In Memory
Ulrich Oellermann R.I.P.
Chris Thorpe (Class of 1964) reports:
A Death Notice for Ulrich Oellermann appeared in the Witness today (9 Dec 15). He was 86. Oellie was probably one of the most feared of all our teachers. I never saw him smile and he dealt out corporal punishment and those dreaded "bacon-slices" for the slightest of transgressions. I remember receiving four bacon slices in front of the class, for not being able to translate an Afrikaans term into English. I should have done the translation but could not find the terms used in our dictionary. I also remember Peter Larcombe setting off a stink bomb in one of Oellie's classes! All I know is that Peter was virtually dragged outside by Oellie, to receive his punishment. In 1985, I was appointed as Second Deputy Principal,at Pinetown Boys' High. Oellie was the First Deputy. And what a changed individual he was! Still very strict but one of the fairest teachers I have ever met.The boys really respected him because, if he was wrong then he would admit it. The boys also liked him because there were no grey areas with Oellie.Too many teachers made threats and promises only to renege on them later, thus undermining their credibility. With Oellie, when he drew a line and somebody crossed that line, then they received their due punishment, and that person accepted it. Oellie was in charge of the boys' haircuts and the boys from PBHS had the shortest hair in the Durban area. He was also in charge of the caretaker-staff. He spoke Zulu fluently and he was highly respected by the staff because he was genuinely concerned about their welfare. PBHS was the tidiest boys' high schools I have ever come across because Oellie had unique system to control litter. Each week, his ground-staff would collect the litter and hand the bags over to Oellie.This litter would then be carefully measured. A special bag, showing each week's level, would then be displayed at assembly and the whole school would be kept in on a Friday afternoon, the time being determined by the level. We seldom had to keep the boys in. I will remember Ulrich Oellermann, as I came to know him in his later years in education, as a great educationist and a true gentleman.
John Scotcher
So the legend has passed on....and what a legend!! He was my Afrikaans teacher for at least two years and I never knew whether that was lucky or not....until the Afrikaans results came in and I realised how lucky I was to have had him teach me....but what a disciplinarian. As someone has already said, there were no grey areas. If there was an upcoming spelling test (Woordeskat?), and Oelli said the minimum was 8/10, then you got 8/10 or the punsihment was the dreaded bacon slices. I seem to remember that you had to put your head under the wooden "shelf" at the bottom of the blackboard so that if you jerked up in pain, then you hit your head as well as geting you bum wacked!
I am not sure whether the incident that my friend Clyde describes is the same one I recall, but if my memory serves me correctly, it was Dave Chamberlain who stood up to Oellie. Oellie had said to Dave that he (Dave) would "end up in prison, ja!!", and Dave had responded...."and I see you there too, ja!!" Orllie gave one of his rare smiles and let it pass him by.
Years later when living in Town Bush Road in Pietermaritzburg, I came across Oellie taking a walk early in the morning when I was out for a run. We re-aquainted after some 30 years, although I did see him at the 25 year re-union.
Does anyone remember the story that he was a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe during WWII, or was that made up to scare us even more?
May his soul rest in peace
Stan Coffey
Hi John,
The death notice that I saw in the Mercury said that he was 86 so that would make him 10 at the beginning of WW2. I know that Hilter was desperately recruiting youngsters at the end of the war, but not Oellie.
Larry Butchins
I never had Oelli as a teacher - my Afrikaans teacher in Forms 3 and 4 was Herr Hagar (the Horrible). He was also a German with a disciplinary bent and used to call any boy didn't come up to scratch "Ein schweibel mit ein Schwanz" (An onion with a tail...I guess that was a really pejorative phrase in German!) He was much older than Oelli and could well have been in the Wehrmacht - or worse! As a young Jewish guy at DHS I was always on the alert for any signs of anti-Semitism from these two German "herren", but to their credit I never heard of any, nor did I ever experience anything at all like that at DHS from any quarter, teachers or classmates. The only thing that could remotely come close to "taking the piss" (not anti-Semitism in any way) was from Kees van der Westhuizen, my Afrikaans teacher in 5 and 6, who used to call me Buchinsky...but that actually more an "affectionate" tease than anything else, without any malice at all, and I never took offense.
Clyde Bartel
Larry, your impersonations of v d Westhuizen were memorable, a rapid fire stream of invectives that would crack us all up. Was his nickname Marak, or similar? He never taught me, but I recall him being humorous and good natured even while swearing, with a twinkle in his eye!
Denzil Andrews
Thanks lads for those recollections on the 3 Afrikaans teachers and Clyde I hope this finds you well after all these years.
