A series of tweets has been praised for serving as a poignant reminder of how Brexit will betray both old and young generations alike.
The Twitter thread, written by Max Ringham, focuses on his German-born mother, who has lived in the UK for 50 years.
Max sets out Fee’s story on her 81st birthday, and serves as a reminder of the impact that anti-immigrant rhetoric and values have on those living in the UK.
He documents how his mother was raised in the town of Munster in Germany back in 1938, and lived through World War II, before being evacuated from the family home when the bombing intensified.
He tweeted: ‘Like everyone, she was fully aware of the world’s anger at Germany and recalls hearing talk on the radio about how it should be raised and left a desert in retaliation for its crimes. She was seven and could not understand how they could be hated when they were suffering so much.’
But as Ringham explains – his mother Fee witnessed how unity and cooperation both brought peace to Germany and helped to rebuild it.
After the war she was given opportunities to work in Switzerland, in France, and eventually Britain where she met Max’s father.
But back in the 60s nationalism began to take hold of Britain, and his mother and father feared for their lives in the era of Enoch Powell delivering his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech.
He writes: ‘In 67 Enoch Powell delivered his ‘rivers of blood’ speech and my father fearing what could happen if a rising swell of nationalism took hold, suggested my mother apply for a British passport.
‘They told her she needed to renounce German citizenship and pledge allegiance to the Queen. My parents filled out the forms but as she stood in line with the papers in her hand her stomach sank and she realised she could not go through with it.’
As plenty of people have been sharing stories about Brexit may affect their lives I would like to share one from my family.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
Max explained how Fee felt it was was a ‘betrayal of her family and her identity’ and British politics at the time was an ‘appeasement of new fascism’.
But having lived through World War II, Fee was undeterred by the threats, and the Twitter thread explains how Fee remained in the UK and carried on building her life. She became a professor of linguistics and 18th century French literature, getting to work in the very things that she was most passionate about.
But, as a vivid reminder of how little we have learned from the past, Max fast forwards to 2019. This is the year that Fee has to make an application for settled status ‘or risk being deported’ – despite having lived in Britain for five decades.
He explains: ‘Much has been said about how Brexit is the betrayal of the young by the old. I cannot help feeling that it is also a betrayal of her and so many others of her generation. They inherited a Europe that was ravaged and deeply divided. And they built something beautiful in its place.’
The thread has been praised for raising ‘feelings of fondness and anger at the same time.’
Gregory Evans said: ‘This is a moving and chilling thread, an insight of what we have become and what Brexit is doing to us. Read it and weep. Then get angry and act.’
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This beautiful woman is my mother. It is her 81st birthday today. pic.twitter.com/VJe9xG0Hvk
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
She was born in Munster in Germany, in 1938 a year before the start of WW2. Her parents - a Polish Latin professor and a German woman - called her Felizitas, but in that climate non traditional names were discouraged, so she was christened Hedwig. pic.twitter.com/FEYIgCxlRd
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
She remembers little of the war. She was evacuated for the last part of it, and when her family returned to Munster it had been obliterated by bombing. What remained of the family home had been occupied by another family who refused to leave.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
They stayed instead in their Grandmother's tiny flat in the outskirts, sharing it with four other families. And they starved. There was nothing in the town and they survived on Nettle soup and scraps. Her sister developed rickets through malnutrition.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
Slowly with the help of the Americans, then the French & British Germany was rebuilt. My mother grew up. She excelled at school and was bright and popular. She developed a love of languages and after leaving school took a job as an au pair first in Switzerland and then in Paris.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
She loved Paris and soaked it all up, becoming fluent very quickly.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
She went to the Art galleries. She went to the Jazz clubs on the Rue De Rivoli where she saw Stephan Grappeli, Sonny Rollins and Sidney Bechet. She went out every night for a month.
But she wanted to learn another language and in 1962 she headed to London. A couple of years later she met my father, John, and in 1966 they were married. pic.twitter.com/WY1odN6L65
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
There was still a well of resentment in Britain in the 60s. She was shouted at in the street. My father's Jewish agent initially wanted nothing to do with her, although they later became close friends.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
In 67 Enoch Powell delivered his 'rivers of blood' speech and my father fearing what could happen if a rising swell of nationalism took hold, suggested my mother apply for a British passport.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
They told her she needed to renounce German citizenship and pledge allegiance to the Queen. My parents filled out the forms but as she stood in line with the papers in her hand her stomach sank and she realised she could not go through with it.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
It felt like a betrayal of her family and her identity. And appeasement of a new facism.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
But she remained and John and Felizitas, or Fee (as she now called herself) built a life together and had four children, Jessica, Hannah, a handsome son, Max and another boy, Ben.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
And she returned to her study of language, becoming a professor of linguistics and 18th century French literature. She has written several books. To this day she speaks three languages every day. Her friends span Europe and she has recently started studying Spanish.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
This is my mother today. She is still beautiful but in her 81st year struggling with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's. pic.twitter.com/01BmHb4AyF
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
By March 30th despite having lived here for more than 60 years, worked and raised 4 children she will be required by law to make an application for settled status or risk being deported.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
Much has been said about how brexit is the betrayal of the young by the old. I cannot help feeling that it is also a betrayal of her and so many others of her generation. They inherited a Europe that was ravaged and deeply divided. And they built something beautiful in its place.
— Max Ringham (@MaxRingham) February 17, 2019
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