A Life in Perspective

By Pablo Luis Mainzer

If you were given the opportunity to live over ninety years old, what would you wish in the first place? For sure, lucidity to continue interacting with the world around you, right? The physical and mental health, since there is nothing worse than just survive at the expense of many pains and sorrows, instead of a content and satisfactory life. And what more would you want? Looking back and considering “Yes, it was worthwhile!”.
When reading the autobiography of Pablo Luis Mainzer you ́ll find that you are facing a phenomenon of lucidity, determination and a vivid picture of some of the most poignant decades of our humanity. German, Jew and still a teenager, Pablo and his a little elder brother Ernst, had to escape from Germany, full of warmhearted memories, and to let behind their loving and beloved parents. to confront an unforeseeable future destiny.
How to survive in another continent, teens, not knowing the local language? Pablo is relating hilarious situations and others more desperate and moving, as well as his overcoming never experienced challenges with the persisting nightmare of Nazi persecutions affecting his family. With sincerity he puts on view his doubts in relation to religious dogmas in effect until the present days. He suggests “utopian” alternatives as such considered by a friendly priest and exposes how his antagonistic views of faith accompanied him all his life.
Already passing 90 years old, Pablo started to write to keep his mind active; his work started with this Autobiography followed by a romance “the Human Mankind”. Both are enlightening in respect to his inner thoughts of accumulated wisdom during nearly a century of social and historical background he left behind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pablo Luis Mainzer
• Release date: Oct 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301254453

Pablo Luis Mainzer

Pablo Luis Mainzer, now 93 years old, wrote his first book THE HUMAN MANKIND at the age of 91, more than anything, as he observed, to keep his mind alert and to enjoy as best as he could his longevity. In this and his other works seems to transpire in the background his deep feelings of criticism on the behavior of our tumultuous world and the roads leading to a more human community and better quality of life. THE HUMAN MANKIND relates in an entertaining novel of suspense our world as it is and how it could and should be. THE FASCINATING MIND-BODY MEDICINE shows the revolutionary tendency in medical science, inspired by his own life experience after he and part of his family suffered cancer, and the significant influence by the practice of Meditation. MANUAL FOR QUALITY OF LIVE shows the ways to achieve a satisfying longevity. A LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE, his autobiography, relating his long life rich of tragic and hilarious occurrences. Hazardous life under the Third Reich being a Jew and escaping from Nazi Germany, still a youth of 16, to the interior of South America, without money and unknowing the local language. With sincerity he puts on view his doubts in relation to religious rituals and dogmas more exercised than the habit of assisting the needy. He suggests "utopian" alternatives as such considered by a friendly priest and exposes how his antagonistic views of faith accompanied him all his life. ESPAÑOL Pablo Luis Mainzer, ahora 93 años, escribió su primer libro LA HUMANIDAD HUMANA a la edad de 91, más que nada, como observa, para mantener su mente alerta y disfrutar de lo mejor que posible su longevidad. En esta y otras obras suyas parece transpirar en el fondo de sus profundos sentimientos la crítica sobre el comportamiento de nuestro mundo tumultuoso y los caminos que conducen a una comunidad más humana y a la mejor calidad de vida en general. LA HUMANIDAD HUMANO relata en una entretenida novela de suspense nuestro mundo tal como es y cómo podría y debería ser. LA FASCINANTE MEDICINA MENTE-CUERPO resalta la tendencia revolucionaria en esta ciencia médica, inspirado por su propia experiencia de vida, después de que él y parte de su familia sufrieron cáncer, y la influencia significativa de la práctica de Meditación. MANUAL PARA LA CALIDAD DE VIDA orienta las maneras de alcanzar una longevidad satisfactoria. UNA VIDA EN PERSPECTIVA, su autobiografía, describe su larga vida rica en acontecimientos trágicos e hilarantes. Siendo Judío, cuenta su vida peligrosa bajo el Tercer Reich y su precipitada escapada de la Alemania Nazi al interior de América del Sur, con apenas 16 años de edad, sin dinero y sin saber el idioma local. Con sinceridad expone sus dudas con relación a los rituales y dogmas religiosos más practicados que el hábito de prácticas de ayuda a los necesitados.. Él sugiere "utópicos" alternativas consideradas como tales por un sacerdote amable y expone cómo sus puntos de vista antagónicos de fe le acompañaron toda su vida.

