Harry is my Dad.  He was born as he would say in "Lachine PQ".   Harry's mother died in childbirth when he was aged 12 years.  Its only now that I have let in the full impact of the story he would repeat all his life.  His Mom dying on the kitchen table while he, among other family members, was scurrying about boiling water and getting other paraphinalia for the midwife and then the "military doctor" who they called for the emergency.

Its not difficult for me to understand how come he married Bertha whose father was killed in a progrom in Russia.  Its something she never talked about (reaction formation for the psychological minded).  In fact she made up the story that he was killed in a train accident.

Harry and Bertha were, in fact, step brother and sister.  Chaim (Harry's father) first wife was Freda (my namesake).  A few years after she died as described above, he married Chanah who was Bertha's mother.  Chanah had recently emigrated from Russia.  She came to Canada with her only daughter, when Bertha was age 4 years.

Is it any wonder I became a psychiatrist!

One of the things I have learned over the years is that there is more and more evidence that children of parents who die young, especially suddenly or traumatically are more susceptible to depression.   Both my parents experienced this trauma, although only Bertha had significant mood problems.

Here are some family photos,

Below is Bertha, Fred, Miriam and Harry

Below is Harry as a youngster

And below is Harry and Bertha.