28th of June 1914 the event that triggered WW1

On this day one hundred years ago the double assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, shot by the nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip on in Sarajevo's Franz Josef Strasse. This event has gone down in history as the incident that triggered the First World War.

 

Below, I believe is a photo of M Max Fechenbach, Hermann’s father, in uniform. Hermann, his father, his brother Siegfried and cousin Julius all fought in World War One.

 

 

Your Ocean Blue Eyes, Song June 1949

Song written 65 years ago, dated June 1949 called “Your Ocean Blue Eyes” by Margarethe (Greta Batzke) Fechenbach. Also a wonderful photograph of Hermann and Grete, taken by Grete in she studio in Stuttgart before they had to flee Nazi Germany in 1939.

 

Your Ocean Blue Eyes

 

Deep are the seas
and deep are the skies
but how deep, how deep
are your ocean blue eyes.
Ahoi, ahoi, ahoi.

 

Will dive into seas
and fly into skies
for a smile, a smile
of your ocean blue eyes.
Ahoi, ahoi, ahoi.

 

I have sailed the seas
and conquered the skies
but I drown, I drown
in your ocean blue eyes.
Ahoi, ahoi, ahoi.

 

Will leave the seas
and forsake the skies
will love till I die
your ocean blue eyes.
Ahoi, ahoi, ahoi.

 

 

You can see the reflection of Hermann and Grete, also the camera to the right.

One Word from You by Grete Batzke

 

It strange to feel that I have become the guardian of the writings of Margarethe (Greta Batzke) Fechenbach. I will have to make a complete part of the www.hermannfechenbach.com dedicated to Grete’s work.

 

Here is a song from the archive that has been placed in my care, it’s called ‘One Word From You’ and dated August 1949.

 

One Word From You.

 

One word from you
that will work wonder
one word from you
that will go far
will make the roses blush
in pride and wonder
one word from you
will light the
newborn star.

 

My darling say it
do not delay it
the Sweetest word.

 

I am so lonely
you are my only
affinity.

 

Sweetheart I love you
do make my dream come true
our dream come true.

 

One word from you
that will work wonder
one word from you
that will go far
will make the roses blush
in pride and wonder
one word from you
will light the
newborn star.

Poem 'Hagadja' by Margarethe (Greta Batzke) Fechenbach dated 1947

Hagadja.

 

A little lamb
my father bought
of a jolly heart
and a snow white coat
at man and maker
bloom and bee
it smiled and danced
by the blossom tree.

 

The cat was out
on its evil way
sneaking around
for an easy prey
with envy and spite
quite in a fit
it killed the defenceless
the innocent kid.

 

The dog a stouthearted
fellow and strong
who jumped at wherever
was something wrong
not sparing itself
it never was slow
to aim at the culprit
the deadly blow.

 

The stick is not
so wooden at heart
to look at a murder
without a start
its task is to knock
and knock it did
the reckless received
a final hit.

 

The fire fenced up
spends bliss and charm
but out of control
does terrible harm
the flames are greedy
the leap and lick
burned up the wood
burned up the stick.

 

The rain can be fruitful
can be good
as long as it falls
in a gentle mood
but provoked as now
by the fires glut
it poured down wildly
the infamous flood.

 

The ox who saw
its pasture and hay
become a sea
and float away
got very angry
and indeed
tried to drink up
the water with speed.

 

The butcher watched
and found it odd
he sensed and didn’t
like the plot
and sharpened
cautiously his knife
he caught the ox
and took its life.

 

The death who always
quick at hand
after the butchers
soul he went
as you have killed
you must die too
judgement is mine
not unto you.

 

The angel of light
who forsakes us never
annihilated the death
for ever
the circle is round
enough of the killing
and peace is yours
if you are willing.

Postcard 1915

Looking through the writings of Grete (Margarete Fechenbach) I found this postcard from 1915. If anyone can translate or shed any information on this I would be very grateful.

