JOHANNA AURIK

Interviewer: Rebecca Amundsen Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview identification

00:27 JOHANNA AURIK born 09 April 1931

00:40 Recording Agreement

01:08 Named after mother – Reason for one 'given' name – Explained Brother named after father

01:46 Own children upset at not being named 'properly' – Using Dutch custom

02:07 Self born in AMSTERDAM

02:23 Earliest memories – Being upset by a bird that flew inside – Playing on the street

03:28 Move to RIVER DISTRICT – There for 12 years until mother died

04:14 AMSTERDAM lot bigger than INVERCARGILL – Now has population over a million but about 500,000 when self living there City spread out – Father walked 45 minutes to go to work

05:03 MOTHER – Teacher until her marriage – Very strict – Corrected her children's accents – AMSTERDAM slang HAARLEM – Mentioned

07:24 One brother 4 years older than self – One step-sister in HOLLAND – Father re- married

07:52 FATHER – CHRISTIAAN – Bank clerk in AMSTERDAM BANK RABOBANK in NEW ZEALAND joined with AMSTERDAM BANK

09:10 FATHER – Good singer – Happy person – Very special

09:33 Aged about 12 when mother died – Cause of death – Explained Mother liked cacti Self had diphtheria prior to mother's death Early 1940s no antibiotics

11:18 Diphtheria – Described Brother also had diphtheria – Very slightly No one else in class affected

12:46 [CHILDHOOD IN HOLLAND]: Very happy Attended school – Looked after by brother – School bully

13:39 [WAR]: School taken by ARMY Moved to another school – Shared – Morning or afternoon classes Memories of GERMANY planes dropping parachutes (people)

14:36 Time off school – DUTCH ARMY warning – GERMAN presence

14:56 Application of strips to windows...

15:00 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 … to protect the glass

00:13 [EDUCATION]: Primary school to High School – Teachers DUTCH except one who was GERMAN Good education – In 5th year school taken by GERMANS – Moved to another place

01:42 Only BELGIUM and GERMANY border HOLLAND AMSTERDAM near the sea – Accessibility to ENGLAND when GERMANY invaded

02:45 Invasion by GERMANY 10 May1940 – DUTCH ARMY small numbers – Disbanded 5 days later ROTTERDAM – Mentioned

04:01 Rules and Regulations set in place – Food taken Curfew – Father and self late return – Described

05:13 Not allowed to listen to English radio station Mother would not hand in radio – How it was hidden – Described BBC – Mentioned

06:02 Most only heard about GERMAN actions Own parents heard of ENGLISH actions as well

06:27 Many JEWISH people in the area – Most registered as required to Removal of JEWISH people in street – Described Attitude of GERMANS – Good at shouting

08:58 Scary situation for children – Brother 'went under' – Explained 09:45 Brother to farm in Northern Holland – FREISLAND With cousin stood in river to avoid being sent to GERMANY to work Bomb manufacture – Mentioned

11:16 Father not taken – Age – Had a job

11:39 GRANDPARENTS – Close to mother's parents – Lived in HAARLEM Spent holidays with them at ZANDVOORT

12:08 Mother's sister married Father's brother – Mentioned

12:32 GRANDPARENTS had bookshop – Self loves books and reading Big house – Happy childhood

13:06 Train travel to visit grandparents after death of mother BRITISH planes attacking train – Own escape – Described Return to AMSTERDAM – Tram travel to home

14:41 Quite an experience...

15:00 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:00 … Reason for BRITISH air attack on train – Explained

00:18 Railway workers strike September 1944 Self travelled by bike to grandparents – Reasonably safe

01:11 Gas factory bombed – Most homes used gas for cooking, etc AMSTERDAM – Mentioned

01:41 Night attacks by GERMANS on BRITISH aircraft Unusual effect of bomb on neighbour's house – Described

02:59 Nothing to cook or to cook with – No gas available – Food confiscated How family survived – Explained 03:39 Father's bicycle had no tyres – rubber on the rims How food was obtained – Explained Potatoes – Milk – Flour – Bread

