Corrections or additions?
This article by Deborah Cooperman was prepared for the April 6,
2005 issue of U.S. 1 Newspaper. The date of the event, April 7, was
corrected. All rights reserved.
Mrs. Bill Bradley, Outside the Box
During Senator Bill Bradley’s run for the 2000 Democratic Presidential
nomination, information posted on a website from a small town in
Germany appeared that challenged the story Bradley’s wife, Ernestine,
had been telling about her upbringing in Germany. Leaked by the town
archivist in Passau, the small town where Bradley had grown up, the
story asserted that her father was not, as Bradley had claimed, an
air-force officer but a Nazi, and that she was presenting herself as
someone she was not.
In the course of bringing the truth to light, Bradley began writing a
history of her family that she intended to share only with her
children. Instead, encouraged by her husband, Bradley decided her
story might be of interest to others. “The Way Home: A German
Childhood, An American Life” (Pantheon Books) tells Bradley’s story –
a tale of her near soap-operatic beginnings, peppered with adventure,
risk, and loss. What comes through is Bradley’s incredible facility to
overcome and learn from the challenges and obstacles in her life,
which she communicates with the straight-talking, good-humored style
that endeared her to so many on the campaign trail in 2000.
She will have a booksigning on Thursday, April 7, at Barnes and Noble
Marketfair. (If seeing Bradley speak in public is anything like the
half hour I spent interviewing her on the phone from a hotel in
Washington, D.C., the Barnes and Noble event will be a wonderful
treat.)
About the bureaucrat from Bradley’s hometown in Germany who posted his
misinformed claims on a website, Bradley says: “He made it seem that I
wanted to appear more than I was. I was very upset.” But rather than
do nothing Bradley says she decided that “since it was out there, I
wanted it out there correctly – the way I understood it. I thought I
should write it.” She says writing the book was invigorating and
reminded her of her experiences on the campaign trail with her
husband. “We knew the press would want to know everything. We went
into the campaign knowing that everything was up for grabs. I felt a
great sense of liberation. There was no sense of trying to shave a
year off – what was the point? It was liberating in every respect.”
Bradley was born in 1935 to Erna Keller, a strong and dominant woman.
Erna became pregnant by a man she loved when she was just 18, but did
not marry her baby’s father because, as Bradley says in her book, she
did not want to ruin his career by forcing that decision on him.
Instead, Erna married Baumeister Max, a man who for a time she
presented to the world as her daughter’s father. When Ernestine’s
natural father returned from his travels and studies, Erna asked for a
divorce from Max. She then married the man, Sepp Misslbeck. In the
book Bradley says of Baumeister Max, “The man ascribed to me by the
town archivist as my father did join the (Nazi) party in 1937 and
during the war served in the army as a clerk.”
Raised by her mother to be self-reliant, Bradley studied hard and
learned several languages. “The underlying drive of my life had been
to get out,” she says in the book, “but I did not have any clear idea
what I intended to do with the freedom after I had it.”
The way out turned out to be a job with Pan Am as a stewardess (the
term “flight attendant” was not used in those days). New York was her
“hub,” and while living there, she met Bob, a physician, who – after a
very brief courtship – would become her first husband. When Bob
accepted a job at a hospital in Atlanta, Bradley gave up flying, went
back to school and became a professor of literature, beginning her
lifelong career in academia that had just one brief, but very fateful
detour.
The marriage to Bob produced a daughter but that wasn’t enough to hold
the two together. Due to questions about her residence and
citizenship, Bradley lost custody of the child in the divorce.
Feeling that New York was the place to be, Bradley moved back and
continued with her academic career. But bubbling in the back of her
mind was a dream to try her hand at filmmaking.
In 1965, Bradley went to see a production of “The Iceman Cometh” in
Greenwich Village. Eugene O’Neill’s lengthy play is about several men
hanging around in a bar making excuses about their lives, putting all
their energy in pipe dreams and unwilling to confront the reality of
their true circumstances. The play, she says, changed her life. “They
were all hanging on to their illusions, and I didn’t want to be one of
them.”
