Helena - A Tribute

Prince Albert was enriched by Helena Marincowitz. It is with great sadness that her many friends heard of her passing on Monday, 9th July. It was like a much loved tree which over a lifetime had showered only goodwill and had finally fallen. She leaves a huge legacy.

Helena was a people person. All who came into contact with her attest to her genuine warmth, her personal concern for their welfare, her enjoyment of a funny situation, her love of life. She was a visible presence in the community life of Prince Albert, no matter where one was placed socially or what your circumstances, she committed herself to improving the life of others and supported good causes.

Having travelled abroad, Helena held a world view that was able to adapt to the changing situations around her, recognising what was valuable and what was worth fighting for. Many were unaware of the hardships and challenges she had to work through, while she remained uncomplaining, never bearing a grudge.

As a person of vision she worked hard in seemingly impossible situations to record and promote Prince Albert’s socio-cultural and architectural heritage. Her well-researched books and articles, too numerous to mention here, are dedicated for all time as a legacy to this town. Many of the illustrations in her books were hand-drawn by herself, down to the last detail. She was meticulous and generous about giving recognition in her books to those who assisted in their production.

Helena loved the written word and had a natural instinct for writing. Together with Dr Jan van Heerden, she helped to launch the flourishing Prince Albert Writers’ Guild, which maintains much of the inspiration she brought to it.

Writers’ gatherings were always enriched by her contributions, whether about an Afrikaans or English author or about the importance of archiving ‘local memory’.

The Prince Albert Cultural Foundation was sparked into life through her enthusiasm. Having brought together all the local initiatives which have recognised the unique attributes of this Karoo town, the Foundation has grown from strength to strength, and is the platform through which its cultural life can be enjoyed and the conservation of its significant heritage can be achieved.

On hearing of her steady decline, and at a time of great uncertainty about her health, her friends wrote their personal tributes to her and compiled an album which perpetuates her involvement in the cultural affairs of Prince Albert and the district. This album is now an even more fitting tribute to the love she unwittingly instigated in others and can be seen at the Fransie Pienaar Museum.

Her pillar of support has been Oom Pat, who encouraged her throughout in her research and authorship of a library of books, and brought his own particular wisdom to enrich the local content.

Helena, together with your family and many friends and colleagues, we honour your memory and console ourselves with the enrichment you brought to our lives. With that knowledge, may you rest in peace.

Helena, saam met jou familie, vriende en kollegas, eer ons jou nagedagtenis. Jy het ons lewens verryk met jou kennis en onblusbare entoesiasme. Ons vind troos in die wete dat jy nou in vrede rus. - Skrywersgilde / Writers' Guild

Writers' Guild honors Helena and Pat Marincowitz

-Derek Thomas-

A remarkable tribute from the friends of Helena and Pat, a couple who have inspired the town's residents young and old, newcomers and Prince Alberters born and bred, was instigated by the Prince Albert Writers' Guild of which Helena is a founder member.

The year 2006 could not have been entirely memorable for two of the town and district's most revered citizens. The tributes written by twenty-one friends and admirers and compiled into a single illustrated book do not dwell on the misfortunes of the past year but on their achievements and the high esteem in which both Helena and Pat are held.

Most of the tributes can be summed up with these words:
"Helena Marincowitz was the first person in Prince Albert that I knew... on account of her fame having spread beyond the confines of the Prince Albert district via means of her published writing, and the botanical expertise of Oom Pat...

The community of Prince Albert owes a great tribute to Helena – her effort and caring has made the town a better place for us all. She is a great and very kind and gracious gentlewoman, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. I love her to bits – and Oom Pat too."
EN
"Weet jy, ek dink nou aan jou en oor jou. En ek dink gróót.
Grootmoedig en groothartig - dis wat jy vir my versinnebeeld. Groot in gees en geloof en veral groot in doen. Jy het al soveel in jou lewe vermag, Helena – en jy vermag ook nou veel meer as wat jy ooit kan besef. Deur die voorbeeld wat jy stel in gesindheid, met jou stil sterkte en deursettingsvermoë, in die uitleef van jou Christenskap, is jy vir ons almal ‘n voorbeeld en ‘n wegwyser. Ek wil graag dat jy weet dat jy ons almal inspireer; dat jy ons almal se lewens aanraak en verryk..."

