Women's Portraits

Sieglinde Müller

Sieglinde was born in the neighbourhood of Heilbronn. Sieglinde has got an older sister, who was the family`s darling as she seemed to be cleverer, anyway in school. This preference marked Sieglinde`s life, pressed her down. Instead of studying liberal arts such as history and German culture, Sieglinde was allowed to attend a business training school, as she was supposed to work in her father’s  building firm. She married one of the employees against her parents wish. According to her parents this marriage was below the family’s social status. After her father`s death her husband managed the company.

In 1985 her husband suddenly died. Sieglinde was 49 then and now she was responsible for the whole  management of the business. This was an extraordinary situation because usually a woman is not believed to  superwise a firm with technical articles. However the tough woman managed (Audio 1). In the 90ies  there was a decline in the building trade. Many companies went bankrupt. Finally Sieglinde had to declare the bankruptcy herself. As a family bound business woman she had invested all the profit in the enterprise. She lost all her money. And as her husband had died rather young her pension was pretty small. Her financial situation was difficult. But no reason to give up.

With 65 she started in a new field. Sieglinde became the treasurer of the hospice society in Ulm (Audio 2) , founded 1991. Her reputation as a solid business woman, her charm and her widespread acquaintance helped to collect smaller and bigger donations. She even managed

to acquire an old villa in a park, a former private hospital, for the hospice work. However the sliding ground had to be straightened, the run-down building to be renovated and equipment to be renewed. Changing house and moving troubles nearly made her collapse. She is responsible for the finances, and that the institution works smoothly. The 20th anniversary of the Agathe Hospice must be organized this year. In all that Sieglinde is involved.

Being employed in an honorary office the 74 year old woman is content with her engagement in such an important institution. She is respected among the 130 colleagues and a well accepted member of the Ulmer society. Her children are happy, that their mother has found her place in life (Audio 3). And Sieglinde herself feels successful, as she is needed in the Agathe Hospice and  she wouldn’t change with any other person.

Barbara Heinze