Obituary from AJR Information Feb. 1987 by Alice Schwab

AJR INFORMATION FEBRUARY 1987 (Association of Jewish Refugees in Great Britain)

 

HERMANN FECHENBACH by Alice Schwab

 

The death in December last of my former teacher (in Stuttgart) breaks another link in the chain of German-Jewish artists who found refuge from Nazi tyranny in this country. Hermann Fechenbach was born in 1897 in Bad Mergentheim, Wiirttemberg, where his father ran a family Gasthof und Metzgerei which was also the social centre of a venerable but now defunct Jewish community. Fechenbach described and beautifully illustrated the history of his family and of the Mergentheim community in Die Letzten Mergentheimer Juden (Stuttgart, 1972).

 

From an early age Fechenbach showed promise as an artist, but his family did not consider this to be a suitable career for a good Jewish boy. So he went into commerce and quickly attained recognition as a window-dresser. Then came the War and he was badly wounded with the loss of his left leg. His father now relented and allowed him to adopt an artistic career. After studying in Stuttgart and Munich, he eventually established himself in Stuttgart where he painted in the Neue Sachlichkeit style.

 

In 1933 his name was removed from the official register of artists and he was forbidden to exhibit publicly. Eventually he and his wife Grete Batze, a professional photographer, settled in Palestine. But the new environment did not agree with them. Grete came to England on a domestic permit in 1939 and he followed a few months later. He resumed his painting and engraving and managed to arrange for his parents to emigrate to South America, though his twin sister died in a concentration camp.

 

On release from internment in 1941 Fechenbach, sponsored by Dr. Bela Horowitz, had his first English exhibition in Oxford in 1942. This was followed by numerous exhibitions at the Anglo-Palestine Club, the Ben Uri Art Society and on the Embankment. Although these exhibitions were well received, his style was not to the popular taste. He was a cripple, shy, retiring and had great difficulty with English. Nevertheless, in 1969 he published Genesis, the First Book of Moses with 137 of his own wood engravings. Copies of this most interesting work are still available for sale at the Ben Uri Art Society. His wife who had been ill for many years died in 1983; he remarried in 1984.

 

After years of silence, his work once again received public acclaim at the end of his life. A major exhibition was held at Blond Fine Art in 1985, of which the Times wrote 'his powerful graphic style comes from the same roots as those of Käthe Kollwitz and is often fired by the same anger ... He is clearly an artist to be reckoned with'.

 

We would like to thank Dr. Frank-Michael Lange who kindly sent us a number of documents which I am now in process of translating and then will build a better picture of the events in Hermann's life.

 

Here is a rough translation:

 

10/01/1950

 

Dr. Rosenthal,

 

Dear Dr. Rosenthal Your recommendation Mr Court Judge Dr. Koehler, thank you. I would be very grateful if you would take over the representation of my claims for redress. It is primarily about my 75% heavy war-disabled pension, which already according Dr. Koehler, the regulated compensation was set by 16/08/1949.

 

A copy of the Regional District office, Stuttgart, as well as the letter of Dr. Koehler I enclose.

 

Next relates to the redress my bank balance, and the losses that we had, after my wife Grete Batzke, was forced to give up our photo studio, Stuttgart, Schlossstr. 27. Through the photographic studio, we had a month after deductions of our expenses, an income of Mk 200 -, the resolution was made on the first of April, 1936, and we had no opportunity to sell the studio.

 

1939 after we sent our photo devices, my studio equipment and our furniture to Heifa, Palestine, in a container, as we were promised a certificate which, however, was not true, and so, with nothing as refugees arrived in England in May 1939.

 

To cover the expenses and storage, we have lost the greatest part of our possessions in Haifa.

 

My brother Julius Fechenbach, Bad Mergentheim, which is in possession of a general power of attorney from me, I'll be using the same mail instruct you to send the necessary powers.

 

Thank you in advance, greets you with all due respect

 

Hermann Fechenbach