chairs) to our friend Wally Dusswald and the rest to others and left for Bremen. Of all my friends who had studied with me in Munich, George Eberel came to the Munich Main Railway Station (Hauptbahnhof) to say goodbye. He even carried the luggage to our compartment. We took the (ship) Anna Salén from Bremerhaven with one stop in Le Havre (France). Early in November after a week-long trip we arrived in Halifax without accident (actual voyage dates 5-16 Nov 1951) (A seaman assured me that a sister ship of the Anna Salén broke in two in the Pacific Ocean).

Mrs. Plummer who had worked with me at the U.S. Department of Justice (in Munich) (she was an editor, correcting any mistakes in our translations which was seldom necessary) had arranged to exchange and send $75 Canadian dollars to a bank in Halifax. On inquiring the bank could not find the money (they found it 4 weeks later and transferred it to me in Windsor).

I therefore had on arrival only $5 – earned aboard ship as an interpreter. Our ticket by rail to Windsor had been prepaid before departing Germany. Why had I selected Windsor? The immigration officer in Karlsruhe where we had applied for admission in Canada as landed immigrants asked me where I wanted to go. My reply: “Somewhere close to Detroit”. His answer: “Go to Windsor located just opposite on the Canadian side of the Detroit River.” Annemarie’s (Herman’s wife) sister Ursula lived in Detroit at that time.

First question was now “where shall we stay”? I took a room in a tourist home on Ouellette Ave. Cost $5! Ursula and Haak (Ursula’s husband) wanted to take us in their own home but we were not permitted to cross the international boarder (one had to wait TWO years for that).

Next day, a Monday, I reported to Mr. Cannon at the immigration office. He referred me to Pastor Storm who took us into the Parish house where we found room with mattresses to sleep on. He took care to find something to eat, Ursula and Haak came over with a goose – miraculously there was something to eat, not only for us but also for the other arrivals that Pastor Storm took in. I remember a Mrs. Peterson with two small children (all using one bathroom in shifts: Peterson – always Peterson!).

Mr. Cannon gave me a number of addresses of firms offering jobs. I went to at least 8 of them until a Mr. Oliver, an engineer from Coventry England said “I could start in 2 weeks as a technical clerk” when Mr, Harrison who’s job I was to take would leave for another firm. Who could be happier than I? Up to that point I had felt down in the dumps, but a young teacher I met at the Carnegie Library on Victoria Ave consoled me and said: “You will soon find work. You speak English” to which I countered “but the other 14 million here also speak English”.

We stayed with Pastor Storm for a few weeks, then I looked in the Windsor Star to find an apartment for rent (Average $60 per month). On the first place I went the doorbell didn’t work. I knocked and an elderly man opened. He said “the apartment has to be cleaned up and that I could move in later”. I: “your doorbell doesn’t work”. He: “yes, I have to find somebody who can repair it”. I: “Do you have a screw PULLER” (Schraubenzieher – literal German translation)? He brought one. I took the cover off and found a loose wire. When he found that the bell worked again, he said: “are you an engineer?” I: “No but I can fix things”. He hired me on the spot for $5 a day and together with cleaning the house, cutting down a tree, learning words like “dorm room”. He was a good teacher and I was a good listener. $5.00 bought a big bag full of groceries. I stayed with this retired railroad man for 2 weeks until I could start with Standard Machine.