To live to a century is a milestone that very few people ever make, and even fewer have the privilege of sharing their story. “Well, I don’t have to worry about not making it. I am very happy,” said Ursula la Cock, who turned 100 years old on 27 February this year.
Having lived through some of the most defining moments of the 20th century, la Cock’s son-in-law, John Davidson helped her celebrated the big 100th birthday by publishing her memoir.
Birthday celebrations were held in a local bar where, upon entering, you could feel the joy in the room. On the table with her birthday cake lay various photos of la Cock, along with the card she received from the King. Dressed in a stylish pair of sunglasses along with pearl necklace and a fur scarf, she didn’t look a day over 80.
From dancing around to the tunes of Don’t Worry Be Happy and greeting people, la Cock was the life of the party. Her family surprised her with the published copy of her memoir that she wrote about her times in Berlin and Zimbabwe.
Looking through the pages of the book is like a window into the past and la Cock’s life. From growing up in East Prussia to living through the bombing in Berlin and hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, la Cock had lived through a century of monumental history.
The Kingston Courier sat down with la Cock during the celebrations, where she shared glimpses of her life and wisdom from living 100 years.
When I first arrived in Berlin from Poland, the war had already been going for three years. I was new to it all. Some of the people living there didn’t even go down into the bunkers or cellars anymore, but I did as I thought it would be safe.
I was visiting a friend when the air sirens went off. I said I’m going to the [bomb] shelter. She told me, “No they’re already shooting, you can see the shrapnel falling.” I refused to go outside, and she stayed with me. Five minutes later, the bomb shelter we had planned to go to was hit and over 200 people died.
Where I worked at AEG during the war (a German company that manufactured electrical equipment), at the age of 17, it was entirely women. No men at all, except for the boss. All the men were off fighting, so most of the women were working. We had fun times, as we had access to pure alcohol for experiments, while working in the laboratory.
I was the first woman to be promoted at Nedbank. When I worked at the bank, they wouldn’t promote me because I was a woman. That was their policy. I worked so hard. I was doing my boss’s work when he was away, yet I wasn’t allowed to be promoted beyond a certain level. After two years, my boss fought for me, and I became the first woman to move beyond the lower levels and into accountancy. I was eventually promoted to the Sub-manager. I even became the first woman to get a housing loan through the bank. It was a big deal at that time, they even gave me the company car.
Life in South Africa through hyperinflation in 2007 was terrible. There was no water, no electricity. I had to get water from friends who had a borehole. They gave me a big tank, but I could not leave it outside. It would have been stolen, not just the water, but the entire tank. I had to put it in my living room, right in the middle. I once went to a café with my friend and got a coffee which cost $40,000 Zimbabwean dollars per cup, after a while, I decided to get another cup. I asked the waiter to get us one, and he said: “Sorry, but the price has just gone up to $45,000.”
People were desperate in Zimbabwe. The ambulance would not pick you up unless you paid them in US dollars. The police would not attend to any crimes unless you paid for their petrol to come out to you. Once there was an intruder in the house and I phoned the police. They refused to come. I phoned them back and said: “Don’t worry, we’ve shot him.” They were there in minutes!
Moving to Kingston was a complete change. In Zimbabwe, I was just vegetating. When I moved here, my whole life changed. I had freedom. I started living. I could take buses anywhere, go to Kew Gardens, visit all the parks. I would look at maps and say: “Oh, that looks like a nice place” then figure out the bus routes and go. I went all over London, sometimes twice a week.
Don’t worry, be happy. Make the most of your life. Don’t just sit at home. Go out, the world is yours. Stop spending all your time scrolling on your phone. There’s a much bigger world out there.
Ursula la Cock’s book Don’t Worry, Be Happy! Is available for sale online.
