In 1979, Birgit Erath was 18 years old and lived with her family in her parents' house in Waldmössingen, a small, quiet town in the Black Forest. She had just completed her apprenticeship as a textile saleswoman at Boutique Clair in Schramberg and subsequently worked at Hofmeyer in Oberndorf. But although she enjoyed her job, she felt that there had to be more to life. She dreamed of a future in the fashion world – perhaps even in a larger city where trends were born. But one thing was clear: without English, she could hardly get anywhere.
Back then, end In the 1970s, she basically had two options for learning the language: either the traditional route through a language school – or going abroad for a year. The language school nearby seemed boring, too monotonous. She felt the need to get out – out of the village, out of her familiar surroundings. She wanted to experience what life in a big city was really like. And so the decision matured within her: she would go abroad.
America was also a possibility – many young people were drawn there at the time. But her father was firmly against it. He had served as a submarine crewman in the war and had later been a prisoner of war in American captivity. His memories of that time were marked by bitterness. In many conversations, he strongly advised Birgit not to go to the USA. He had a negative view of Americans – too strict, too cold, too foreign. Birgit respected his feelings – and abandoned the idea.
Instead, she chose England – more precisely, London. Of course, the Beatles also played a role. Like so many of her generation, she was captivated by their music and the lifestyle they embodied. London was cool, creative, vibrant – and it was closer than New York.
In the autumn of 1979, Birgit arrived at Victoria Station by train. The noise, the crowds, the black taxis and red double-decker buses – all of it initially overwhelmed her. But she also felt: Here a new chapter begins.
She was placed with a doctor's family on Edgware Road as an au pair. Her main tasks were to help with the housework and to look after the family's enormous Saint Bernard. At first, she understood hardly a word of English, but over time she got used to the language, to life in a strange family, and to the unique rhythm of London.
She grew to love the city – its quirks and flaws, its diversity, its idiosyncrasies. It was a formative time during one of the most dazzling periods in the city's history: London in the late 1970s, a time of punk, pop, and post-hippie culture.
When she returned to Germany a year later, she was a changed woman. More self-confident, more open-minded, and with the feeling that she had truly experienced something. Her English skills had improved significantly – and even if a big job in the fashion world wasn't immediately waiting for her, she now possessed the most important tool: the courage to forge her own path.
