Herman Pfiel, it turns out, was an entrepreneur. Remember the problems he had with his wife? It appears the reason the pension becames held up was due to complications with work! His partner at the office was his brother-in-law!
It seems that after the war, Herman set up shop in New England, but died shortly after the turn of the century. He seemed to have had a falling out with his wife’s family prior to that; I can only speculate, but it appears to have been related to the practice he and his brother-in-law co-operated. I need to find exactly where they operated, and check some newspapers for anything about the practice.
Looking through his life felt remarkably like detective paperwork; I can see how they draw their complaints in fiction, and also why they stick with the job through it all. I think the key narrative for Herman may shape up to revolve around the relationship he had with his wife’s family, his immigration background, and how his sickness might have affect his work. There’s definitely a story here; I just have to keep digging to find it. Perhaps I’ll even manage to secure one of his practice’s works!
Leave a Comment