In 1942, Herman married heiress Catriona MacLeod in Glasgow. She was a relative of the 28th Chief of the MacLeod Clan of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye and Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod. Catriona, a talented artist and musician, was studying art in Glasgow when Herman arrived there. They met at an exhibition of his work in Edinburgh in 1942.
In 1944 Catriona and Josef visited Ystradgynlais and made it their home until 1955. After living in the ballroom above the Penybont Inn for 18 months, they bought an old pop factory and Catriona designed and had built a home and studios for them. She was a highly creative, lively and exuberant character and would host regular soirees at their home, entertaining artists, writers and intellectuals from London and beyond. She loved children and once produced a pantomime of ‘Cinderella’ for the local children, which was performed on a stage in their home. She wrote the script, designed the costumes and created a set replete with a carriage which moved across the stage.
As an artist she learnt a great deal from her husband’s craft as a painter. She was an experienced portraitist and painted many local subjects. She was often seen sketching around Ystradgynlais, capturing the spirit of the working-class community. In 1944 they lost their first child and their marriage ended in the mid-1950s. Catriona returned to her ancestral home on the Isle of Skye where she continued to paint until her death in 1985.
