she watches the oscar ceremony live on tv year after year. For anni wirth this is a duty, she was already invited to the oscar ceremony as a spectator. “It”s a must, I”ll stay up all night for it.”
the 75-year-old, who now lives in Wirsberg, lived and worked in america in her youth. as a seamstress in new york met countless movie stars, including elisabeth taylor, joan crawford and gregory peck. At that time, actors lived in new york rather than hollywood, says the Wirsberger by choice.
Anni wirth was born on 10. Born in March 1938 in dohlau near bayreuth, lived in kummersreuth and marktleugast. It was there that she received a visit from her uncle from america in 1948. “That”s when it was decided that I would also go to the U.S.”, she remembers. But it was to be several years before that happened. First, the young woman finished school and worked as a seamstress for a while. in 1955 she finally traveled to the states. Eleven days she was on the ship, the italia – when she was 17 years old. “We have arrived in new york at pier 58”, she still knows exactly today. At that time, dwight eisenhower was president.
she found work in a hotel on park avenue. Her uncle worked there as a porter and her aunt cleaned the rooms. There, her uncle also had contact with many actors who stayed in the house. "He learned that they need someone to shorten and tighten clothes and sew on buttons." speaking: a seamstress like anni wirth. She seized the opportunity.
And she got to know not only the celebrities, but also their idiosyncrasies: "cary grant wouldn"t have worn a shirt that didn"t stretch over his chest." sewing on the shirts was one of her tasks. "I was the worker behind the scenes and never invited to the parties and receptions."
in return, she often received tickets from the actors for the film premieres in the world-famous radio city music hall in the heart of the metropolis. "and much later, i even got a free ticket to the oscar ceremony," said mayor peter korner, says the 75-year-old, who still holds U.S. citizenship even though she returned to germany in 1977.
"America means everything to me
she received her american passport when she married in 1958. in 1960 she had the first of three children. The two daughters are married in Germany and live in Trebgast and Wirsberg. They also have U.S. citizenship.
"her girls" are also the reason why anni wirth wants to stay in germany. her son, on the other hand, lives in south carolina and is regularly visited by his mother.
She is still enthusiastic about america: "the way people interact with each other, the freedom, the vastness of the country. America means everything to me, she says.
You can also see that in her apartment in Wirsberg. Small flags and pictures can be seen everywhere, testifying to the love of the land of unlimited possibilities.
And it hits them when fate strikes the land. Just like back then in dallas, when J. F. Kennedy was shot. Or in the terrorist attacks on the world trade center. "What I suffered there." her heart is set on america.