Ehrhardt Schwab, 81, was born in Stuttgart, Germany, during WWII “When it ended, I was 3 years old, and we all lived together with my grandparents, were times of scarcity. My father was an SS soldier, who consciously decided to join the war because of his ideology, and he died there. I never met him”. His family has roots in the city, for 153 years they have been in the region escaping from other poor areas nearby; his surname embodies the South of Germany: “The family is always a problem… you know, each family is a world itself”.
And maybe because of that, he chose a different path in life, he is a “travel person”, as he calls himself. Most of his life has been spent on the road, his true home. With no wife, no kids, and no other relatives alive, he spends his days mostly alone traveling, only going back to Germany to check his flat or fix his motorhome: “I am 81 years old, I am happy for my life, for everything. I have no woman, no child, no family, I have some friends… but in the end, I have “nothing”... then I'm free, free of every problem. I had some female friends, and we stayed together for some years. The last one just died last April… every year I came here to Stuttgart I saw her and felt at home. Sometimes we traveled together, but she always wanted to remain in the city... I was a bird, she was a rock”.
How does it feel to be 72?
Why did you retire or why are you still working?
Why did you retire?
Why are you still working?
I studied Chemistry for my bachelor's degree, and after working in the field for many years, I left in 1975 because it was not fulfilling. I made some money and just drove away. I spent a lot of time on the road, traveling to Turkey, Syria, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and other countries. During that time, I had a small car with a tent, and later a small motorhome. When I ran out of money, I worked in these countries as well.
In the meantime, I did various jobs. For example, I helped friends when they needed assistance. When I had money, I invested it in the stock exchange and made more money. Then, I would work hard for three or four more months, earn some money, and then take off for holidays. In the 1990s, when I didn't have much money, I worked as a social worker for a German Catholic Church organization. This was my last job, doing something nice for people who needed it. After that, I retired at the age of 60 or 65 in 2001, bought a big motorhome, and from that time until today, I have done nothing but travel on holidays!
What do you look forward to?
What is your biggest concern?
Life expectancy 2023
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