She knew she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t give filmmaking a
try. She left academia and went to work for an educational film
company. One of the projects she worked on required that she get in
touch with a basketball player named Bill Bradley who, as coincidence
would have it, lived in her building. The filmmaking career didn’t
work out. Bradley says in her book: “I could not hustle; I could not
sell my cinematic ideas. But I had given it a try, and the iceman
could no longer threaten me.” She married Bill in 1974.
In the early 1990’s Mrs. Bradley was diagnosed with breast cancer, an
experience she now calls a gift. Turning adversity and defeat into
liberation is one of the major themes of Bradley’s book, and, she
says, her life as well. “Don’t give up. If unpleasant things happen,
you do not go under. It has carried me through a lot.”
This same attitude carried her through the rigorous Presidential
campaign. “I truly enjoyed it. I wasn’t a candidate – for Bill it was
much different.” When it began, I thought this would be like New
Jersey times fifty,”.Bradley says, referring to her husband’s
Senatorial campaign in New Jersey. “But the states are so different.
It was so invigorating. And I loved to talk about Bill. I really did
feel that Bill was the best candidate we had. But he was running
against a candidate who had eight years to prepare. He gave it his
best shot.” When it was over, Bradley says, “There was great
disappointment. But I was grateful to have the experience.”
Back on the media trail again, only this time to promote her book,
Bradley is totally charged up. “I’m thrilled,” she says. “I’m going to
be on Charlie Rose and Larry King. I think it’s really the teacher in
me. It’s wonderful when people are interested and have questions. I’m
in a wonderful position to share what I think is important: Have
courage. You should have the courage to test your dreams. The courage
to get to know yourself on the most honest level we can.”
Does the title of the book, “The Way Home,” have a story behind it?
“My mother always thought she had not brought me up properly because I
was never homesick” she says. “This is such a mobile society, and you
are never rooted geographically so much. I’m an east coast person now,
so New Jersey has become my home, and New York. But that even is not
quite home – my home is in the heart of those I love. The way home,
you never completely arrive. But being in the right direction, on the
right road? There is always more love to give, more love to receive.”
– Deborah Cooperman
“The Way Home: A German Childhood, an American Life,”booksigning by Ernestine Bradley, Thursday, April 7, 7:30 p.m., Barnes& Noble Marketfair. 609-897-9250.During Senator Bill Bradley’s run for the 2000 Democratic Presidentialnomination, information posted on a website from a small town inGermany appeared that challenged the story Bradley’s wife, Ernestine,had been telling about her upbringing in Germany. Leaked by the townarchivist in Passau, the small town where Bradley had grown up, thestory asserted that her father was not, as Bradley had claimed, anair-force officer but a Nazi, and that she was presenting herself assomeone she was not.In the course of bringing the truth to light, Bradley began writing ahistory of her family that she intended to share only with herchildren. Instead, encouraged by her husband, Bradley decided herstory might be of interest to others. “The Way Home: A GermanChildhood, An American Life” (Pantheon Books) tells Bradley’s story –a tale of her near soap-operatic beginnings, peppered with adventure,risk, and loss. What comes through is Bradley’s incredible facility toovercome and learn from the challenges and obstacles in her life,which she communicates with the straight-talking, good-humored stylethat endeared her to so many on the campaign trail in 2000.She will have a booksigning on Sunday, April 9, at Barnes and NobleMarketfair. (If seeing Bradley speak in public is anything like thehalf hour I spent interviewing her on the phone from a hotel inWashington, D.C., the Barnes and Noble event will be a wonderfultreat.)About the bureaucrat from Bradley’s hometown in Germany who posted hismisinformed claims on a website, Bradley says: “He made it seem that Iwanted to appear more than I was. I was very upset.” But rather thando nothing Bradley says she decided that “since it was out there, Iwanted it out there correctly – the way I understood it. I thought Ishould write it.” She says writing the book was invigorating andreminded her of her experiences on the campaign trail with herhusband. “We knew the press would want to know everything. We wentinto the campaign knowing that everything was up for grabs. I felt agreat sense of liberation. There was no sense of trying to shave ayear off – what was the point? It was liberating in every respect.”Bradley was born in 1935 to Erna Keller, a strong and