Neuss 1930

It must have been towards evening of the 8th Feb 1930 when I was born in Neuss. Because later on my mother told me that it was Carnival and that the first person who picked me up was a neighbour in a white mouse costume on her way to the Costume ball. This was most likely what started my love for carnival. We were very poor but did not need to be because my father had a good job and worked hard consistently. Unfortunately he converted most of his income into alcohol. My mother did not feel well living in the middle of town. She grew up in the country. Then in 1938 we moved into a village and mother was very happy living there. We watched them build our house and could hardly wait to move in. A few weeks earlier my brother – who was six years older than me – and I shifted all our toys using a small wheelbarrow. I also had a sister who was 6 years younger than me.