By Jed Lanyon
Wandin resident Bruno Schwarzler will be celebrating the release of his memoir Wanderling at the Lilydale Library on Saturday 17 August from 1.30pm.
Mr Schwarzler was born in the Bavarian region of Allgau in 1934. He details his experiences of everyday life during wartime in Germany and the hardships that followed.
“I started writing in the 80’s, but then everything changed and I didn’t write anymore until the beginning on this century.
“My daughters then sort of forced me to… They wanted me to sit down and write as much as possible and they booked me in to writing classes in Healesville.
“So I went to Healesville every week for about six years. It was fun and I loved it very much.”
Mr Schwarzler wrote his entire manuscript by hand and had it published independently.
The title Wanderling was chosen as Mr Schwarzler said he grew up spending only one or two years living in each location before moving away again.
Mr Schwarzler left home at the age of ten to work on several farms.
“I knew I was old enough to work and earn my bread, especially during the war… The first farmer I worked for, he lost four sons in that war.”
“I knew I was old enough to work and earn my bread, especially during the war… The first farmer I worked for, he lost four sons in that war.
Mr Schwarzler said he wrote his memoir as a gift to his grandchildren.
One of his grandchildren, Jess Andrews, played a significant role in helping him publish the book.
Mr Schwarzler’s book details his love for music, his resilience and the rich culture he grew up with that he believes is sadly lost in many societies today.
While his memoir follows his youth in Germany, Mr Schwarzler said that he has plans to write another book following his journey after arriving in Australia in 1960.
Mr Schwarzler hopes readers can take away a sense of how to live without being pessimistic and negative.
“You’ve got to be positive and see the end of the tunnel and you’ve got to make it.
“Even in the misery, there are still some bright spots and you can still have a lot of fun.
“What would life be without the fun?”
