2024-04-15 05:15:29
Mathias, or Metty Speicher, was born on February 12, 1930 in Diekirch and, like many others, lived in occupied and war-torn Luxembourg from a young age. Last year, he compiled some of his memories into a book with the help of his granddaughter Martine Hendrickx, before passing away unexpectedly at the end of the year, aged 93.
The occupation and war from a boy’s perspective
The “Memoirs of my youth” are now available online at the National Library of Luxembourg and impressively portray the era and its interpersonal extremes, from the perspective of a teenager from Diekirch. In May 1940, German troops occupied the country. French names were banned and there were no longer any religion classes. A Krier pastor took control of his home until he was deported to a concentration camp.
The last page of the book shows the 93-year-old author, who tragically died in an accident at the end of last year, wearing his typical painter’s coat. Metty Speicher began painting at age 70. © Credits: Gerry Huberty
Metty Speicher avoided joining the Hitler Youth as much as possible: in 1940, he was faced with the choice of continuing to attend primary school or joining the Hitler Youth and attending secondary school. “That was out of the question for me, so I stayed in elementary school,” she writes. In 1943, a German teacher urged children to join one of the Hitler Youth organizations. Sportsman Metty replied that he didn’t have time for that, as he was already in a boxing club and was successful.
Active as a boxer and gymnast
From 1944 onwards, the teenager experienced war. Descriptions of shootings and deaths, many of them at a young age, describe the horrors of the time. In between, human encounters stand out again and again. For example, with two older German soldiers who gave him money to buy them a beer and then gave him a tip. He helped American soldiers clean the body of their reconnaissance car in the snow and cold, “and then received chocolate and chewing gum as a reward.”
The experiences of the Battle of the Bulge in 1944-45 prevented me from volunteering.
Matty Speicher
The Luxembourger who built a plane in secret
After the war, Metty Speicher was called up for military service in 1950. In addition to his sporting activities as a boxer, he was also a gymnast, so exercise did not bother him. At that time, however, volunteers were also being sought for the Korean War. The memoir ends with the words: “The experiences of the Battle of the Bulge in 1944-45 prevented me from volunteering.”
Architect, politician and amateur painter
In eighth grade, young Metty had already proudly answered “master builder” when asked about his professional aspirations. However, after the war, the youngest started to help rebuild Diekirch with his own hands, together with his father.
Later, he became an architect. “Throughout his entire life, he was always building something new”, says his daughter Claudine, “both professionally and personally”.
Daughter Claudine Speicher with some of her father’s life’s works: the book, which is also available online at the National Library, and some of his paintings. Metty Speicher was also interested in ancient and prehistoric art. © Credits: Gerry Huberty
He was also politically active as a member of the Diekirch city council and as president of the Diekirch LSAP from 1972 to 1981. And even after his retirement, he started something new: He started painting at the age of 70. “It’s natural for him to be interested in beautiful buildings,” says Claudine Speicher, “after all, he was an architect. But nature also offered him many beautiful motifs.”
FBI seeks owner of painting taken from Luxembourg during World War II
On the last page of the book, with many photographs and sketches made by him, he can be seen wearing his typical green painter’s coat.
The book shows only a part of Mathias Speicher’s life. But it is perhaps precisely the part that some contemporary witnesses don’t like to talk about, because it is associated with a lot of suffering. However, a look at current events shows that it remains important to take into account what war means for the many people affected – whether soldiers or civilians.
(Article originally published on Luxembourg word and adapted for Contacto by Tiago Rodrigues)
2024-04-15 05:15:29