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Gathering The Voices

testimony from men and women who sought sanctuary in Scotland to escape the racism of Nazi-dominated Europe

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Walter Gumprich – Integration Into Canada

Walter summarises his working life in Canada

INT:So when you were in Canada and people said, “Who are you? Are you German, Scottish – what were you?

W.G: They just assumed that I was Scottish.

Well I got a job. I got a job within a couple of days, not doing what I wanted, but after 3 months I did.

I was right into the feed business. I was posted to a place called Dauphin, Manitoba, for Canada Packers. They were the biggest in Canada. It was a nice company. Being accepted never came up. It was never a topic of conversation for sure.

INT: Because everybody is an immigrant.

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W.G:Yes. There was one man in town, Mr Oliphant. He owned the hardware store. He came from Glasgow when he was six years old.  He was an orphan.

When I got to Dauphin I was told to go and see old man Oliphant. He was an older man by then. Nobody could understand him.

So I went to the store, saw Mr Oliphant and spoke to him. He first greeted me. I could not understand a word he said.

I said I was from Glasgow. He spoke quite normal Canadian.  He said “That is the reputation I have. Nobody can understand a word I say, except the price!”  He was popular; he was a good guy.

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He knew his stuff.

He spoke something that was not Glaswegian. It was just something.  Anyone from Glasgow would realise this – he made it up on his own.

INT:So you had your job. Later on, was it when you retired that you started working for UNESCO?

W.G:Yea. I worked out of Winnipeg, then Dauphin for 3 years and Northern Manitoba for 3 years and then I moved to Saskatchewan on 19thNovember 1962 and then worked for International Packers for 25 years and then I did International Consulting for United Nations International Culture Organisation, for the World Bank, CIDA – Canadian International Development Agency –

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and they farmed me out to different people. I worked in six continents but I missed one.

INT:  Which one was that?

W.G. Antarctica. There you go.

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Listen to the Testimony

https://gtvbeta.jacb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/walter-gumprich-integration-into-canada.mp3Press the play button to listen

Links to Other Testimonies by Walter Gumprich

Life Before The War
Immigration
Life During The War
Life During After War
National Service
Working Life And Emigration To Canada
Integration Into Canada
Reflection On Life

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