Parental diaries of the Darré and Albert families @museum.de

Parental diaries of the Darré and Albert families

These two diaries cover a remarkable period. Two generations record their children‘s lives as they grow up. The parents, Richard and Emilia Darré describe their children’s development over many years. The records begin shortly before the birth of their third child, a daughter called Erna Carmen Mercedes. A year after her parents’ diaries come to an end, Carmen starts keeping her own records. She’s also the one who, after the birth of her daughter Brigitte in 1924, starts a parental diary jointly with her husband Carl Albert. It records the early years of their children’s lives.

Richard Darré, born 1854 – died 1929

Emilia B. Darré, born 1872 – died 1936

Lives from 1901 to 1914

15th of June 1901

The cosmopolitan nursery is now ready. Italian wet-nurse, English nurse, German-Hispanic mother, German father and Franco-German midwife.

In this parental diary written in the first decade of the 20th century father and mother describe how the development of their four children progresses – both in diary entries and in letters to relatives. From time to time the children stay with other family members and their observations supplement the notes.

This well-to-do businessman’s family initially lives in Buenos Aires, but the wife returns to Germany with her children in 1906.

The father continues to live in Buenos Aires for most of the time before also moving to Germany. When one or the other child lives with relatives in Germany, it’s striking how open the dealings with those family members are.