In 1955 a family comprising three Dutch immigrants landed in Western
Australia, seeking a new life after having survived the horrors of World
War II. Holland - a supposed neutral country - suffered
between 1939-45: the Germans took over the country when war broke out
and acquired houses, property, businesses and industry, along the way
forcing the women to take care of the soldiers whilst many Dutch men were on the
run seeking to avoid service in the German army or forced
labour in the infamous camps. Children looked on in horror as the invaders shot and killed seemingly at random, bombed towns and cities, and generally abused what was previously a relatively peaceful world. With the Germans securing the local food supplies and essential services, along with taking over the accommodation
and acquiring whatever else they needed, the local people suffered
severe deprivation during this period. As a result of these abuses, the
country was slow to recover when the Germans were defeated in 1945. The
survivors therefore looked to a brighter future overseas, in places such as America, Canada and Australia.
The three Dutch immigrants were: Cornelius Beringer, a carpet layer and
hand writing expert; his wife Katarina, an author and journalist; and
their son Hendrick "Hank" Martin (b.2.8.1940), then aged 15. In Holland
they left behind their daughter Rein (1927-2005), aged 28. She had
married newspaper proprietor Ruurt Hazenwinkel
(1929-2012), a resident of Groenigen. The Beringers had been based in
The Hague during the war. When the family decided to leave Holland for a
new life overseas, initially they thought of Canada. However, Hendrick
failed a strict English test - stating that there were 366 days in a year,
rather than 365 - so they decided to apply for residence in Australia. Needless to say, Rien was sad to see her family migrate to a country so far away from Holland.
Australia
The Beringer's travelled to Australia by the Dutch ship MS Sibajack, departing Rotterdam with a brief stopover in South Africa. After a short period in Western Australia they decided to move to South Australia where Cornelius was able to secure employment as a hand writing expert. This somewhat novel profession was report in the media during 1956.
{Newscutting, Adelaide, circa 1956}
Follow me around ... but watch your writing
Follow me around ... but watch your writing
by Rita Dunstan
If the Premier, Mr. Playford, said he was going to the
North Pole, he'd go there, according to a Dutch handwriting analyst now living
in Adelaide. The analyst is Mr. Cornelius Beringer, of Prospect. He was employed
by many business firms in Holland to study the handwriting of applicants for
jobs, and to report on his findings. He has several letters from Dutch firms
acknowledging his work.
When I asked Mr. Beringer to analyse Mr. Playford's
signature, he did not realise whose writing he was studying. "He is a tall
man," Mr. Beringer said. "A friendly man, but sometimes sharp in his
words. He doesn't change his mind once it's made up. If he said he was going to
the North Pole, he would go to the North Pole. He makes firm decisions. He has
a good mind - and knows it ... a clear mind ... with good powers of
concentration and plenty of imagination. He speaks his mind, and can make his
meaning very clear when he wants to. This man is very approachable, and is the type
who would be ready to shake hands and forget after a fight."
I showed this report to one of our Parliamentary
roundsmen. He thought it a good summing up on some of Mr. Playford's main
characteristics.
Mr. Beringer said he used a powerful magnifying glass
when making a serious study of handwriting. This enabled him to detect so much
about the writer that he could even give
details of his or her medical history. In Holland, he said, he worked in
conjunction with doctors who were puzzled by incomplete histories given by
their patients. He has a letter from The Hague Association for the Fight
Against TB referring to medical history reports he has supplied on TB patients.
Mr. Beringer, who arrived in Adelaide a year ago with his
wife and 16 year old son, said the fact that his English was imperfect did not
hinder him in his handwriting analysis. "It wouldn't matter if the writing
were in Spanish or Arabic," he said. Mr Beringer, a carpet layer by trade,
took up his study of handwriting at a school for psychotechnic analysis at The
Hague.
Mrs. Beringer, who is a journalist and author of several
children's books, is struggling to learn English so that she can translate her
work for sale in Australia.