dominant woman.Erna became pregnant by a man she loved when she was just 18, but didnot marry her baby’s father because, as Bradley says in her book, shedid not want to ruin his career by forcing that decision on him.Instead, Erna married Baumeister Max, a man who for a time shepresented to the world as her daughter’s father. When Ernestine’snatural father returned from his travels and studies, Erna asked for adivorce from Max. She then married the man, Sepp Misslbeck. In thebook Bradley says of Baumeister Max, “The man ascribed to me by thetown archivist as my father did join the (Nazi) party in 1937 andduring the war served in the army as a clerk.”Raised by her mother to be self-reliant, Bradley studied hard andlearned several languages. “The underlying drive of my life had beento get out,” she says in the book, “but I did not have any clear ideawhat I intended to do with the freedom after I had it.”The way out turned out to be a job with Pan Am as a stewardess (theterm “flight attendant” was not used in those days). New York was her”hub,” and while living there, she met Bob, a physician, who – after avery brief courtship – would become her first husband. When Bobaccepted a job at a hospital in Atlanta, Bradley gave up flying, wentback to school and became a professor of literature, beginning herlifelong career in academia that had just one brief, but very fatefuldetour.The marriage to Bob produced a daughter but that wasn’t enough to holdthe two together. Due to questions about her residence andcitizenship, Bradley lost custody of the child in the divorce.Feeling that New York was the place to be, Bradley moved back andcontinued with her academic career. But bubbling in the back of hermind was a dream to try her hand at filmmaking.In 1965, Bradley went to see a production of “The Iceman Cometh” inGreenwich Village. Eugene O’Neill’s lengthy play is about several menhanging around in a bar making excuses about their lives, putting alltheir energy in pipe dreams and unwilling to confront the reality oftheir true circumstances. The play, she says, changed her life. “Theywere all hanging on to their illusions, and I didn’t want to be one ofthem.”She knew she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t give filmmaking atry. She left academia and went to work for an educational filmcompany. One of the projects she worked on required that she get intouch with a basketball player named Bill Bradley who, as coincidencewould have it, lived in her building. The filmmaking career didn’twork out. Bradley says in her book: “I could not hustle; I could notsell my cinematic ideas. But I had given it a try, and the icemancould no longer threaten me.” She married Bill in 1974.In the early 1990’s Mrs. Bradley was diagnosed with breast cancer, anexperience she now calls a gift. Turning adversity and defeat intoliberation is one of the major themes of Bradley’s book, and, shesays, her life as well. “Don’t give up. If unpleasant things happen,you do not go under. It has carried me through a lot.”This same attitude carried her through the rigorous Presidentialcampaign. “I truly enjoyed it. I wasn’t a candidate – for Bill it wasmuch different.” When it began, I thought this would be like NewJersey times fifty,”.Bradley says, referring to her husband’sSenatorial campaign in New Jersey. “But the states are so different.It was so invigorating. And I loved to talk about Bill. I really didfeel that Bill was the best candidate we had. But he was runningagainst a candidate who had eight years to prepare. He gave it hisbest shot.” When it was over, Bradley says, “There was greatdisappointment. But I was grateful to have the experience.”Back on the media trail again, only this time to promote her book,Bradley is totally charged up. “I’m thrilled,” she says. “I’m going tobe on Charlie Rose and Larry King. I think it’s really the teacher inme. It’s wonderful when people are interested and have questions. I’min a wonderful position to share what I think is important: Havecourage. You should have the courage to test your dreams. The courageto get to know yourself on the most honest level we can.”Does the title of the book, “The Way Home,” have a story behind it?”My mother always thought she had not brought me up properly because Iwas never homesick” she says. “This is such a mobile society, and youare never rooted geographically so much. I’m an east coast person now,so New Jersey has become my home, and New York. But that even is notquite home – my home is in the heart of those I love. The way home,you never completely arrive. But being in the right direction, on theright road? There is always more love to give, more love to receive.”– Deborah Cooperman”The Way Home: A German Childhood, an American Life,” booksigning byErnestine Bradley, Thursday, April 7, 7:30 p.m., Barnes & NobleMarketfair. 609-897-9250.Next StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
