She successfully passed the necessary examinations to obtain the so-called "certificates". Only in the subject Statistics did she fail the first attempt with Mr. Löcker. She then asked Mr. Löcker for a special examination, but he refused to budge and replied that she should come back in a year's time - for the next regular examination. Ms. Tigges-Silanoglu did not let up and countered that she would certainly not do that, because she already had a job, wanted to write her diploma thesis on the side and only needed this one certificate in statistics. Finally, she threatened a sit-down strike. Mr. Löcker finally gave in - after looking at her for a long time - with the words "Come with me, otherwise I'll never get rid of you!" and so she was able to rewrite the examination in his office under his supervision and then take the certificate with her. At that time, Helga Tigges-Silanoglu's motto: "You can get it if you really want but you must try, try and try..." paid off. Today, an almost unthinkable approach. But things were different in 1976. The studies were still very rigid and the lecturers, professors and assistants alike, addressed the students by their first names. And in some lectures there were only 5-10 students, so that absences were immediately noticed and commented on. In 1976, there were also no computers for students. Term papers and theses were typed on a typewriter. During the first semester, Helga Tigges-Silanoglu was approached by her fellow student Zübeyir in her dorm room. He was looking for someone who could type and correct his thesis. The reward was a bird with a cage and an old sewing machine. She still has the sewing machine today and had contact with her "client" Zübeyir, who went back to Istanbul after his degree and founded his own production company for blouses and T-shirts there, for many years. Whenever she flew to Turkey they met up. Another friendship for life was formed during the introductory week in October 1976, when Helga Tigges-Silanoglu met her husband, with whom, after completing her studies, she spent nine years building up and managing operations in Europe and Asia for the Steilmann company, formerly Germany's largest clothing manufacturer. After returning home, she and her husband set up their own textile agency. Today, they are active with their company Line Up in the production of articles for the construction industry. Her heart still beats for the subject of textiles and if she were to study again today, she would only place the specialisation on the subject of logistics.
Helga Tigges-Silanoglu still has fond memories of her student days with the chip shop opposite the university. Ms. Becker was in charge there, and you could not only use food vouchers, but you could also sign up for them, and sometimes you were cooked for - free of charge.
