Hegwein Family Blog

Fritz's 80th Birthday

The following was written by the birthday boy himself, as a prelude to the celebration!

Dear Clan Member!

It is customary in our society to deliver a brilliant, awe-inspiring speech, recapitulating unique past performances during one's last 80 years on this slippery globe. On family party days, it has become routine behavior for the nine member Hegwein family clan, the tenth member not yet able to stand, to roam the premises, making it impossible to render a heart-warming, impactful, uplifting speech.

The following three categories, The Best, The Most Decisive, and The Worst & Saddest contain highlights of my 80 years, readable in 3 minutes, since in brevity lies spice.

The Best

At age 5, while lost in Munich's Englischer Garten, walked home in 1 hour, alone.-1931
Winning a vest-pocket wind-up watch after running 60 meters in 11 seconds.-1936
Made several 14 Km solo rowboat trips on the famous Starnbergersee near Munich in 1937.
Worked as a volunteer street car conductor in Munich, 1942.
Through connections, launched a hard-to-get job at the Hotel Schottenhamel in Munich in 1946.
Married in 1955.
Bought first car for $300.00, a 1948 Chrysler in Boston in 1957.
Arrival of Peter in Denver in 1960, Thomas in Springfield in '63, and Jennifer in Sarasota in 1971.
Bought first home on Thornton Place in Sarasota, 1967.
Arrival of Karl in 1995, Natalie in 1996, and Hunter in 2005, all in Sarasota.

The Most Decisive

Volunteered for U-boat duty in 1943, served at Stralsund, assigned to Marine Infantry in 1945 and served at the Eastern Theater.
Taken prisoner of war on May 5th, 1945, by Scottish Highlanders near Lubeck.
Escaped POW camp during relocation train trip from Lubeck to Nurnberg in late 1945.
Made decision to work in Switzerland in 1951.
Accepted invitation to work in Sweden, 1952.
Decided to immigrate in 1957.
Invited to open and manage the Sarasota University Club in 1970.
Opening of family enterprise "Peter's" in 1980.
Obtained managerial position of the Detroit Boat Club in 1981.

The Worst & Saddest

Duty in Reichs Arbeits Dienst (RAD) and Navy training in Stralsund, 1944-45.
Simultaneous food poisoning, lung inflammation, jaundice, and 2-day coma in 1944.
Work at the Hotel Reichshof in Hamburg in 1954.
The "Broker Experience" in Denver, 1968.
Selling "Peter's" in 1981.
At age 55 and 63, unemployed, 15 weeks in 1981, and 26 weeks in 1989.
Failure to learn the violin, a wish of my parents, and to learn French.
Not caring for my aging parents when most needed, due to immigration.

I hope you enjoyed reading this skeletal autobiography!

May your future be eventful, successful and without any involvement in war, and may you always enjoy good health.

Fritz