Marianne Brandis

Memories and Family History, by Madzy Brender à Brandis – van Vollenhoven, 1910-1984
Edited by Marianne Brandis

 A companion-piece to Wim and Bill, this is a collection of memories and narratives about family history written by my mother, Madzy Brender à Brandis, in her old age.  These informative and entertaining narratives were intended for her family, but to be understood and appreciated by later generations they needed explanatory notes.  For these I drew on Madzy’s other (extensive) writings, other archival papers, and personal knowledge.

Madzy wrote the stories when she was already seriously handicapped by rheumatoid arthritis.  Her hands were so deformed that her actual writing was limited to a few words at a time – which she usually printed in block letters because her script was so shaky – but she used audio tapes for her extensive correspondence with family and friends.   To preserve her memories and family traditions, she recorded them on tape and hired a typist to transcribe them.  She made some corrections on the first hard copy and then the typist produced a final draft.  I worked from that final draft, identifying people mentioned and providing other explanations.

Madzy’s narratives provide not only a lively and engaging look at what her life was like in her early youth but also give important information about such people as her father, Joost van Vollenhoven, an important figure in the Netherlands immediately after the First World War.  They are a very significant part of our family archives.

As with Wim and Bill, I realized that this book would not have a wide general appeal, so I produced a dozen copies for family and close friends.  One will go with the family papers to the McMaster University Archives.

However, I will be glad to answer enquiries, which can be sent to me using the contact form on this website.