Testimonial von Ernst Löschner für Baum 33
Ever since 1969 there was hardly a year that my family did not spend quality time with the Skinners, mostly in Maine, but also in Austria, and even in Sicily. Alice and Wick would always share their interests with us and, conversely, they were always aware of our goals and aspirations. Whenever I sought their counsel, I benefitted from their insights and whenever my life took turns which I did not appreciate in hindsight, those turns could have probably been avoided had I sought their advice in time.
Fortunately, when I became aware of the almost forgotten Jewish Exodus over the Austrian Alps near Krimml in 2003, they encouraged me to hold on to the little memory stone which my mountain guide friend Paul Rieder had placed into my hands. They sensed, from the very beginning of my endeavors, the spirituality of this discovery and its message for refugees today which led to the founding of Alpine Peace Crossing in 2007. They agreed spontaneously to join the Honorary Committee of APC.
When they travelled to Austria in the spring of 2010 they were so pleased to see Marko & Hanna Feingold in Salzburg, together with Petra Kronberger who had participated with the Feingold’s already in the first APC-event in Krimml in June 2007 and in our Israel reunion with the survivors of the 1947 exodus/crossing in December 2007. Alice and Wick wanted to meet also Paul Rieder whom we saw in Maria Alm on the way to Krimml. Mayor Erich Czerny invited them to meet the Geisler’s at the Krimml Tauern lodge where the key topic then was the design of a new cross at the Krimml Tauern pass. Alice, being the arts editor of Chrysalis magazine, endorsed very much the wish of the late Liesl Geisler-Scharfetter to include a “light” in the cross which could be seen at night also from Kasern in the Aurina valley of Italy.
In 2009, Alice had encouraged me to contribute an article about APC in a Chrysalis publication. A year later, Carol Skinner Lawson and her son Robert F. Lawson included my text “Alpine Crossing: An Almost Forgotten Jewish Exodus over the Austrian Alps” in Volume 17 of Chrysalis Reader, published by the Swedenborg Foundation Press. This volume, entitled “Bridges, Paths between Worlds” and beautifully edited by Carol and Rob, included also a cover painting and a poem “Wintering Over” by Kate Chappell who had also become a strong supporter of APC from the very beginning, together with her husband Tom Chappell.
From 2011 onwards, when APC’s mission was expanded into a charity in support of social and refugee projects, I treasured Wick’ advice on a regular basis. He became also a significant contributor in my fundraising efforts for APC which were also supported as APC members by his sister Carol Skinner Lawson and her daughter Susanna Bushman.
Alice died suddenly in the fall of 2010, almost at the same time that Paul Rieder died from a mountain accident, what a tragic coincidence! Now that Wickham Skinner (and his sister Carol) is also no longer with us, the installation of tree #33 in their honor has turned into a memorial for them. As their tree is growing, adding branches and leafs every year, it is a symbol of life and gratitude to Alice, Wickham and Carol Skinner for all their love and deeds which they have given so generously to their families and friends.
My wife Waltraud and I, we are happy to serve as the first “donors” to tree #33 in honor of the Skinner’s. May there be many further testimonials from those whose lives were touched by them.
February 20, 2019 (the 95th birthday of Wickham Skinner)
