Family History

Dear Kitty,

Because Dr. Thannhauser was such a memorable person, I’m sitting down just to put my thoughts and memories of him on paper.

Of course it’s much funnier when I impersonate him in telling these stories!

One day he received a letter from Germany. They were Inviting him for the 100th birthday of his former teacher – I Sort of remember the name Muller – and I got excited for him and ran in to his office to tell him and show him the letter. His response was –NO HE WOULDN’T GO BECAUSE YOU DON’T GO BACK TO A HOUSE THAT YOU'VE BEEN THROWN OUT OF!!!!!

He told me a story, I believe that he had his own hospital in Munich-- he and his interns would go to the top of the Mountain and ski down in time to open the clinic and see Patients – good life!!!

He would have soup every day that he brought from home – I can still smell it – and one of my chores was to clear off his Desk AND THE EMPTY CUP – then I would do a little extra and straighten out his desk. (With his thick German accent my name would come out like MAREE) and I would hear from across the hall “ Maree what have you done to my desk, now I cannot find anything!!

A patient came out of his office one day crying – I went in And asked him what had happened – he said she wanted a Breast reduction and he said NO! Later that day he said he wanted to tell me a joke – after he told me, I guess I had a blank look on my face (I didn’t get it!) He said You, you , you are like my wife I have to explain my jokes to her also.

I believe he took me to his home one night after work – but all I remember now is the ride through colored town (I hate that expression) and him saying he loved to go through here and see all the colorful clothes they wore. I’m so mad at myself for not remembering anything else – did I meet Mrs Thannhauser and his daughters? I must have – and then how did I get home?? Mystery or a senior moment????

JACOB WIRTH RESTAURANT –

I had never had German food and one day he said he would Take me to Jacob Wirth. So the two of us plodded through the snow to Jacob Wirth’s. There we were met by a patient who was also the waiter – Well you would have thought that God had descended on him!!! – what service we got!! I told Dr. Thannhauser to order for me because I didn’t know what what was what! I don’t remember what it was but it was some kind of schnitzel (sp?) and after he devored his lunch he asked me what I thought and I think I crushed him by saying -- GEE DR. THANNHAUSER IT’S NOTHING MORE THAN AN OVERGROWN AMERICAN HOT DOG!

I remember also that Arthur Fiedler was his patient and When he first came in he was wearing a long greenish cape and he swung it across his shoulder and said I’M ARTHUR FIEDLER.

Many, many happy memories – I see that he passed away in 1962 –I must have been one of his last medical secretaries

Sincerely, Mary Tine Harris

 

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