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I had turned eight and finished the first grade at school in Tartu, when my mother wanted to spend the summer in Germany. Of course, our nanny and grandmother Regina came with us. Father stayed in Tartu as he could not leave his work for a long time. We went to Berlin. My brother and I were raised in Tartu and we were astounded when we arrived in such a big city. I looked at the high, many-storied buildings and could not imagine how people got to the top floors. They were so high! My brother and I were surprised about many things! Mother told me that we looked very calm, asked no questions and seemed to understand everything. But in fact, many things seemed so amazing to us that I still remember what I felt at that time.
We liked Berlin a lot and my mother decided that we would not return to Estonia. Father joined us. He found a job easily. We rented a decent, furnished apartment in a good district at Brandenburger Strasse, not far from Kurfürstendamm. It was not in the heart of Berlin, but a little bit farther from the city center. Nanny or Grandmother Regina took us for a walk in the park. We made new friends. Most of them were German children. Grandmother or Nanny sat on the bench and did needlework, while we were playing nearby. I remember our favorite game: my brother and his friend were bellicose Indians. They would catch me and tie me to a tree and throw imaginary knives at me. They had fun and I felt like a hero.
There were a lot of amusements for children in Berlin: theaters, concerts, matinees. I remember that almost every day we went somewhere, either to the theater or to a concert. The school year was approaching and we went to school. We had spoken German since our childhood, so there was no problem with that. My brother and I entered Volksschule – public elementary school. Those schools were co-ed: boys and girls studied together. Then, in the lyceum they studied separately. I went to the first grade and David to the third. I was surprised that there were teachers in the school that beat students. We had a needlework class. It seemed to the teacher that one girl did not have a very tidy needlework bag and she slapped her so hard that the girl fell. I was perplexed with that. I was never beaten by teachers, but still I was afraid of them.
When David finished Volksschule he entered a very good lyceum for boys, and I entered the lyceum for girls. As compared to the Volksschule, the atmosphere in the lyceum was absolutely different. I remember my English language teacher with special affection. The knowledge imparted to me by her was the basis for my further studies of the language.
We liked Berlin a lot and my mother decided that we would not return to Estonia. Father joined us. He found a job easily. We rented a decent, furnished apartment in a good district at Brandenburger Strasse, not far from Kurfürstendamm. It was not in the heart of Berlin, but a little bit farther from the city center. Nanny or Grandmother Regina took us for a walk in the park. We made new friends. Most of them were German children. Grandmother or Nanny sat on the bench and did needlework, while we were playing nearby. I remember our favorite game: my brother and his friend were bellicose Indians. They would catch me and tie me to a tree and throw imaginary knives at me. They had fun and I felt like a hero.
There were a lot of amusements for children in Berlin: theaters, concerts, matinees. I remember that almost every day we went somewhere, either to the theater or to a concert. The school year was approaching and we went to school. We had spoken German since our childhood, so there was no problem with that. My brother and I entered Volksschule – public elementary school. Those schools were co-ed: boys and girls studied together. Then, in the lyceum they studied separately. I went to the first grade and David to the third. I was surprised that there were teachers in the school that beat students. We had a needlework class. It seemed to the teacher that one girl did not have a very tidy needlework bag and she slapped her so hard that the girl fell. I was perplexed with that. I was never beaten by teachers, but still I was afraid of them.
When David finished Volksschule he entered a very good lyceum for boys, and I entered the lyceum for girls. As compared to the Volksschule, the atmosphere in the lyceum was absolutely different. I remember my English language teacher with special affection. The knowledge imparted to me by her was the basis for my further studies of the language.
Period
Location
Berlin
Germany
Interview
Ester Khanson