"NORM" SCHROEDER - VK6NS - VK6NorthSouth Silent Key
September 2000-
-September
2000
To order Your "Personalised" hard cover "First Edition" of the book
LAST TRAIN FROM VIENNA
You can visit the website at lasttrainfromvienna.homstead.com
Or have personal contact on 08-9291-0250 Anita Schroeder (Daughter)
or on 08-9367-6128 with VK6HI Helene Schroeder (Widow)
An introduction to the book
Last Train from Vienna is the fascinating story of Norman Schroeder’s odyssey,
after having boarded the last train to leave Vienna, for the West,
the day before the outbreak of World War II.
His British Passport and German name led to many unique situations –
some humorous and some life-threatening.
Imagine having a name like Schroeder on a British passport at that time!
The Germans thought he was an English spy
and
the English thought he was a German spy,
and Norman, with his ebullient, cheeky personality, took advantage of both.
Born in England, of Austrian parents,
Norman spent most of his childhood commuting between London and
Vienna,
spending a year in each,
which resulted in him being totally bilingual.
His parents owned a block of flats and a furrier’s business
and would have forfeited these to the Nazis had they left Vienna.
Katerina Schroeder was a wonderful mother,
in that she preferred to part with Norman for the duration of the
war,
rather than see him forced to join the Hitler Youth Movement or
the Nazi Army.
Ironically, not long after arriving in London,
Norman joined the British Army and that was when the fun really
started!
He was involved in the war in North Africa with, the First Army,
went through Italy, spending six months at Monte Cassino,
and with the help of a sympathetic Major-General, was transferred
to Austria
as part of the conquering Allied Army, where he was reunited with
his parents.
With the war over, his wanderlust took him to Canada as a would-be
migrant
then illegally into the USA, where he was detained as a Russian
spy,
before being deported back to Canada and returning to Europe.
His next migrations were to South Africa and Rhodesia (as it was
then)
where his activities included rally driving, safaris and the building
of the Kariba Dam.
After travelling overland with one particular safari to Egypt and
Tunis,
Norman returned to Europe – broke!
At this point he met and married Helene and went to Nigeria.
One year and one child later his fourth and final migration was
to Australia.
Norman’s adventures did not stop there; in 1965, he took a Volkswagon
beetle,
towing a trailer, solo, ‘over the top’ from Sydney to Derby, Western
Australia –
a distance of 4,000 kms, or more.
Why? Because it was there!
(Even though the roads were not!)
If you thought the SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE was dead,
come with Norman and re-live those days when
ADVENTURE was alive and kicking.
The Book Launch, an Evening
Train Journey with Show and Meal
was held on Friday 1st September
2000
You missed a pleasant evening,
VK6ZLZ.
VK6 Identities index