Part 1: Survival
“The beauty of life is just that, being alive.” My grandfather, Kurt Philipp was born into a Jewish family on the 13th April 1931 in Hamburg, Germany during the Nazi uprising. At the age of 6, the family fled the country after his father was able to get in contact with a distant relative living in Melbourne, Australia. After securing his visa my grandfather & his family boarded the ship on their voyage to freedom. The trip took a total of 4 & a half weeks.
“My parents couldn’t even materialise that something like the Nazi regime could happen to that extremity,” my grandfather explains to me as we sit at the family dinner table. “Ultimately we discovered that two grandfathers, two uncles, two cousins & further distant relatives of the family were all killed in Auschwitz, most likely by the gas chambers.” If it wasn't for the luck of attaining his visa, my grandfather and the rest of his family would have met the same fate as his relatives & the other estimated 6 million other Jews killed during the heartless bloodbath.
Part 2: Hello & Goodbye
After escaping death, his family arrived in Melbourne & moved to Prahran a suburb in Melbourne's South-Eastern suburbs, where he attended Christian Brother’s College. It was here where he learnt English & the Christian faith. “My father in particularly wanted us to assimilate, so we mixed with the kids in the street & at school.” The local community were very accepting & showed “no animosity to the Jewish people at all.”
At the age of 10 his mother had a basic gallbladder operation which turned to tragedy, the doctor accidentally cut a bile duct which resulted in his mother becoming handicapped. This resulted in his father having to spend a large portion of time caring for his mother, being at by her side & at her every aid &. Neighbours & friends he had made in his street would often take my grandfather with them on their own family outings. His mother’s health was up & down over the next few years, with their being times where she looked to be knocking on death’s door. “When you see someone suffering so long it’s a strange feeling, sometimes you feel that maybe they’re better off to pass away because life for them isn't enjoyable. Especially for my mother.” At the age of 28 my grandfather had lost his mother.
Part 3: Soulmates
55 years ago my grandmother, Margaret, walked into my grandfather’s life. From the moment he laid eyes on her he was in love. Wanting to “spread her wings” she moved from her childhood home in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, to Melbourne. The two met through a mutual friend who played the role of cupid & introduced one another. From there their friendship blossomed & eventually lead to the couple tying the knot. 53 years later & the two haven't spent a day apart since.
My grandfather explains to me that things were a lot different back in the day, “Our relationship was a bit unique compared to everyone else at the time. A: I was divorced, B: I was Jewish, C: Margaret was of the Church of England.” Looking into the possibility of conversion to the Jewish faith the local Rabbi suggested that the best thing was for the two to keep their individual faith. On their wedding day the two made a promise that “religion would never interfere with our future…that probably has to be one of the greatest success stories of our time, we have been married for 53 years & in that time we have never had an argument about religion.” The choice to choose love & marriage, despite the unwritten normalities of society disagreeing with the move sparked conflict with many of my grandfather’s closest friends. None of them believed the marriage would last or that the couple were even truly in love, but the two looked past the judgement & the closed minds of those around them. They knew that they had found something special, “Absolutely, you don't stay with someone for 53 years unless they are your soulmate.”
Part 4: Sun Begins To Set
Before 2004, my grandfather had never been admitted to hospital, a heart attack was the beginning of what was to be the first of many visits. Growing up he loved spending time outdoors, he had a huge love for swimming, playing beach cricket with the family & being out of the house under the Aussie sun, this proved costly in his later years. “Unfortunately I enjoyed the good life lying in the sun & now I'm paying the consequences of that.” 12 years since his first hospital visit & the countless times since he is still here, against all odds, loving & fighting. His oncologist gave him the title of being his “miracle man.” Met with a wide variety of health issues, I ask my grandfather if faith is a pivotal factor in keeping a strong mindset, he answers “I have an attitude that maybe religion…well I guess I could call it a false belief, but I shouldn't really because with this latest problem with my eye & the cancer, I have to admit that there are a lot of people I know that I’ve been told are praying for me & if that makes a difference I’ll accept that.”
Part 5: To Who I Owe It All To
A few weeks ago my grandfather had an appointment at the doctors. The news he received was possibly the worst you can hear, no matter how true it is, “Kurt…you don't have long to live.” My grandfather was yet again to live up his title as being the “miracle man” & perform another miracle, surviving this upcoming surgery to rid the cancer in the corner of his eye. After getting off the phone with my grandmother who delivered me the news, I was in a bit of disarray. We had heard so many times that there were possibilities, but this was the first time that a doctor had put a time limit on my grandfather’s life & such a short one at that.
The weeks after receiving the news, a lot of questions rang through my mind revolving around one theme, death. It’s something we don't like to speak about or discuss very often, but I had never spoken to my grandfather or anyone about it or the process, what they think will happen & what will come after, if anything. I wasn't able to make peace with the fact that I may never see him again, but maybe finding out where he was mentally, rather than physically will help the beginning of the grieving process. “Well it’s not something you can accept easily…I can’t…particularly as, I don't want to leave this Earth without making certain that Margaret, with whom I’ve been with for 53 years is safe & not left out on a limb.” After having this at times awkward but eye opening conversation it became clear what the true source of my grandfather’s miracles were, his soul mate, the woman who has never left his side from the day she met him, through the hard times & the good. My grandmother. “I wouldn't want to leave this Earth after Margaret…I just don't think I could cope with life like that, without her.”
Part 6: Looking Back
“As far as I’m concerned I’m happy with my way of life, I haven't hurt anybody, I’ve been as kind as I can be & helped people…to me that’s important.”
Part 7: Farewell
‘Forget Me Not’ is a dedication to my late grandfather Kurt, a man full of love. May this little piece of his soul live on forever until we meet on the other side.
RIP
Kurt Philipp 13 April 1931 - September 5 2017
