Women's Portraits

Ruth Lang

Thinking of Ruth Lang’s senior life you need to combine fantasy and contentment.
She is sitting on her terrace overlooking Oberelchingen and the Danube Valley.
She meditates on a demanding topic of a text to be written for the next meeting of her literature workshop.

Family and Education

Ruth was born 1922 in Stuttgart. She was extremely lucky to be able to attend the grammar-school for girls Bad Cannstatt (near Stuttgart) and to finish her education with the A-level certificate.

Since November 1941 the young woman was allowed to study in Heidelberg: French, Italian, Spanish. Looking back at this time with the still lasting friendships these years were some of the most beautiful ones for Ruth.

After the War her mother worked as a teacher and her father was responsible for the commercial connections to foreign countries in a big company. Probably, because of her father’s job Ruth pretty early got interested in foreign languages and her family had recognized the girl’s talent.

Professional Life

After the War Ruth got a job in Frankfurt with the American authorities which controlled the big German firms such as IG Farben with all its branches. The young woman was employed there because of her knowledge of different languages, especially English. However she preferred to work in the French department.

In 1948 she married Karl Bodo Lang, a doctor of economy from Berlin. Both lived in Frankfurt till her husband was transferred to Ulm in 1961. That was a lucky chance for the married couple. They bought a small house with a garden attached – an acclomplishment long wished for.

The Daughter

Ruth’s life changed considerably, when her daughte was born. Her focus (central point) became the family.

Later on Mrs Lang occasionally helped students from the neighbourhood with their language studies, English and French. More and more, however, Ruth Lang was asked to get engaged in honorary posts – in the church, with an independent local political party and in an equestrian sports club.

The housewife and mother never completely gave up doing gymnastics and improving her language skills /abilities. In her senior years, up to now she has taken part in health orientated activities, such as gymnastics in a special pool or a course to avoid accidents.

The Change

Her sister’s and her parents’ death and a heart attack weight on Ruth Lang’s daily life. Although her husband had been ill for a long time his sudden death 1988 was a shock.

The widow needed a new orientation.

The senior travelled a lot more, especially to those countries, of which she knows the language. Quite often she has been accompanied by her daughter.

In Rome Mrs Lang celebrated her 60^th birthday. Being 70 she visited her daughter in the USA as well as other relatives and friends. Although walking gets more difficult the active senior goes to the health-resort Monte Grotto in Italy every year. There she meets an old acquaintance or she gets new friends with whom she can talk Italian or in case French. At home she practises Italian industriously to be able to talk to the people in Italy in their own language, the country she loves and visits regularly.

Life in Old Age

Since some time the lady reads more.

She favours biographies of important women of other centuries as well as journals of foreign countries, besides she likes to read stories about the Renaissance dynasties of Italy with their coarse habits.

In the middle of the 90ies Ruth Lang started to attend the seminar weeks in spring time and autumn, organized by the University of Ulm (ZAWiW). She was very actively engaged in the afternoon workshops, of which her interest for writing herself arose. She participates/takes part in the literature workshop where seniors talk about their own history or what they have witnessed, (oral history).

Arthrose reduces the elderly lady’s mobility. Therefore the “authoress” occupies her leisure time with her own creative writing. Challenging topics inspire her fantasy, such as “Christmas somehow different” or “Our Five Senses” or “The magic Garden” or ...

Eight to ten ladies and gentlemen meet regularly four times a year in order to read their texts to the critical audience and discuss them.

Mrs Lang puts much thinking and a lot of ideas into her texts, because she wants to solve the task as unique and phantastic as possible.

The senior Ruth Lang concentrates on her present situation, “ifs” are not relevant, don’t count. To lamentate (lamantation doesn’t) don’t make sense. Humour is a much better guide.

Near 80 she has started to work with the computer, meanwhile she can deal with the most important functions and knows how to surfe in the internet.

The vivid old lady, now 88 likes to talk about her interesting life, however cares/takes care not to influence the young people too much with her own ideas.

But, very energetically she puts forward her opinion relying on experience: always to keep in mind the importance of Education and Good (Adaquate) Behaviour.  

Text: Monika van Koolwijk Bilder: Monika van Koolwijk