Gertrude Eckert remembers
Gertrude Eckert (*1919), whose parental family lived in rented accomodations in the house from 1913 to
1933, had a very warm and family like relationship with the
Strauss family. Gertrud’s father was a tax official with the Huenfeld tax office.
In 1933 the office was closed for good and the personnel was transferred to either Hersfeld or Fulda,
whereupon the Eckerts moved to Fulda in May of 1933. Gertrud Eckert remembers those days very well.
Abraham Strauss was a very good man
What I am going to tell you about the Strauss family nobody else can, since I just felt
at home with them. I knew the elder Abraham Strauss quite well for he was so nice to
us children. I still remember the time when he stayed at a health resort; for Dad they
would do everything! He was a diabetic and always received special meals, and
quite often I would sit next to him. In the morning Abraham Strauss used to have his
breakfast at a time, when the others were already working at the store or the office.
It was then that I walked up to him, sat on his lap and asked: ”May I have a bite?” I
took a bite off his sandwich and asked again: ”May I have another bite?” Each time
Abraham let me have a bite of his slice of bread. Because of his diabetes he ate some
special bread called ‘Grahambread’. I still envision him sitting at his high desk and
having breakfast.
I was about seven years old when my grandfather passed away. He had lived to an
old age, but I cried.