1944 born (as Gerlinde Perdacher) on 27th September as the youngest of four girls

1945 tuberculosis of the bone breaks out her mother eventually takes her to the high-altitude Stolzalpe near Murau (Styria) under extremely difficult circumstances there she spends

29 months in a plaster cast bed; then learns to keep upright and walk at the age of four

1949 returns to her family at Flirsch (Tyrol)



1950 first year of elementary school; has to wear a heavy iron corset; still has to spend the nights in a plaster cast bed

1951 is sent to a convent school at Scharnitz near Mittenwald as going to Flirsch would have been too strenuous; suffers several attacks of pneumonia

1953 finishes elementary school and moves to Landeck (Tyrol) for secondary education

1955 has to be taken to Valduna hospital because of tuberculosis and subsequently to the sanatorium at Viktorsberg where she spends nearly 1 ½ years; she is being taught throughout this stay
1957 end of compulsory education; attracts attention through crayon sketches, creative silhouettes, nature studies in pencil and portraits in oil; parents are encouraged to pursue art as a career option for their daughter; however, all public institutions dissuade them from doing so; for a handicapped person this would be neither suited nor possible; chances of earning a living would be practically zero; thirteen years after World War II parents cannot afford private tuition;

1962 successfully finishes three years of Business School at Imst / Tyrol moves to Zwentendorf on the Danube (Lower Austria) with her family starts work in an office at Klosterneuburg

1968 is married to the Viennese laboratory assistant Hans Peter Zickler

1969 daughter Sonja born by Caesarean section

1980 overcomes humiliation due to tremendous support and love from family and friends takes up drawing and painting again studies at the Institute of Adult Education (Volkshochschule) at Tulln with the painters Forstner (oil) and Cervenka (nude) creates works in pencil, oil and water colours which are shown at exhibitions in Austria and abroad

1994 first major exhibition in home town (Tulln on the Danube) on the occasion of her 50th birthday; for the first time shows autobiographical works; earns praise and admiration becomes chairperson of 'Miteinander Leben' (Living Together), an association aspiring to fight in public for improved communication with and support for people with special needs; backs an initiative of parents striving to establish a residence for these people at Tulln;

1996 state of health doesn't allow her to combine work and art; retires as of 1st January; dedicates herself entirely to painting; the first so-called 'Runen-Aquarelle' ('rune' water-colour paintings), among them the painting 'Rosenmädchen' (rose girl), are created the artist realises that creation has endowed her with more than just a talent for drawing and painting; finds her own way by exploring the mysteries of nature; doctors advise her to resort to oxygen support at night to better master her everyday life

1998 fulfils her dearest wish by taking up a new activity as Clown Tschitscho; visits children at hospital and long-term patients in a nursing home every Monday

2000 working for her next major exhibition from 29th September to 22nd October; will present her first book at the forthcoming vernissage on 29th September