Proust Questionnaire: GRETTA VAN DEN BOSSCHE

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On Thu, 12 Jan 17 20:21:28 UTC GRETTA VAN DEN BOSSCHE - OLBRACHT (86) answered the Proust Questionnaire (click on a question to read other answers):

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?: AH, MY MIND ONLY GOES TO THAT TERRIBLE PLACE INSIDE WHERE NO COMFORT CAN EASE THE ACHE. FINDING MY 16 YEAR OLD, AUTISTIC SISTER, MARTA, WHEN I WAS 23, AFTER SHE HAD BEEN BRUTALLY RAPED BY GERMANS INVADING THE NETHERLANDS ON MAY 14, 1940
Where would you like to live?: TODAY I LIVE IN THE SAME TOWN AS MY GRANDMOTHER, AND MY GRANDMOTHER BEFORE HER, AND TWO MORE GENERATIONS BEFORE THEN,. BOBOWAN IS A SMALL TOWN JUST SOUTH EAST OF KRAKOW, POLAND
What is your idea of earthly happiness?: OH MY, THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT I DO NOT IMAGINE WHAT MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE HAD WWII NEVER HAPPENED. WE WERE A QUIET FAMILY. CARING FOR OTHERS. GENTLE AND KIND. THE WAR CHANGED US FOREVER
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?: TO HAVE TASTED THE BLOOD OF REVENGE, TO HAVE YEARNED TO SEE GERMANS FALLING DEAD OVER AND OVER; TO GET A GLEAM IN MY EYE WHEN WE HELPED DESTROY GERMAN ROUTES AND SHIPMENTS. MAY GOD FORGIVE ME BUT I WOULD DO THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN. MY HEART RUNS COLD
Who are your favorite heroes of fiction?: AH MY DEAR, BEHIND THESE OLD EYES, THERE IS NO FICTION. THE STORIES UNRAVEL FACE BY FACE FROM THE PAGES OF THE LIFE I HAVE LIVED. ALL OF MY HEROES LIVED AND DIED BEFORE MY EYES.
Who are your favorite characters in history?: I BELIEVE THE GREATEST CHARACTER IN HISTORY WAS JONHA - TAUNTED BY CIRCUMSTANCES, LOSING FAMILY, AND A LIFE IN SHAMBLES BEFORE GOD RESTORED HIM. I AM HUMBLED GOD ALLOWED ME TO LIVE AND HONOR THOSE WHO ARE NO MORE
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?: SWEET MARTA. WITH EVERYTHING THE GERMAN SOLDIERS DID TO HER, SHE LIVED; SEEING HER ALL THROUGH THOSE WAR YEARS GAVE ME THE COURAGE, GAVE FATHER AND MY BELOVED ALAIN COURAGE, TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO HINDER THE GERMANS - SHE WAS OUR HERO,
Who are your favorite heroines of fiction?: LIKE FICTIONAL HEROES, I DO NOT LOOK AT FICTION FOR HEROINES. THOUGH IF MARTA WERE A CHARACTER IN FICTION, SHE WOULD BE MY FAVORITE. YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED HER. SHE WAS SO PRETTY. AND A MUSIC SAVANT. I MISS HER STILL.
Your favorite painter?: VAN GOGH
Your favorite musician?: BEETHOVEN
The quality you most admire in a man?: ALAIN WAS A CYCLIST SO HIS BODY WAS MANLY WITH BROAD SHOULDERS MMMH WHEN I ADD THIS TO HIS GENTLE COUNTENANCE I YET SWOON AS MUCH AS I DID AT 17. WE WERE MARRIED SO FAST YOU KNOW HAHAHA, I DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER GIRL TO TAKE HIM AWAY
The quality you most admire in a woman?: MY GRANDMOTHER LILLITH HELD US ALL TOGETHER RIGHT UP UNTIL HER DEATH. THE INNER STRENGTH SHE INFUSED IN ME THROUGH TEACHING ME LACE MAKING BUILT RESILENCE IN MY CHARACTER. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL THE WAR TESTED ME. I ADMIRE HER.
Your favorite virtue?: LET ME SEE. I MUST SAY I HAVE FAILED AT MOST VIRTUES; NO, PERFECTION NEVER CAME. SO PERHAPS THE GREATEST VIRTUE IS FORGIVENESS. I DO NOT REGRET THE HARM I HELPED IMPOSE UPON GERMAN INVADERS; I ASK MY ANCESTORS FORGIVENESS FOR USING LACE MAKING TO HARM
Your favorite occupation?: I AM A LACE MAKER. IS THERE ANY BETTER OCCUPATION (SHE SMILES BRILLIANTLY)