05:03 After war short of many things – Wood for cooker SOUP KITCHENS towards the end of the war 06:17 Memories of hunger – Own attitude to food waste passed to own children Family had no garden 07:11 Self and father's walk to HAARLEM – Flour at a farm gate Tulip bulbs used as food – Sugar beet

08:58 Memories of end of war 5 May 1945 – Arrival of CANADIANS GERMANS still present – People killed on the DAM FLAGS – Orange – Red White and Blue

10:48 Attitude of GERMANS even though war had finished Death of JEWISH people who had hidden during war

11:30 Many Jewish people worked in bank – Property hidden in bank Some survived the war

12:04 Self still has ring owned by JEWISH girl – Gift from girl's grandfather

12:40 None of people taken from the (family) street returned – Others occupied houses People rented houses rather than owning them

13:30 SWEDISH Government sent bread – Air drop

14:05 Slow return to 'normal' – Improvement took years Country almost bankrupt – Reason from coming to NEW ZEALAND Husband a carpenter – No work – No money for housing

14:46 Many of young DUTCHMEN returned from GERMANY Own cousin....

15:00 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … Cousin in factory 2 ½ years – Returned – Became a doctor

00:32 People walked from GERMANY to AMSTERDAM – Much illness Husband's father also walked from GERMANY Scurvy – Mentioned

01:00 Husband's mother – Brave lady – Sheltered JEWS – Ration cards SWITZERLAND – ISRAEL – Mentioned Oranges from tree planted in ISRAEL

02:42 NSBer (National Socialist Movement – Political Party accepted by Germans) Dutch person who worked with Germans Bravery of people – Mentioned

03:46 ANNE FRANK – Mentioned

04:11 LOUISE VAN UDEN (Book – Journeys of Hope) – Discussed

05:19 [EMPLOYMENT]: Typist in a bank – Described Moved to small office dealing with 'shares' – Self acted as 'guard' for person carrying money

08:18 Met husband on a blind date – Both CUB LEADERS – About 1949

10:29 Self wanted to travel – HANK lost his job – Pamphlet about NEW ZEALAND – Interview – Assisted immigrants – Parents not happy about move

12:16 [JOURNEY]: ROTTERDAM – CURACAO – PANAMA CANAL – TAHITI – WELLINGTON 'Welcome' by Dutch people on WELLINGTON WHARF Comments from parents

13:54 Father re-married – Self not so happy about it

14:20 Single people offered assisted passage – Many engaged couples travelled – Married soon after arrival in NEW ZEALAND Requirements for married couples with children

14:59 About 1500 people on board boat...

15:02 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … “SIBAJAK” (ship) – HANK sick most of the way Accommodation – Described

01:15 Excited and a little sad leaving (HOLLAND) – Learned English at school Language classes on boat – Many could not speak English

01:54 Self and HANK to INVERCARGILL – Ferry to CHRISTCHURCH Didn't know what to expect – Most people went to NORTH ISLAND AUCKLAND – Mentioned Asked to go to QUEENSTOWN – No work there

03:04 Train travel CHRISTCHURCH to INVERCARGILL – Long journey

04:04 Self taken to stay with ROMANIAN lady and a GREEK man – Described Eventually HANK and self stayed there together No bed for HANK when he arrived at his accommodation

05:23 Host couples' daughter and son-in-law moved out – Room offered to self and HANK Decision to get married

05:48 Married in St PAUL'S CHURCH, DEE STREET – Described STEWART ISLAND – Mentioned

07:32 Self worked for PRAIN & FRENCH (now FRENCH BURT & CO) Interview for position – Described Enjoyed working there – Learned a lot of English – Stayed for 2 ½ years

09:00 Friendly staff – Office junior – Reactions of court staff and others to accent 10:23 Own accent changed over the years – Aware of people who still speak half DUTCH and half ENGLISH DUTCH people working at HOSPITAL – Mentioned

11:24 Own first home in INVERCARGILL – Offer from boss to be guarantor 157 EARN STREET – Interviewer living at 161 EARN STREET – Long discussion WILLIAMSON – TANSLEY – Mentioned Alterations done by HANK – Those done by present owners Swamp problems on both properties...

