A Determined Journey
Introduction
  • Introduction & Index
  • Author's Profile
  • The War Child
  • The Post War Child
  • The Family
  • Adolescence
  • The Teen Years
  • Adulthood - Karin
  • The United States
  • The Asian Years
  • The Philippines - Marlene
  • Brazil - The Final Step
  • The American Family
  • A Personal Crisis
  • Patricia
  • The Latin American Years
  • Berlin, Germany - November 2011
  • The Fall of the Wall - November 9, 1989
  • Berlin and Munich November 2012
  • Berlin 2016
  • Munich, Tegernsee and Salzberg 2016
  • The Winds of Change
  • The Later Years
  • Memory Road
  • Flashback - The Year 1963
  • Epilogue
  • Rolfs Blog
  • The Scrap Books
Index

You can select a Chapter and click on it - the link will take you directly to the Chapter selected


Chapter 1 - The War Child

First memories from war-torn Berlin, the sustained air bombardment and the final battle for Berlin to the fall of the city to the Soviets


Chapter 2 - The Post War Child

A chilling story of the post-war hardships, the blockade and the slow recovery


Chapter 3 - The Family

The documentary evidence goes back to the year 1820, with a big pictorial history of the family, with many well known opera singers, actresses, movie producers, lyricists and one of the most famous German movie composers. Rolf is the last surviving descendent of German birth.

Chapter 4 - Adolescence

Rolf's family move to a mansion in an exclusive suburb by a lake, his gradual establishment of his independence in a totally non-structured family life and the start of his planning to leave the country.

The search for answers to Germany's political past begins, to face mostly a big void, self justification and outright lies.

This chapter includes an emotional and extensive pictorial history of the beautiful little village of Schlachtensee, where Rolf grew up. 

Chapter 5 - The Teen Years

Business school and establishment of goals, sexual awakening and the beginning of a number of intimate relationships with classmates.


Chapter 6 - Adulthood - Karin "A Love Story"

Adulthood, first employment and Rolf's first big love, which almost resulted in giving up his plans to leave Germany under great emotional turmoil.

Chapter 7 - The United States 

Arrival and several terrible years of misery, poverty and loss of focus. First marriage and painfully slow recovery. Eleven years after his arrival the path to accomplishment of his goals finally opens up.
Heavy international travel and permanent residence in Singapore follow.


Chapter 8 - The Asian Years

This covers the twelve year period of Rolf's extensive Asian travels. It includes his narrow escape from Vietnam to avoid capture by the North Vietnamese during the fall of Saigon; and a dangerous  assignment to Pakistan going into the Khyber Pass. Included in this chapter is a large segment of Rolf's many extended visits to the Philippines where he would have a very close and intimate relationship with a Filipino woman spanning a nine year period. who was to take him on many adventurous excursions into the interior of this beautiful country.


Chapter 9 - Brazil - Yara

After reassignment to the US, Rolf spent considerable time in Brazil, with his first visit resulting in a prolonged passionate love affair with a Brazilian woman who would be present at the Amazon when Rolf reached his final Goal. 


Chapter 10 - The Latin American Years 



The early travel years with extended assignments to Trinidad, Bermuda and the Bahamas. After Rolf's return from his Singapore assignment he was to spend extended times in Colombia, Chile and Argentina.


Chapter 11 - The Winds of Changes 



Chapter 12 - Patricia



Chapter 13 - The American Family



Chapter 14 - A Personal Crisis

Rolf's first major illness in 2007 - A new outlook on life and his surprising recovery



Chapter 15 - Berlin, Germany - November 2011


Rolf fell ill on the plane to Berlin, did not feel like eating and progressively got worse. On the third day Patricia took him to the hospital where he went into a coma for three days.


Chapter 16 - Berlin and Munich, Germany - November 2012



Chapter 
17 - Memory Road



Chapter 18 - A Crack in the Wall - 1988



Chapter 19 - Epilogue



Chapter 20 - Rolf's Blog