It is far from easy to maintain your sense of humor when the Nazis are searching for you and German soldiers are all around. But then my mother was an unbeatable and indefatigable woman and could find humor in some of the most difficult times of our lives. Separated in Italy from the rest of our family, my mother used her sense of humor to inspire others who, in some cases, were worse off than we were.

Somehow Mutti, my favorite German name for mother, was capable of finding a humorous response to suit the situation and I recall friends and acquaintances often searched for Mother to help them uplift their spirits.

I recall one instance when I told my mother that I wanted to bring home a tiger cub. I’ve always loved animals and a tiger would have been the height of achievements. She lost little time in giving me her response. “I see. You can’t kill me by yourself, so you’re planning on getting help.”

Another time Mother took me out from a public school because the teacher had hit me with a wooden ruler. I was in the principal’s office when she gave her reasons for not letting me go back to that school. “I will not allow anyone else to punish my son. That pleasure is mine and mine alone.”

But Mother only punished me, really punished me once a year. It was like a ritual, but when the time came, watch out Eric, she used whatever implement was within her reach. The ritual included several weeks of forewarnings each time one of my small transgressions appeared. That’s when you could hear my mother mumble: “It’s getting close to that time of year!”

Despite all else, my mother spent most of her time and effort on bestowing affection and food on me. She constantly worried about my well-being and often a bit of perspiration prompted her to think that I was suffering from some mysterious illness.

Of her many qualities, the one I envied most was her ability of making friends. I never ceased being amazed at watching my mother being invited to a party where she knew few people, sit alone on the couch and, within minutes, being surrounded by half the guests. She mingled well with teens as well as people many years her senior, prompting me to learn and try to follow in her footsteps. Now, in retrospect, I must give Carlotte Szyfra, my incomparable mother, credit for guiding me during my childhood years and instilling in me qualities I have inherited.