15:02 End of Track 5

TRACK 6

00:00 … Elimination of problem – Described Reason for state of ground – Explained WATER TOWER – ORETI RIVER – Mentioned

00:44 Lived at EARN STREET for 14 years – House completely updated HANKS parents stayed in the house SKIPPERS – Mentioned

01:31 Two properties compared – Villa – Character Home Reaction of self when discovered house had gone Five children born while living in EARN STREET Work done on house – Described

02:35 House sold – Pulled down – Flats built Friendship with TANSLEYS – NELSON – Mentioned

03:29 Interviewer's research into own home built about 1906 MANSON – TANSLEY – BALLANTINE – Mentioned TANSLEY'S son and daughter – Mentioned

04:56 State of house when interviewer moved in – Described Alterations – Described

09:13 Self had no car – Biked everywhere – MODEL A used for business

09:56 Inhabitants of flats – Described

10:23 School across the road (SOUTH SCHOOL) – now KAI TECH (training for fisheries and seafood)

11:06 Own present house sold – Discussion about property on DEE STREET

12:48 End of Track 6

TRACK 7

00:00 Recap from previous week

00:28 EMPLOYMENT in HOLLAND – Office typist – 'Shares' Office – Office in furniture shop – Class of furniture and clients – Mentioned Motor firm (boss's language) Clothing factory office – Offer to be company Social Worker – Farewell

07:57 Kept in contact with manager of furniture shop – Son travelled on same boat as self CURACAO – BALBOA – TAHITI – Mentioned

09:16 Asked again how about how met husband – Blind date

09:38 On arrival (in New Zealand) attitude towards the DUTCH – 'You've come to take our jobs' Shortage of tradespeople

10:18 HANK hung all the doors in Nurses' Home at KEW HOSPITAL – Told he worked too fast Not used to long morning and afternoon tea

11:12 DUTCH work ethic – Pride in achievement – Discussed

12:05 New Zealanders more laid back – Apart from farmers Probable reason for meeting with other DUTCH people Made New Zealand friends but always a difference – Situation has changed

13:24 Difficulties if not born or educated in a certain place Girls where self worked (Prain & French) helped a lot Problems with boss's rapid speech

14:22 Work ethic passed to own children – One son a builder who works hard – Another son was a builder with good work ethic

15:00 Our daughter...

15:02 End of Track 7

TRACK 8

00:00 … Daughter doing things for other people

00:19 Because of war self never throws anything away – Incident at JOHANNA'S home (left over food)

00:44 Life not easy in the beginning when newly married Compared with people of SCOTTISH descent

01:24 Self sometimes asked if came from SCOTLAND Reference to 'HOME' – Scottish immigrants

02:03 Five CHILDREN – 10 years between oldest and youngest – Born while living at EARN STREET JENNIFER – Mentioned

02:35 Children attended BOWMONT KINDERGARTEN KLEUTERSCHOOL (Little children's school) – Children started school in the September after turning 6 years old

03:38 Self never attended Kindergarten – Mother's choice

04:10 Describes emotions when started SCHOOL – Visit to Doctor

04:47 On arrival in NEW ZEALAND husband worked for CARL FISHER (?) BUILDER Under contract 2 years Partnership with a Dutchman – Built pig sties – Built first house LIME STREET – Mentioned

06:42 Partnership split – HANK worked a lot in schools

07:06 Building at PUYSEGUR POINT Often only home at weekends

07:38 Children attended SOUTH SCHOOL JOHANNA – JENNIFER – Mentioned Miss PATTERSON (Teacher) – Mentioned

09:27 JENNIFER attended special school for a year – Also SOUTH SCHOOL QUEENS PARK – Mentioned

10:28 DUTCH food for family – Described DUTCH CULTURE CAFE (Tay Street) SAUR KRAUT – Described Grew own vegetables and herbs ROOKWORST (sausage)

13:34 DUTCH butcher (probably RAATS who had EMPIRE BUTCHERY on North Road where COUPLANDS BAKERY is now and moved to OTEPUNI AVENUE) Home deliveries of meat, milk, groceries, vegetables

15:00 End of Track 8

TRACK 9

00:00 Eldest son ROBERT not a 'talker' Family spoke DUTCH at home – Discouraged by teacher Friends in CHRISTCHURCH – Mentioned

