Westward. Encounters with Swiss American Women

“Mother was tender and loving. And my big brother Hans worshiped me.” (around 1935)

In 1928, Rosa, the only girl, was born as a latecomer into this turbulent business household, nine years after her brother. “Father was very proud of me, Mother tender and loving. And my big brother Hans worshiped me. However, our parents did not have much time for us children. They worked day and night. ‘Now it’s enough!’ father said, sold the butcher store after eight years and retired at the age of 50. He decided dictatorially that we would move to Lucerne.” Rosa remembers her kindergarten, her first little friend. “She lived in the same house. I thought they were distinguished people. My friend smelled of perfume and powder. I would want this too, I thought, later in life. At the most my mother would buy lavender-water.” The Lechner children felt little of their parents’ prosperity. Their motto was “above all, not to spoil them, this is harmful.” Father Lechner was restless, felt compelled to set up something new and built a house with four apartments in Lucerne-Mayhof. Still, he found no rest.