Katharina Peschke knows home is not always where you’re born.  It can be where you find space to rest after a long journey. 

Wind back the clock more than eight decades, and Katharina was a six-year-old fleeing Yugoslavia with her mother and her siblings to the safety of Austria.  They settled in a refugee camp close to the German border where all lived together in a crowded one-roomed dwelling. 

“We slept, cooked, ate and played in the one room,” says Katharina.  “It was very difficult.  I was 20 years old when I told my Mum, “There must be more to life than this.  I can grow old living here, or I can leave for a better life.” 

Her family opted to stay in the camp.  So, in 1958 at the age of 20, Katharina boarded a ship bound for Australia.   

After all these years, very few days go by when the 88-year-old does not reflect on the deep gratitude she feels that after fleeing war-torn Yugoslavia during World War II, she was able to build a home and a life in Australia. 

Katharina is fiercely loyal to Australia and always attends Remembrance Day and other commemorative services at the Uniting AgeWell’s residential aged care home where she lives.   

Her story is an example of the impact of conflict, which is also part of the Remembrance Day reflection.  While her family were not counted among the ANZAC soldiers we honour, she is aware that their sacrifice made her new life possible. 

“It’s simple really, I love Australia,” she says.   “I lost my father during the war and I’m incredibly fortunate to have been able to start a new life here.” 

A happy marriage, three sons and eight grandchildren later, Katharina is grateful for another new place to call home, at Uniting AgeWell’s Camberwell Community Condare Court. 

She plays scrabble with the new friends she’s made, enjoys going on bus trips and loves the diverse dining experiences. “I’ve been eating so much I’m worried I won’t fit into my clothes anymore!” Katharina laughs. 

After surviving war and rebuilding her life a few times over, Katharina’s joy and gratitude are remarkable.  That she and the many in her generation impacted by war across the globe can find peace and safe harbour in a Uniting AgeWell community is a source of true pride.