Objekt des Monats
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September 2023
Malaysian blowpipe with quiver and arrows, before 1982
Historical Context
Malaysia gained full independence from the former colonial rule of Great Britain in 1957, but traces are still visible today and shape the country. These are reflected in the architecture, the landscape, and also in the society of the tropical nation. The Vietnam War from 1955 to 1975 also left its marks in the landscape and on the people; for instance, identity checks were conducted into the 1980s, and the fear of attacks has been etched in memory.
Germany began engaging with Malaysia in 1960 with the Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments until 1991, leading to the establishment of the German-Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and various agreements. The conditions for many companies in Malaysia are particularly favorable, and many highly qualified professionals are sent to Southeast Asia to help establish sites here. The large company B. Braun (a pharmaceutical and medical supply company) revitalizes the urban, national, and global economy in the northern Hesse location of Melsungen. The site on the island of Penang in Malaysia is the headquarters for the Asia-Pacific region of the company.
Short Biography
Klaus Rüger is born in 1948 in Gardelegen, Saxony-Anhalt. His father, a sales representative, originally comes from the Bad Hersfeld area in Hesse and moves for work. In 1949, the Rüger family decides to flee to the West. The father’s contacts support the family of four until they finally settle with relatives of the father in the Bad Hersfeld area. Klaus Rüger becomes a certified mechanical engineer and meets his wife Helga during his training. The couple then moves to Frankfurt am Main, where he works in the engineering office of Lurgi GmbH. The desire for their children to grow up not in the big city but in a rural area brings the family to northern Hesse, specifically to Melsungen. Klaus Rüger works here for B. Braun, a pharmaceutical and medical supply company. Due to his skills, particularly in plant construction, the company approaches Klaus Rüger with an assignment to build a factory facility in Malaysia. After a little more than a year of preparation, he leaves Melsungen in the spring of 1982 together with his wife Helga Rüger and their two children Niklas (then 5 years old) and Schirin (then 3.5 years old) and moves to Southeast Asia on the island of Penang/Malaysia.
‚The first impression when we got off the plane was as if someone had slapped us in the face with a wet towel.‘ The tropical climate makes a significant difference for the Rüger family; for instance, Helga Rüger adjusts her hairstyle to the humidity in Malaysia and now wears curls to combat the climate. Klaus Rüger’s workday is made pleasant by his thorough project preparation and the quality work of his employees. Initially, he struggles with the different languages, but these hurdles can be overcome through a deeper societal understanding and the support of his colleagues.
Klaus Rüger fulfills his professional assignment after just 6 months, and the family decides on a long return journey through the eastern part of the country, Singapore, Australia, Tahiti, the USA, and finally back to Germany.
The Rüger family receives visits from former colleagues twice and travels back to Malaysia once more in 2006. To this day, the Rügers are ‘euphoric’ when they think back to their time in Malaysia.
Significance of the object
The Rüger family experiences the tropical country from many different perspectives. They state that they wanted to get a personal impression of the country and the people as the reason for their journey. Malaysia is particularly characterized by cultural diversity. For instance, alongside the Malays, who constitute the largest population group, there are also people of Chinese and Indian descent. Religions coexist peacefully alongside each other in 1982.
During their stay, the Rügers encounter various customs, rituals, and lifestyles. The ways of life in Malaysia are particularly contrasting, with many traditional aspects still linked to everyday life. The Rügers purchase a traditionally handcrafted blowpipe from a man they meet during their round trip in the Cameron Highlands. Blowpipes are still used today as traditional hunting instruments, distinguished by their precision and silent operation compared to other tools. The technology also finds use as an internationally recognized sport and especially in veterinary medicine. For the Rüger family, the object symbolizes the fascination and lasting impression of Malay culture.
Do You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de