Who would you have liked to be?: BEING WHO I AM HAS BEEN ENOUGH
Your most marked characteristic?: IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT I AM LEVEL-HEADED UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS
What do you most value in your friends?: THE WAR YEARS CREATED FRIENDSHIPS WITH DRESS MAKERS WHO I LEARNED ARE LOYAL, ETHICAL, AND HONORABLE; THESE ARE TRAITS I VALUE MOST
What is your principle defect?: LIVING IN THE PAST, PREFERRING GHOSTS OVER THE EFFORT TO MEET NEW PEOPLE
What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes?: AH THIS HURTS MY HEART - LOSING A CHILD THEN LOSING MARTA WAS THE GREATEST OF MISFORTUNES. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN A MOTHER FOR LONGER THAN 5 DAYS.
What would you like to be?: BY TELLING YOU THE SECRETS OF THE LACE MAKING RESISTANCE MOVEMENT, I HOPE TO END MY LIFE AS AN INSPIRATIONTO OTHERS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD HOW THE WAR CHANGED THE LIVES OF COMMON PEOPLE. WE WERE NOT JEWISH. YET OUR LIVES WERE SHAPED BY THAT STORM.
What is your favorite color?: NAVY BLUE. I'VE WORN NAVY BLUE SKIRTS MY WHOLE LIFE. AND IN MY THIRTIES I ADDED A TAILORED NAVY BLUE JACKET. PERFECTLY GROOMED
What is your favorite flower?: PURPLE ROSES MIXED WITH GARDENIAS. ALAIN GAVE ME THIS CORSAGE ON OUR FIRST DATE.
What is your favorite bird?: THE VOICE OF THE CARDINAL WILL ALWAYS BE THE VOICE OF MY FATHER. I LISTEN FOR THAT CALL DAILY.
Who are your favorite prose writers?: EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY
Who are your favorite poets?: ALYCE MYNELL
Who are your heroes in real life?: RIGHT NOW, MS. ABERDEEN COMES IN TO COOK AND CLEAN - WITHOUT HER I WOULD BE A MESS
Who are your favorite heroines of history?: I MET GRIETJE SCOTT DURING THE WAR AND SHE HELPED FATHER, ALAIN AND I SORT OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE RESISTANCE CELL WE WERE CREATING. I HEARD RECENTLY THAT SHE HAD LIVED AFTER THE WAR, MARRIED, AND HAD CHILDREN. WHAT A TRUE HEROINE.
What are your favorite names?: ALAIN SECRETLY CALLED ME WILLOW BECAUSE, HE SAID, MY HAIR MOVED LIKE THE BRANCHES OF THE WILLOW TREE WE MADE LOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER. I USED TO VISIT THAT TREE ONCE A YEAR.
What is it you most dislike?: ARROGANT YOUTH WHO MAKE LIGHT OF THE HORRORS OF WWII. TO THINK THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT EVEN BELIEVE ATROCITIES TOOK PLACE. I LOATH THIS STUPIDITY.
What historical figures do you most despise?: ADOLF HITLER
What event in military history do you most admire?: MR. CHURCHILL'S SPEECH TO THE WORLD BROADCAST OVER THE BBC JUST BEFORE THE INVASION FOR D DAY. HIS WORDS STILL GIVE ME GOOSE BUMPS AND MAKE ME WANT TO STAND UP AND FIGHT AGAIN
What natural gift would you most like to possess?: THE POWER TO BRING BACK THE INNOCENT DEAD. TO GIVE THEM A SECOND CHANCE TO LIVE A FULL LIFE
How would you like to die?: QUIETLY. PERHAPS SITTING HERE NEXT TO A SMALL FIRE WITH BEETHOVEN BEING PLAYED IN THE BACKGROUND. I AM ALONE NOW. I WILL DIE ALONE.
What is your present state of mind?: AHHHH. THERE IS AN URGENCY TO TELL THIS STORY. LACE MAKING WHEN USED AS A VESSEL FOR STEGANOGRAPHIC CODING, MADE OUR RESISTANCE ACTIONS EFFECTIVE. NO ONE KNEW
What is your motto?: NEVER LET BULLIES PUSH THE WEAK. STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. AND FIGHT! FIGHT! UNTIL THE LAST BREATH.

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