It is wonderful to hear Chris's praise of Uelli as a teacher in latter years - whilst most cricket captains vividly remember his liberal use of a cricket bat on the backside - my recollection and not bacon slices - these were almost a badge of honour and one never complained as it was part of the "tradition"
"Marack" Hager was my form master for 2 years and I recall that his son attended DHS and was a very good triple jumper. A stern no nonsense teacher who always wore a double breasted suit when teaching
Kees was a legend and to my mind was up with Bradley Harris as the most feared caner - he alsmost took a run at you, followed by a hop which often effected his accuracy and wrap around on the thigh. I also recall his literal translations from Afrikaans into English with a Zulu chief being called a "captain" of his tribe. Larry I remember the Butchinsky title - do you recall Rory Phoenix being called "Penix" - he could never get his tongue around the true pronounciation. I would dearly love to know the whereabouts of Rory and his mate Kelvin Hull who both "retired" to the beach in Std 9
Lovely memories
Murray Clark
I have been following the stories of Ullie with great interest and some amusement!! While I was never taught by him, as a Blackmore's boy, we were allocated tasks to keep the cricket kit storeroom neat and tidy. Beware anyone who failed in their task!! In the darness of the dungeon the flogging came fast and hard!! Conversely, he was quick to praise a job well done and generous in providing advice and guidance.
I have also been chuckling at other teachers names that have come up. Kees van der Westhuizen, what a character!! With me having been born and brought up in, what I call "occupied Natal" ie Northern Natal, Dundee, Afrikaans held no fear for me as I grew up speaking the language. I recall Kees launching himself into the classroom one day, glaring around the room at everyone and, eventually in his funny high pitched voice and strong accent said, "How many people we got in this Class?" The response (I think from Chris Champion), was 28 (I might be out on that number) to which Kees responded " 28 stinking ar**holes and not a single blerry window open!" Needless to say it took some time for composure to return to the class!!
Thanks for the memories!!
Geoff Caruth
Hi Denzil and Murray
Denzil-Rory Phoenix is as far as I know, an Artist living in the States. I googled him and got a website. Sent an email but no reply so either it has changed or he did not want to answer. Kelvin-last I heard of him he was still living in Durban but don't have any contact details.
Murray-Occupied Natal-:):):) ha ha-love it. I remember going to the Movies in Durbs with ,funnily enough-Kelvin and Rory and when the Queen appeared on the Movietone News everybody clapped(!) but when the Minister of Defence Hiemstra appeared modelling the proposed new SADF Uniform for the top brass the whole audience recoiled in horror! What he was wearing was a double breasted longcoat with the 'ski ramp' Nazi hat!! he was a dead ringer for Goering! Apparently the Army brass said if the uniform was adopted they would resign en-masse!
Wonderful times we have lived through
Geoff Caruth
Denzil-try roryphoenixart1@comcast.net Let me know if you hear from him. Cheers
Denzil Andrews
Thanks Murray.
I remember those class entries only too well.
I actually reminded to Larry but with the prefix of him calling out "Butchinski" - a real character.
Geoff I have emailed Rory in the hope of a reply and will keep you posted.
I believe Kelvin might be in Pinetown - I have tasked Graham Raubenheimer and Gerry Haynes to track him down - how I would love to chat to them both
Garth Annetts
I remember the first time Ulrich Oellermann entered the classroom. He sat down quietly and just stared at us. Then he stated that there would be no nonsense in his class, adding menacingly— “I am warning you, there will be a dull thud, a shrill scream ... then a steady drop of blood!" He stared intensely at us for about 20 seconds then ‘ordered’ us to open our books. Then he began his well-rulered reign. I always sensed a violence in him that he generally seemed able to contain.
Beyond that my memory holds nothing negative concerning him—unlike it does for a few of the others. He seemed fair; I never sensed an intent to be nasty or sadistically indulgent. Nevertheless it was like sitting in front of a volcano as opposed to the light-spirited and wacky presence of Kees van der Westhuizen (Glad to hear Larry, Clyde and Murry’s recollection of him).
As Denzil said, Bradley Harris was the most feared caner. However he hardly ever had to use it. The moment he sensed any trouble brewing he laid the cane on the table and continued teaching. He was a last resort caner — but when he did sparks flew. As he raised his cane to strike the poor recipient, he seemed to explode into a fiery flash of hellish anger that subsided the moment he placed the cane on the table again.
I knew Bradley from the late fifties when he sang with the Durban Operatic Society—which my father and a few others had started. When I returned from Canada about four years after we matriculated, I studied singing with him and preformed with him in two operas (NAPAC) before heading for Germany. (I have uploaded the pics to my page). I no longer have any contact with him but remember him as a very quiet, kind AND gentle man. He married into money and used to come to school driving his own Rolls Royce!
While ‘Oelli’ has passed on, (Rev) Roger Sparks is still alive. For those who are interested,I have posted a recent pic of him and his wife on my page. Unfortunately he is now suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s—though at present only his short term memory has gone. So he probably still remembers the car incident :-)
Does anyone know how Theobald (a true cricket tragic) and Dog Perkins fared?