They were an unlikely couple.  Hedwig  was German; Frederic was French.  They met on a ship returning from Africa.  Through letters they courted and then, a chance meeting in Berlin led to a proposal.  She followed him on a daring move to a country neither knew.  There, they raised nine children and were married over fifty years.  My mother was their youngest.  

I have combined my French and German sensibilities and created the HeddyFreddy handbag system - a marriage of fashion and function.