Ex-Barry man's book captures memories of war (From Barry And District News)

Ex-Barry man's book captures memories of war

10:30am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News

A FORMER Barry man has published his first book about his experiences during the Second World War.

Dieter Rudolph, 73, grew up in Barry after his family was forced to leave Germany during the Second World War.

His book, Farewell to Hamburg, charts the struggles his family faced adjusting to life in a new country, as well as what it was like growing up in war-torn Hamburg before they found refuge in Wales.

After leaving Germany with his mother and older brother Dieter spent part of his early childhood at Barry Island Junior School, before he moved on to Cardiff and studied at Ninian Park Secondary Modern and later Llandaff Technical College.

Dieter, who went on to run his own business and worked as a sales director before retiring in 2004, said: “This is my first book and it took me over 15 years to complete, due to still working full time and family commitments.

“The follow-on book from 1954 is currently being written and I expect to complete that in 2013.”

His second book will be titled I can do that and will document Dieter’s adult life.

Dieter, who still has two children living in Barry, added that he returned to the area earlier this year to help with research for the book.

“I spent many hours in Barry Library last March and would like to thank the wonderful helpful staff,” he said.

“I was looking for pictures of a number of things and got most of them from their files.”

He added that he enjoyed growing up in Barry: “My brother and I also manned the gate in Porthkerry Park, for which drivers gave us tips as they loved us opening and closing the gate for them,” he said.

“I wanted a picture of boys at the gate, but there does not seem to be one.

“Many people in books refer to that way of making pocket money, but there were no pictures, which is a pity.

“Barry and South Wales generally is what I consider ‘my home’.”

Farewell to Hamburg is available in paperback and Kindle edition from Amazon.