Book preview

A Life in Perspective

(Autobiography)

Pablo L.Mainzer

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2010-Pablo L.Mainzer

A Memorable Childhood and Adolescence

There was great expectation at home. My older brother Ernst, then 10 years old, was the most impatient awaiting the doorbell ringing. It was the year 1928 and that was the day we would receive our first automobile bought by our father.

Dad had a company importing and producing oils and other lubricants, one of the first and mayor clients being Daimler-Benz in the city of Mannheim, Germany, our home. The Director of this well-known car makers, Godfried Henner (fictitious name), a good friend of our father, whose son Hans, 9 years old, used to be our closest friend.

Herr Henner convinced Dad to take an unique opportunity. The Duke Hal Von Oberlohe (fictitious name), an inveterate addicted gambler had lost a fortune in Monte Carlo and wanted to sell his car at any price. It was an automobile tailor-made for the Duke who wanted a vehicle which should be similar to the one of the Queen of England, including the emblem of his family branded on the limousine.

Father bought the car under the condition that the Duke´s private driver should also be transferred to him. The efficiency of Herr Assinger included that of a Not-Mechaniker (repairman) and he appeared to be a valuable help in Dads´ factory. When finally the object of our extreme curiosity arrived, Ernst and I flew down to the street and paused speechless admiring an huge sedan flanked by equally curious pedestrian.

After the possession of the luxury car the routine of our life changed, especially Sundays when our accustomed wandering excursions were not any longer limited to regions only reachable by train or bus.

The car was convertible, that is, the superior part was removable, after two hours of hard work executed by our now much admired driver. When it was raining we simply opened our umbrellas and wandered through beautiful places. What a life!, remembrances still drifting my mind nowadays.

The history of our famous limousine came to an end when the Duke – probably having recuperated part of his gambling losses – wanted to repurchase the automobile, even at a higher price if required. A modest person, our father actually never felt at ease and comfortable with the ostensive nature of the vehicle and to our sorrow returned the car to the Duke, however not giving back the indispensable Herr Assinger.

Anyhow, after some time Dad decided to buy a small Mercedes-Benz, much easier to drive, now by himself, and gave Herr Assinger Sundays free. After insistent begging of Ernst he allowed him to pick up the car from the garage beside our apartment and sometime later even let him take the wheel for a few moments when at Sundays we were driving isolated roads in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest).

What an opportunity of freedom! Taking the occasion when our parents were on a second honeymoon trip in Venice, together with Ernst, still kids, we took the car driven by him, destination the Schwarzwald. After a rather long time driving we paused at a beautiful spot, surrounded by dark and mysterious pine woods, enjoying our sandwiches and wood fruits found abundantly, feeling like grownups. Returning the small and sandy road back, road back? After a short ride we were completely lost, driving in the deep woods with nobody in sight and…..desperately afraid. Finally we passed through a small and unknown village, but did not dare to ask somebody the right direction to our destiny afraid to be discovered as kids driving a car. At the outskirt of the town we stopped and looked at the map found in the drawer, but to no use since unknowing our starting point. After a few minutes we were saved – in that time and exceptional appearance – of a car stopping beside, seeing us youngsters with the map in hands and with estranged looks asking if and where we wanted to go. We said our parents were in the village for a nap and we were supposed to drive to Mannheim. Very easy they explained this road goes to Baden-Baden from where there is a highway to Mannheim. Extremely alleviated we drove the way to our home hopefully that the gasoline would be enough to get there.

Good times later, we confessed our adventure to our parents when we received the surprising answer we suspected so, since we found stains of red wood fruits on the seats!.

With Mother – 1934

No, we were no angels, Ernst and I! The words school and studying did not raise any enthusiasm, especially for Ernst missing frequently classes. Since the father had to justify these absences to the schools’ authorities, after intense practice I developed the ability to imitate fathers’ signature.

As unavoidably, Dad was convoked for a conversation with the professors wanting to know what illness affected Ernst. In his customary fairness and to prevent more serious consequences he stated that Ernst is now healthy and would return regularly to school. Punishment at home? Nobody would talk with him for a week and he couldn´t leave home except for school.

However, the worst punishment at that time was applied by the school. One time, the most hated professor, passed me at a moment I grinned at him with a masked face, watched with uncontrolled laughter by my admiring colleagues. Considered a grave behavior I was sentenced to two hours of Katzer, i.e. to be locked in a dark room at the basement in the company of hungry rats, curious with the new visitor. Never more, I committed myself!

Another memorable event to complete our education was the rush course of swimming lesions we were to take, as amply recommended at that time.

After a few practices on deck our team