My name is Siegrid Heinzelmann. I live in Paarl and have been an official member of the Stellenbosch congregation since 1 July 2025.
Growing up in Hann. Münden/Northern Germany, I was actively involved with the Ev.-luth. St. Blasius congregation in Hann. Münden throughout my school years and was fortunate to celebrate my golden confirmation there in 2008. After studying to be a teacher in Hanover and gaining my first teaching experience, I decided to work for two years as an educator in a school in Otavi, then South West Africa. I was then able to complete a further degree in Cologne and then had the opportunity to teach for three years at the Seminary for Boarding School Educators in Karibib/SWA.
Africa had long since cast its spell over me! In 1970, my husband and I got married in the Lutheran Church in Pretoria and we then managed a farm in South West Africa for two years. During this time our son Gerhard was born, we moved to Tsumeb/SWA and after two years and much deliberation we ended up in Paarl in the Cape.
Our second son Dirk was born there. Paarl became our home. The church congregation, schools, friends, many activities and lots of visitors have contributed to our varied life here. I taught at a high school in Paarl for 21 years and am now retired. Gerhard lives with his family (a son and a daughter) in southern Germany and Dirk lives with his family (three sons) in Melbourne/Australia. They are very happy and content with their situations, but Paarl will remain their home. The Evangelical Lutheran congregation in Paarl no longer exists.
In 1965 – exactly 60 years ago – I experienced my first Christmas vacation in Africa in Somerset West and the Cape Province and the church service at the turn of the year 1965/66 in the church of the Lutheran congregation in Stellenbosch!
