Walter Tauss
TAUSS, Walter, BE(Hons) DipAcct BSc(Psy) PHD DipSocWk MAPsS AMIEAust ACAA FAIM AAPS ABPS AAPSW ACPTC MAIA CD MBE (1922-1971)
Walter was born in Vienna, Austria, on August 2, 1922, the son of accountant Paul Tauss and his wife Martha Tauss (nee Saxl). He grew up in Vienna and from 1934 to 1938 was an active member of the Boy Scouts.
Walter’s primary education was at Grunentorgasse 9 Elementary School in Vienna. His secondary education was at Wien IX Glassergasse, also in Vienna. The annexure of Austria, by Hitler, in March 1938 and Hitler’s antisemitic German Government resulted in Paul Tauss losing his job and Walter’s education being terminated. The oppression of persons of Jewish faith and birth resulted in the family fleeing Austria for their lives. They managed a remarkable escape after a Viennese friend, who had worked in London, interceded on the family’s behalf with a plea to help to her former London employer’s family. This family happened to be the owners of Glenforrie Station in the Pilbara in Western Australia. The station needed workers and that family sponsored the Tauss family with the necessary papers and money to get to Western Australia.
They travelled from Austria to England arriving at Dover on August 29, 1938. The Tauss family were granted a Landing Permit to travel to Australia on December 30, 1938. Walter, with his father and mother arrived at Fremantle, in Western Australia, landing from the “Orama”, on March 14, 1939.
Within a few days the Tauss family travelled to Onslow on the “Koolinda” to Glenforrie Station. Here Paul worked as the station bookkeeper, Martha as station cook and Walter as jackeroo. They returned to Perth after five months in the north, travelling by the “Koolama”.
Walter commenced night school, at Perth Technical College, studying the five subjects that he needed to matriculate to enter university. After a short period working as a labourer, he entered an apprenticeship as a bootmaker at the Comfort Ware Slipper Company. He obtained his Leaving Certificate at the examinations in November 1940. He was then awarded a Hackett Bursary to enable him to study full time at university.
In 1941, he enrolled in First Year of Engineering at the University of Western Australia and in the vacation worked as a weighbridge officer for CBH at Damboring Siding. By 1943 he had completed a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. He continued to study and in April 1945, graduated with an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering.
On December 16, 1943, he married Marie Joy Vandevelde at the Synagogue in Perth and they had two children Sandra Lyn (1945) and Raymon Geoffrey (1948).
Throughout the war, Walter was subject to numerous restrictions imposed on him an “enemy alien”. This was resolved through him being naturalised on April 26, 1944. Professor Othman Blakey was one of his referees for naturalisation.
In 1945, he joined Hoskins Foundry Limited as a design engineer, working in Murray Street, Perth for two years. He subsequently joined the Commonwealth Department of Housing and Works as an Engineer on November 12, 1947 and was made permanent on March 17, 1948, having completed probation. He still continued to study undertaking courses by correspondence from the Kalgoorlie School of Mines including completing subjects on Metallurgy and Ore Dressing in 1948.
The Westralian Judean of June 1, 1950, reports that Walter gained first place in Australasia in the final Cost Accountancy examinations held recently.
Walter joined the Institution of Engineers Australia as a Student Member in 1944, a Junior Member in 1946 and as an Associate Member in 1948. He was active in the Institution attending technical presentations and site visits.
In September 1951, Walter was appointed Production Manager and Chief Engineer for Coca Cola in Western Australia. A year later he was Building Manager for T S Plunkett Pty Ltd, controlling a staff of over 600 and building over 300 houses a year. In this position he played a key role in supporting the development of the Kwinana Industrial Area.
Walter started consulting in July 1953, at 156 St Georges Terrace Perth, specialising in heating ventilation and air conditioning. He later took up rooms at Leith House at 220 St Georges Terrace. One of his projects was the air conditioning of the Playhouse Theatre in Pier Street, Perth.
In 1954, Walter took up a part time post lecturing at the University of Western Australia in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. It was through this role that he met Kip Grieve and Leo Addicoat.
Kip Grieve had asked Walter about the prospects for employment with his consultancy and was advised that whilst he (Walter) was looking for an engineer he was wanting to employ Leo Addicoat. When Leo Addicoat went into partnership with David Norman, Kip was offered the job whilst he was on the boat returning to Australia from Europe in 1958. Kip commenced with Walter in late December 1958.
In 1961, when Walter decided to pursue an academic career, he passed on his clients to Kip Grieve, without any payment for goodwill. Kip took the opportunity to establish Wood and Grieve with his classmate, Anthony Burton (Tony) Wood, specialising in civil/structural (Tony) and building mechanical services (Kip).
Kip and Tony opened an office in West Perth on March 13, 1961, in part of an old house at 51 Colin Street. Sid Weston (the draftsman employed by Walter Tauss) was the partnership’s first employee followed by typist/receptionist Annette Watts. Kip stated, “Walter was the catalyst for the creation of Wood and Grieve”.
Walter’s interest in management motivated him to commence studies in psychology and he completed a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) in 1957.
In 1961, Walter took up a full time appointment as Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Western Australia. In 1965, Walter was appointed Course Controller to the newly established Diploma in Social Work Course within the Department of Psychology.
In 1967/68 he spent his Sabbatical year in England obtaining a Diploma of Social Work at the University of Sussex. At this time he achieved his Doctor of Philosophy for his thesis on “Neurotic Manifestation Predisposition and Everyday Stress”. He was appointed the first Head of Department of Social Work at the University of western Australia in September 1970.
Walter Tauss was a man of wide knowledge and enthusiasm for the task at hand. This was ably demonstrated when, after many frustrating attempts to contribute to the war against Hitler, Walter was commissioned in the RAAF Reserve in 1944. In 1961 he was awarded the MBE for long service as an instructor with the Western Australian Air Training Corps. At the time of his death he had obtained the rank of Squadron Leader.
Walter died of a heart attack on January 21, 1971, aged 48. He was survived by his widow, mother, son and daughter.
His sudden death was traumatic for his immediate family and the large community that he had influenced through his productive life. Rabbi Dr meir Ydit said at his funeral Walter Tauss has accomplished in his short 48 years more positive and good work that many can’t do in 70 or 80 years. Holocaust survivor and family friend, Ken Arkwright in his book Beyond Survival writes The value of life is not the number of years lived but the contribution made to the family of humankind during one’s life. By this test Walter Tauss passed with high distinction.
References:
Daily News 30.8.1943, p. 6.
West Australian 22.7.1953, p. 2.
Australian Jewish News, 19.2.1971, p. 24.
Tauss Family papers.
