A fairy story by Jupp Dernbach Mayen to Mireille Dernbach

This is a short fairy story describing why my grandfather, Jupp Dernbach Mayen, could not be at his daughter, Mireille’s, 5th birthday in 1940. He has drawn/painted beautiful evocative illustrations.

He was a German Catholic refugee who fled Germany, as he despised Hitler, and made it known. The SS were after him and he left, just like that not returning to his flat. He took many years wandering Europe before he was allowed into Britain. When the war came he was interned in Huyton as a friendly alien. The book alludes to this.

The Birthday of the Little Princess by Jupp Dernbach Mayen is the story of his internment at Huyton and why he missed her birthday. Mireille Dernbach was his daughter. She married a Burton. I am the granddaughter.

Story of a little princess

Transcript:

[Cover - painting of a peson dancing with long red hair]
The Birthday of a Little Princess

[Page 1]
My dearest Littee Mireille
I have not vergotten the 13th of september. I know it is your BIRTHDAY and so I come to tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was a little princess, who was so beautiful and charming that she was loved by everybody. All people who watched her dancing could never in their life think of anything mor lovely then the impression of her moving musicaly among the most pretty flowers in her own little garden. She just like a flower herself. As I told you my darling, everybody loved her so much and her mummy who was really a very nice Queen was so happy and grateful when she sow her little self dancing for her daddy - THE KING.

[Page 2]
Painting of the princess in her garden

[Page 3]
The QUEEN always wondered why her little princess while she was dancing pleased with her self looked with her two big black eyes in one eye-corner. Nobody ever knew and she never told why she did so.

Both her mummy and daddy thought very often about her "black-eyes-in-the-corner" and came to conclusion that she did so for her balance while she turned round and round - jumping and flying like a BUTTERFLY.

[Page 4]
Painting of the princess with flowing hair and her dark eyes

[Page 5]
One day as they all were happy together there came a big big thunderstorm with bright lightnings all over the sky, followed by very noisy bam brrrummbumbum.

THE KING SAID: that sounds rather like war!

[Page 6]
Painting of her dancing inside, with a storm at the window. Two people and a cat, watch.

[Page 7]
And up he went on his white horse which brought him far away from his beloved family to a very big camp where many other men were anxiously waiting of him to come and fight against those barbarous enemies who were at the shores of their island.

[Page 8]
Painting on men in armour on horses. With flags and barbed wire. And tents.

[Page 9]
So they fought many a big battle and safed their children and mummy's life at home. But the king could't come home to his daughters fifth birthday and he was so sorry about that he weeped bitterly a whole night untill there was no more water left in his eyes.

But he wanted to tell his little princess a fairy-tale and he wrote to her the story I just told you.

[Page 10]
Painting of war planes flying over a scene with grey and red and blue.

[Page 11]
The end of the story was like that:
One day the war was over and the KING could leave that silly old camp which he didn't like at all. He came home qute suddenly and unexpectedly and all were so happy so happy as never before and enjoyed being together again as long as they lifed.

This is the story for your birthday. I am so terribly sorry that I can't be with you and mummy. But one day my little darling MIREILLE I SHALL BE BACK JUST LIKE THIS KING AND WE WILL BE SOOO GLAD TO BE TOGETHER AGAIN AND I WILL GIVE YOU SO MANY MANY KISSES!!

Your daddy
Jupp
Huyton, 3 Sept 1940

[Page 12]
Painting of a family of three figures hugging, watched by a horse.

Tagged:
Parenthood, Refugee

Contributed by:
Kate Burton

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