Helena's writing is not her only passion. She was also instrumental in motivating for National Monument status the most important old buildings in Prince Albert. She was thus the prime mover behind this town’s exceptional number of well-preserved National Monuments – now Provincial Heritage Sites. It is thanks to her that the Albert’s Mill, Dennehof, Helmuth, Ou Doktor’s Huis, The Seven Arches, Die Ou Pastorie, The Dutch Reformed Church, the Anglican Church and The Swartberg Pass all have protected status, with the hope that these important examples of rural Karoo architecture will be accessible to future generations. Further afield, the Baviaanskloof and Vrolikheid homesteads and the church at Zeekoegat have also received protected status thanks to her efforts.


In a lifetime's relationship with the Karoo veld, Pat’s knowledge and enthusiasm was a major source of inspiration for the book Karoo Veld Ecology and Management. He has collaborated with all who wish to share his passion and in scientific papers on responses of the veld and the sheep to drought and rainfall events. Instead of retiring from public involvement as he has grown older, Pat has held the Green Cross high and both he and Helena have fought against destructive developments and lack of sensitivity for the natural veld.

Amongst the legacies of his commitment to conservation ecology, Pat was instrumental in creating a heritage site near Swartrivier to protect rare succulents and frequently protests to Cape Nature and to the Municipality about insensitive developments. Helena’s concerns have been centred around the village and insensitive restoration of the houses.

Baie van die huldeblyke praat nie net oor haar prestasies nie, maar ook hoe Helena hul lewenspaaie verryk het:
"Nodeloos om te sê, haar sjarme, eerlikheid en onwrikbare geloof in die Karoo en sy mense, die boerdery en die VLV, het my daar en dan laat besluit dat ek as “Groentjie”, graag ‘n pad saam met so ‘n formidabele dame sal wil loop.
Vandag, reeds 37 jaar later, is dit nog steeds vir my ‘n wonderlike voorreg".

Andere herroep die ou dae en van Pat se verbintenis met die boerdery en jag:
"Pat was ‘n trotse merino boer. Ook oor die verandering van boerdery het hy, soos in baie ander gevalle ‘n wel-deurdagte filosofie. Sal die jaggeleent-hede op Sleutelfontein ooit vergeet word. Nee, want jag kry ‘n nuwe kleur as jy saam met Pat in die veld is. Sy teëlramme het name. 'Piet' is nie sommer net ‘n springbok nie en onbewustelik bring hy jou in die prentjie van die bokke se vreetgewoontes en hulle gedrags-patrone".

Pat en Helena se geweldige groot rol in die gemeenskapslewe word opgehaal deur 'n vriend wat hulle jare lank ken:

"Watter voorreg om in jou kommando twee ywerige, kundige en meelewende offisiere te hê. Saam met die Tiere en Volstruise is staptogte onderneem, naweke op die berg geslaap, inlywing-seremonies beleef en kentekens verwerf.
Hulle was staatmakers en deel van Voortrekker –kameraderie. Die Jeug-kultuur aktiwiteit het met hulle kennis en entoe-siasme op Prins Albert geblom en hulle liefde vir die kinders sal voortleef in Voortrekker gedagtes".
AND
"Maybe, Helena, it was just a little thing but truly the effects are felt in ever widening circles. When you decided that to allow the Childrens' Art project to be abandoned was just not good enough you started a ripple that will be felt for a long time yet. Due to your efforts, we are now happily installed in the Basson Centre of the Museum. For this I would like to thank you".

The Tributes are for viewing in a bound illustrated volume at the Fransie Pienaar Museum. Die Huldeblyke kan in 'n geillustreerde bundel by die Fransie Pienaar Museum besigtig word.