Frank Spencer is a lucky man! He has a whole video clip to show of his interview with the Australian immigration officer. I have no record at all of my interview nor any recollection of it.
It took a whole half-century before I was able to retrieve from the National Archives a copy of my original "Auswanderungsantrag nach Australien mit Fahrtunterstützung", dated by me 26.9.1964 ...
with a German farmer, to learn English. Later I would like to return to an office job."
... and a copy of the three-page "Processing Sheet", dated and signed by the processing officer (Sergeant?) Schulze on 27.10.1964.
Until I retrieved those documents several years ago, I had absolutely no memory of what I had written on my application, nor any memory of the interview or the subsequent medical examination. For fifty-seven years, all I remembered was that small advert by the "Australische Auskunfts- und Auswanderungs-Büro" in the German Bild Zeitung which started it all. I cut it out, completed it, and mailed it in - and the rest is history!
Information about Australia, a young and aspiring nation, and the opportunities awaiting you there, are available from the Australian Information and Immigration Agency
2 Hamburg 1, Mönckebergstrasse 11, Phone 33 49 82.
For more information complete this coupon (in block letters) and mail it to us."
More recently, I asked the good people at the German Bild Zeitung to find me a copy of this old advertisement - and within two days they did!
Now my memory is selective no more but complete!
