Walter talks about his family and his philosophy of life INT:So all in all what message would you give to anybody listening to your story? We are going to have a lot of school children listening. W.G:I think when you look back two thirds is attitude. I don’t want to say successful life, because I … Read more
Walter summarises his working life in Canada INT:So when you were in Canada and people said, “Who are you? Are you German, Scottish – what were you? W.G: They just assumed that I was Scottish. Well I got a job. I got a job within a couple of days, not doing what I wanted, but … Read more
Walter explains about his working life after National Service and his decision to emigrate to Canada. INT: And you were coming back up to Glasgow? W.G:Glasgow, right absolutely. INT:So when you arrived in Glasgow, what was the community like then? W.G: Well, I really wasn’t all that interested. First of all, because we really just … Read more
Walter describes his time doing National Service. He tells of a remarkable coincidence: a meeting between a British Major and his father when they were both fighting, though on different sides, in the First World War W.G:Then I did my 2 years National Service. I could have evaded because I’d been in agriculture. I could … Read more
Walter describes studying agriculture in Ayr and the challenges of his time working on a farm. He explains what happened when he got into a fight there. W.G: I was doing a year’s practical farming which was compulsory in order to get study at the West of Scotland Agriculture and get a degree in agriculture … Read more
Once in Glasgow, Walter goes to school, his mother finds work, though his father is interned on the Isle of Man. INT: Why Glasgow? WG: My father was interned in the Isle of Man right away so it was just my mother and sister and myself that were at liberty so to speak and Glasgow … Read more
With the help of a Catholic priest, the family escape from Germany. W.G: My father was released and came home and so then we immediately made an effort to get out of Germany, and to get out of Germany it was not feasible to use public transportation because it was too dangerous and with two … Read more
Walter speaks about his birth in 1933 and his family. He describes how his Mother missed out on being an Olympian because she was Jewish. INT: The date is the sixth of June 2014 we are talking to -WG: Walter Gumprich INT: And when were you born?WG: The 1st of March 1933 INT: And where … Read more
INT: We usually finish Suzanne by asking about reflections, and we’d like to finish with a positive as well. So when you look back, because you have obviously had a wonderful, I think, academic career, what would you say is the highlight? SU: Of my academic career? INT: And your life in general. SU: Well … Read more
INT: And so where did you study? When did you decide to study…? SU: Well I went to this proper school in Welwyn Garden City and did two years there, managed to get advanced German and Biology, I think. I had to do Maths, you know, from scratch and Chemistry and eventually I got into … Read more