----------------------------
This interesting ability of Cornelius is also referred to
in an photograph which forms part of the National Archives of Australia
collection. It is dated 1958 and labelled:
Immigration - Migrants in employment in Australia - Mr
Cornelius Beringer, from the Netherlands, is a hand writing analyst. Mr
Berginer studied graphology at a school for pyschotechnic analysis at the
Hague. His services have been used by companies in selecting staff. Here Mr
Beringer (left) and adviser, Mr K Stacy, study the hand writing of one of their
clients. (National Archives of Australia, A12111: Immigration Photographic
Archive 1946 - Today.)
----------------------------
The photograph originally appeared in the June 1958 edition of the Federal Department of Immigration's
magazine The Good Neighbour, accompanying an article on Cornelius Beringer:
HANDWRITING EXPERT
He finds the job you don't know you want!
A DUTCH migrant handwriting expert plans to open an office in Adelaide soon to help young people choose the right career. He is Cornelius Beringer, 51, who migrate to South Australia from Holland four years ago. Mr. Beringer
achieved newspaper fame in Adelaide when he gave an accurate analysis
of the characteristics of the Premier of South Australia, Sir Thomas
Playford, from a specimen of handwriting. He also claims he can
"diagnose" physical and mental conditions "apparent'' in handwriting.
Youth's case In Adelaide he analysed the handwriting of a 19- year-old,
found that he was "too much under the control of his mother." 'Since the
young man has left home and taken on a new job, his writing indicates
that his environment is much improved and he is a much more stable
person," Mr. Beringer said. "In Holland I was able to discover a woman with
literary talent by examining her signature. I advised her to take up
writing; and she has since had three books published. "If people are in
the! wrong sort of job I can help them to find the right one." Mr. Beringer's
interest in handwriting began 10 years ago when he took up the study of
graphology at a school for psychotechnic analysis at The Hague.
Job selection
His accuracy in analysis
brought him letters of commendation from Dutch business firms and
medical institutions. Companies employed him to study the handwriting of
their staffs and select likely executives. He also reported his
findings on the handwriting of applicant for jobs. In South Australia
there are already many people who pay tribute to Mr. Beringer's skill. Among them are bank officials, police, businessmen, parents and doctors who have been helped by his advice.
• In picture above Mr. Beringer (left) and assistant Mr. K. Stacey study the writing characteristics of one of their clients.
----------------------------
The story was also reported in the local Sydney Dutch language press - Dutch Australian Weekly, 18 July 1958.
Zuid Australie
Handschriftkundige in het nieuws
ADELAIDE, SA — Het door het federate departement van
immigratie uitgegeven maandblad 'The Good Neighbour' heeft een artikel met foto
gewijd aan de 51-jarige uit Nederland afkomstige handschriftkun dige Cornelius' Beringer, die
spoedig een eigen kantoor in de Zuid Australische hoofdstad Adelaide hpopt te
openen voor het verleheix van hulp bij de beroeps keuze van jongeren. Beringer,
die 4 jaar gele den in Australie aankwani, kwam in het nieuws .toen hij een
juiste ontleding ga'f van de karakter' trekken van de minister president van
Zuid-Australie, Sir Thomas Playford, I 'aan de hand van een geschreven proeve.
[South Australia - handwriting artist in the news.
Adelaide, SA - The monthly magazine The Good Neighbour, published by the
Federal Department of Immigration, has devoted an article with a photograph to
the 51 year old Dutch hand writing artist Cornelius Beringer, who will soon
have his own office in Adelaide, the South Australian capital. He hopes to open
up to assist with the professional choice of young people. Beringer, who
arrived in Australia 4 years ago, came in the news when he drew a correct
analysis of the character of the Premier
of South Australia, Sir Thomas Playford, on the basis of a written test.]
----------------------------
Young Hank eventually left home and secured work on a South Australian farm before heading to New South Wales where his parents also eventually settled. However Cornelius and Katrina were restless and for a short period returned to Holland, before finally settling in the New South Wales coastal township of Wollongong.
In the room of their house in Mount Warrigal was a
collection of material relating to the life and work of Katarina. On the walls
were artworks of, for example, Dutch children. These may have been related to
her children's books as published in Holland. Some of the artworks were
produced by Katarina's daughter Rien, who went on to become a somewhat famous
artist during the 1970s through to the 1990s.
Acknowledgements
Compiled from the records and reminiscences of Lara
Duggan and Hank Beringer.
Last updated: 2 March 2018
