Women's Portraits

Renate Nolte

Motto: To be active is both most welcome and lovable (Aristoteles)

A new start in older age
Moving house has been completed. Renate, soon 81 has changed address and lives in a modern appartement, also convenient for handicapped people, in the centre of Tübingen: stores, the station, cinemas and other cultural places, all can be reached by walking.
Meeting people is most imporant for the senior. She has been living in Tübingen for 43 years.

Childhood
Renate was born 1930 in Brandenburg, Prussia at this time. Both her parents worked as physicians. For them values like reliability, discipline, duty and responsibilty meant a lot to them.
Renate, as well as her younger brother and sister achieved a classical education, which included playing the piano and cello. Going to school was interrupted during times of war. Her mother, however, was able to organize private lessons, not only for her own children. Besides, playing outdoors and getting to know nature, were activities to be supported. The girl got familiar with the vegetation of the woods and watched animals when she accompanied her father to his hunting-ground. For Renate nature always was and is till now a new adventure.

War and Reconstruction
Her idyllic childhood ended during World War II. From 1942 to April 1945 Renate and her family spent many frightening nights in a concrete air-raid shelter. Four days after the big bombing the three children and their mother left Brandenburg, their home with a small car. They followed a bus going west with wounded soldiers. The car was tied to the bus, when the petrol had run short. It was a miracle that they met their father near Schwerin and they managed their flight together which ended in a refugee camp near Schleswig. In the autumn 1945 Renate moved to Marburg, where her mother took over a practice from an aunt. Later, when Renate’s mother had her own practice nearby, her father worked there too.

Studies and Profession
After having received her A-level certificate in the autumn of 1949, the Graecum included, Renate began to study English, Latin and History in Marburg and München. Actually she wanted to study medicine; however she had failed to satisfy requirements, the “Numerus Clausus”. After four semesters in the philological department and half a year’s interval time for reflection, when she worked as an au-pair-help in England in 1952, Renate, together with her brother began to study medicine in Marburg.
Her father died the same year.
At the end of 1956 Renate passed the final examination and graduated. After having worked in different cities she legally qualified as a paediatrician.
In 1962 she married a collegue and gave birth to a daughter in 1966.

In 1968 the family moved to Tübingen, where both parents worked at the university, in the children’s clinic.
As a paediatrician Renate habilitated on “the development of the brain of premature birth”. In the male dominated atmosphere of the clinic the head of the department refused to accept her habilitation. However in 1981 with the help of an internationally known Dutch professor Prechtl she got the formal admission as an academic lecturer, a professorship. She had specialized in epileptology and neurology.
Her husband’s death in 1986 was a heavy blow, as he had supported her with the family, in her work and her scientific career. The daily routine in the clinic helped her to get over that heavy loss.

Renate retired in 1995, 65 years old.

Retirement
For Renate retirement means to lead a busy life as usual. For decades her day has got an exact structure.
The senior is interested in classical music and she has joined two circles of people, playing the recorder.
Dealing with pictures on the PC is another of her hobbies. With friends she still visits churches of the Romanaesque period in France and Spain. The symbolism and the stories of the Bible, chisselled in stone of archivolts, tympana and capitals fascinate Renate as well as the colourful world of the church windows. Then at home research work on the history of art and a detective sense is needed to decipher details of the photographed pieces of art. She then designs beautiful books with the pictures worked on.
In the beginning of her retirement the senior’s main interest was building her own house on Mallorca, together with her girl friend. For many years Casa Renata, built in the traditional style of the island was an ardent desired resort for her friends, her family and herself.
Once a year, for more than 30 years Renate meets former colleagues from different universities, the so called “Königsteiner Kreis”. There the retired physicians discuss on the problems of epilepsy in childhood and they published the results, achieved together.
Many of the participants have recently passed away and these losses have left marks on Renate’s life.
Her mother, nearly hundred years old, relatives and friends have also died in the last years. She often thinks of these persons and the life they shared together.
Her activities help her to get over the losses.
She wishes to be efficacious for other people, not only for her three grandchildren.
Renate is the chairwoman of the association that promotes nursing-care. She is also engaged in the visitor’s service of her parish.
She takes part in conversation circles, discussing literature and the Bible.
For many years Renate has belonged to the “Deutsche Ärztinnenbund”, the German branch of the medical women international association. There she was a leading member of the ethics committee. The senior still participates in meetings and trips of the Forum 60 plus.
Renate hopes to stay in her own apartement as long as possible and to discover with her vivid curiosity the diversity of people’s lives and nature.

Erla Spatz-Zöllner