Item courtesy of : David Wiltshire
I have put something together regarding Otto Decker but feel that before I finish it off I need to establish if he is still alive. The person I need to talk to is away at the moment.
I have spoken with Roy Woodbridge, an old pupil who remembers Otto very well and used to attend the annual reunions. He also taught engineering at the school.
My friend Michael Sutton who died in October was a regular at the annual get together, with his wife Peggy and I will let you have something about them as soon as possible. I wonder who it was who used to arrange the annual meeting? Presumably you were too far away for that. Another old pupil is John White, who also grew up in Hazlemere and was also in touch with Michael.
Otto Decker ( was born 13/11/1930) and I already sent information about how he came to England under the auspices of Lord Rothschild. He started school in Aylesbury but then came to Wycombe Tech before transferring to The RGS High Wycombe in 1949 where he was in the 6th form and was a boarder. He did very well at sport and also played football for Wycombe Wanderers. He must have been at the Tech from probably 1945 until 1948 when he left to go to the RGS to take Higher School Certificate in 1950. After that he emigrated to the USA to join his mother who had survived in a concentration camp.
Otto came to England for several years every September to attend the Tech Old Pupils annual lunch combining it with attending the RGS Old Boys dinner.
The only pictures of him that I can trace are from his time at the RGS. One shows him as a prefect in 1950 and the other is of the 1949 cricket team in which Otto was the wicket-keeper.
Otto has this about him on Wikipedia:- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Decker
Those who remember Otto Decker will be pleased to hear that he is still alive and well and tells me that he is still in touch with some of his old friends from the Technical Institute which he attended until 1948 when he transferred to the Royal Grammar School for two years. I knew him there and were both in the school cricket team.
Otto had come to England in 1939 with his brother as part of the " Kindertransport" and his group were sponsored by Lord Rothschild and housed on his estate at Waddesdon. In 1950 the brothers went to the USA to join their mother who had survived a concentration camp.
Otto had played football here for Wycombe Wanderers and joined a leading club in the USA, being selected for their national team to play England in 1953. Otto scored two goals in a 6-3 loss but despite that was not selected again.
( About Otto Decker (courtesy of Wikipedia.org) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Decker )
Otto Decker - 1945 to '48
I am happy to report that I am still around. Other than an attack of "Shingles" which was very painful I have enjoyed excellent health. I haven;t been over to England for some time, but still in touch with some of the Wycombe Technical Institute and Wycombe Wanderers friends from a long time ago'. All the very best. Otto.