01:25 One son working in HOLLAND for a year – HANK'S visit

02:04 ROBERT oldest son spoke DUTCH until going to school Self sometimes problems with modern DUTCH language

04:21 With children easier to speak English

04:51 DUTCH HERITAGE passed to own children Album for 80th birthday – Family memories OMA (grandmother)

06:26 Children valued Dutch input – 3 grandchildren visited HOLLAND

07:12 Move from EARN STREET to NELSON STREET Father's 6 week visit – Described

10:19 Thoughts about NELSON STREET house Move to LIME STREET – HANK built house – Described 'DUTCH BARN' – Mentioned

13:37 LIME STREET house built 34 years ago – 20 years in present home

14:20 Gradual decline in house building in 1980s...

15:00 End of Track 9

TRACK 10

00:00 … HANK'S retirement from building Son and HANK built present house

02:21 CHRISTMAS in HOLLAND – Described St NICHOLAS on 6th December Changes made to fit with New Zealand

05:10 DUTCH CLUB celebrate St NICHOLAS – changes due to aging members

06:02 St NICHOLAS – Described SPAIN – AMSTERDAM – Mentioned

07:22 SPANISH ARMADA and HOLLAND Self unsure of beginning of St NICHOLAS

08:36 Children and grandchildren continue to disguise gifts

09:35 Involvement with DUTCH CLUB – Visit by QUEEN and PRINCE PHILIP Dutch Village built in CENTENNIAL HALL, INVERCARGILL – Described (old) ARMY DRILL HALL – Mentioned

11:03 Purpose of DUTCH CLUB – Outlined Music – Dances – Social – Club Building

12:24 Numbers of DUTCH migrants increased in 1950s

13:00 Club membership mostly older people now – Decreasing Lack of interest from young people

14:23 DUTCH CHOIR – Self involved...

15:01 End of Track 10

TRACK 11

00:00 … (choir) only 9 members now

00:14 Self returned to HOLLAND twice – Three children taken on one visit Visited place good for children Second visit travelled in EUROPE with JENNIFER SPAIN – FRANCE – GERMANY – AUSTRIA – Mentioned Younger son and wife joined parents

01:59 Feelings on return to HOLLAND – Still 'home' in some ways

02:30 Return to INVERCARGILL – Self home-sick

03:28 MISSION WITHOUT BORDERS – How it began in NEW ZEALAND TAUPO – ROMANIA – Mentioned

05:05 Self set up SOUTHLAND involvement SALVATION ARMY – AUCKLAND – Mentioned Older people enjoy opportunity to knit and help JOY TINKER – Mentioned

08:08 Self coordinator for SOUTHLAND RIVERTON – TE ANAU – GORE – WYNDHAM – WINTON – Mentioned Difficulty making description of job Packing items – Described TULLOCH TRANSPORT – Mentioned

10:31 Knitters are nation-wide LUMSDEN – Mentioned

11:24 Annual display in FIRST CHURCH – Knitting circle at SPOTLIGHT About 200 knitters in Southland

12:25 Christian organisation – Not necessarily run by churches Self attends GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Centre Street BRETHREN CHURCH in HOLLAND St ANDREW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – KNOX/PACIFIC ISLAND (Ness Street) – St PAULS – Mentioned ...

15:00 End of Track 11

TRACK 12

00:00 … (New) KNOX CHURCH built in POMONA STREET

00:34 ST ANDREWS – Mentioned Reasons for changes

01:05 Preaching in church in ST PAUL'S compared with HOLLAND DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH – CHRISTCHURCH – AUCKLAND – Mentioned

02:15 Lost local minister – GRACE PRESBYTERIAN much like DUTCH CHRISTIAN

03:16 On arrival surprised that NEW ZEALANDERS did not travel very much Little knowledge of overseas – Forefathers from other countries

04:20 More people travel at present time – Son-in-law's parents mentioned

04:37 Choice of holiday areas in NEW ZEALAND – Explained Travelled with caravan in NORTH and SOUTH ISLANDS 'MONEY TREE' – Explained Attitude of people in INVERCARGILL

07:35 End of Track 12