From Austria to Australia

How Ron’s history shaped his life

By Nick Sinis

WHO would have known that our very own Bass Coast Shire Councillor Ronnie Bauer, would have such deep connections to the events of World War Two and is even the descendant of a famed librettist.

Being the son of a refugee who was forced to flee from Nazi persecution, Ron’s family story is one of hope, tragedy, strength and a little bit of luck.

It is through his mother’s family lineage that his incredible story begins.

“My mother Henny Bauer nee Hezer was born in 1915 to Ella and Ludwig Herzer. My grandfather (Ludwig) at that stage was serving in the First World War as a regimental surgeon in the Austrian Army on the Italian front,” Ron said.

Dr Ludwig Herzer was born in Austria in 1872.

After World War One, Ron’s grandfather became a well-known librettist and is best remembered for his work with the internationally famous operetta composer Franz Lehár.

His grandfather collaborated with Lehar on three operettas, Frederika 1928, followed by the famed operetta ‘The Land of Smiles’ in 1929, from which the renowned tenor aria ‘You are my heart’s delight’ came from.

“After that they wrote the third one ‘Beautiful is the World’ 1930, but then the Nazis came and things changed very quickly,” Ron said.

“After high school my mother became a stage producer under the famous Max Rinehart.

“She was very left wing and worked under an assumed name.

“One night she came home and my grandmother, Ella, told her you have to leave immediately, the Gestapo are here to find you.

“She didn’t even enter the house, she turned on her heel and escaped illegally into Switzerland.

“After Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), Henny managed to get my grandparents into Switzerland, but the journey was too much for my grandfather and he passed away shortly afterwards.”

Ron said his grandmother then shockingly re-entered Austria to return to Vienna and collect her late husband’s life insurance.

“Can you believe it, she got out and then went back?”

“However, she was detained on the border and was trapped.

“But this is when the story gets really interesting.

“Ella Herzer was back in Vienna and appealed to Franz Lehár and was able to buy her way out of the roundups and concentration camps because of his connections.

“Then one day in late 1944, Franz said to her I can’t protect you anymore and you’ve got to escape.

“My grandmother is Hungarian from Budapest and escaped back to Hungary into the countryside.

“She was hidden by some farmers for the rest of the war.

“But the interesting part of the story is the reason he (Franz) was able to protect Ella is because of his wife Sophie.

“Sophie was having an affair with Albert Göring, the brother of Reich Marshall Hermann Göring (prominent Nazi figure).

“And with that connection, he was able to keep her safe until Herman fell out of favour with Adolf Hitler.”

Fortunately, Ron’s mother was able to escape Europe and managed to flee to China and lived in Shanghai for more than a decade, before eventually migrating to Australia.

“My mother said the most insightful thing she ever said (at the time), “I don’t want to get out of Austria, I want to get out of Europe”.

“She saw the whole of Europe being engulfed by the Nazis which was very prophetic and insightful for that period.

“She eventually came with my stepfather to Australia and then Melbourne.

“They started a lighting business and eventually bought Klepner’s Jewellers business through an Austrian connection.

“That’s why I’m a jeweller today. If it hadn’t been for Hitler all I would know about diamonds is where to buy them.”

Ron’s grandmother would also eventually move to Australia and fortunately they were able to bring his grandfather’s ashes.

She died in 1957.

Ella and Ludwig are buried together in Springvale cemetery.

Since discovering his family’s remarkable tale, Ron is hoping to tell his mother’s story through operetta.

“I had this idea after seeing Mamma Mia that I would take Franz Lehár’s songs and write my mother’s story weaving in Lehár’s music by using operetta instead of modern music,” he said.

“The Lehar publishers think it’s a brilliant idea, I’ve already got permission from the Lehár family to do it.”

But when the topic of Ron’s beloved family treasure came up, a Gustav Rösler baby grand piano, he became overwhelmed with emotion.

“It (piano) survived the war in Austria and my mother brought it here in 1960,” he said.

“I had to learn piano for 11 years and I hated it, but I think it’s fair to say, everything I have today is thanks to that piano.”

He has a touching plan to see its legacy live on.

“I spoke to council, and as we’re retired in Cowes, I haven’t got enough room for it. I want to put it on a permanent loan for the new Cowes Cultural Centre.

“It’s beautiful when it is played but it’s just sitting there; I think it needs an appropriate home and I will be making a plaque on it stating the piano’s musical history.”

In another family revelation, Ron’s grandfather had changed his surname from Herzl to Herzer for professional reasons, meaning they have links to the founder of the early Zionist movement (creation and support of a Jewish national state) Theodor Herzl.

“As the family folklore goes, we are related to the Herzl family,” Ron said.

“When I was in Israel a few years ago, I was given a personal guided tour of the Herzl Museum when they found that out my family connection.”

And with deep fondness, Ron reminisced how it was also all thanks to his mother for sparking his affection for Phillip Island.

“She fell in love (with Phillip Island) during the early 1980s and rang to tell me about it,” he said.

“As a result of that phone call, we bought the property where we live today.

“I’m only sorry that Henny and especially my dad Albert aren’t with us anymore to see how I have built a life on Phillip Island. They would have been so proud.”