A timeline, 1906 - 1930
In ten years Willi went from a small Black Forest town to the other side of the world - a hairdressing apprentice who worked his way across Germany, up into Sweden and through the Swiss Alps, then sailed halfway round the globe to make a new life in Australia. Here is the whole journey, in order.
William Robert "Willi" Distel is born in Villingen, on the eastern edge of the Black Forest.
Leaves school and serves his three-year hairdressing apprenticeship under master Huber. Pages 04-08
His first journeyman post, in the French-occupied Rhineland during the hyperinflation. Pages 09-12
Back home during the inflation - restless, and soon off again. Pages 13-15
Works for the Kohlstetters and saves hard for a new suit. Pages 16-17
A post in the Vogtland; he leaves after a rift with the management. Pages 18-20
A salon post in the "Golden Twenties" capital; he moves on after a police affair. Pages 21-23
At the Winkler ladies' salon, until he is expelled from the journeymen's association. Pages 27-28
A journeyman walking tour through Westphalia, the Ruhr, the Rhineland and into Holland. Pages 29-30
Works on commission and takes in the great 1926 GeSoLei exhibition. Pages 31-33
North by train, and by train-ferry across the Baltic from Sassnitz to Trelleborg. Page 34
His first posting abroad, in a Swedish textile town - and a lonely Christmas. Pages 35-36
A brief spell managing a chaotic salon, cut short by an expulsion order. Page 37
Home through Denmark and Germany, coming of age on the way. Pages 38-39
A demanding Alpine post, with grand mountain excursions on his days off. Pages 40-41
Four months in French-speaking Switzerland, endured to learn the language. Page 42
Salesman at the Palace Hotel on Lake Geneva - where he resolves to emigrate. Pages 43-44
From Toulon by sea, via Naples, Port Said, the Suez Canal and Colombo. Pages 45-46
Lands at Fremantle and settles into salon work, first for the Indel family. Pages 47-52
The coastal steamer east, stopping at Albany and Adelaide. Page 53
Six years later, in 1936, Willi married Doris Blundell in Melbourne and settled for good in the city that had been the end of his long road.