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Fifteen years in a childhood paradise
After packing and a quick lunch we said our good-byes to Tante Else and her cook.
The last week at home went far too quickly. Thursday, 3 February 1944, Vater had to go to Posen by car. He left earlier than usual and dropped me off outside the gate of Schwere Heimatflak Batterie 213.
I walked with my bag of personal belongings to a group of young people. As I came nearer, I recognised them as my class mates. We greeted each other with mixed feelings. It was a chilly and wet morning.
At 8 o'clock sharp, a group of men emerged from the office, and the sergeant greeted us: "I am Sergeant Baumann. Welcome to Battery 213. This is a military establishment, and military rules apply here day and night. I will be in charge of you for the daily routine work, and this here is Lieutenant Günther, who is in charge of the whole Unit."
Then Lieutenant Günther welcomed us. He seemed a reasonable chap. I thought: 'if only you let me go home weekends, you'll do me'. He was talking about exercises, training, and co-operation with the military staff of the Battery. Then he continued:
"Because we need to train you as rapidly as we can, you will not be receiving any school classes for the first four weeks. And there will be no leave. Is that understood?"
"Jawohl, Herr Leutenant" we all answered in chorus. "Damn it," I thought, "that's not fair." But I quickly learnt to keep my mouth shut.
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