In one’s crepuscular (now, that’s a word I’ve never used before) phase of life, writing memoirs seems mandatory. Actually, I wrote these some ten years ago, but I was already reaching old age then. My apologia pro labore mea relies on my belief that my first twenty or so years of life were a bit unusual, although far from unique—most of my fellow young escapees from Europe had similar journeys. But this is my story, the one I can best write about. These memoirs end at about the time I left Ecuador for the US. The rest of my tale is not uninteresting, but not as dissimilar from that of my colleagues and friends. Some day, if the spirit moves me and my joints permit it, I may write more. For now, this is what I want to share with you.
Elio Schaechter 2012
To my wife, Edith, and my children, Judy and John,
with love and admiration.
Timeline
1928 Born in Milan, Italy, only child of Victoria (Vicia) Wachsmann and
Abraham Isaac Schaechter
1940 (September) Left Italy
1941 (January) Arrived in Quito, Ecuador
1950 (January) Left Ecuador for the US
1954 Married Barbara Thompson
1961 Daughter Judith born in Gainesville, FL
1962 Settled in Boston, MA
1964 Son John born in Newton, MA
1988 Barbara died
1994 Married Edith Koppel (Wellisch)
1995 Moved to San Diego, CA
My thanks go to my collaborator, Merry Youle, for her help with this project.
Comments