Fifteen years in a childhood paradise

"Look, I can't discuss this with you over the phone. I'll be over shortly. Bye-bye."

I hung up, still believing that I had heard a voice from the other side. Very slowly I walked back to my comrades. Maybe the situation is not as desperate as we were told? Maybe they hadn't told the civilian population? Suddenly I was afraid again, afraid that my parents and Gerda would be stuck at home and be overrun by the Russians. When Vater comes I would warn him to leave immediately. There was no time to lose. Back at the bunker my comrades wanted to know, why I was called.

"A phone call." "Who would phone you at this time?" "My father. They are still at home." "What? Holy mackerel, hasn't anybody told them?" "He said he is going to come over."

They were just as perplexed as I. We had all assumed that the civilian population had long been evacuated, but apparently this was not the case. Our position in the battery had kept us in isolation. We began to worry, but with heavy work, everyone was soon absorbed in their own thoughts. One by one, though, they looked up to see if my father was arriving. I was also anxious, as I didn't want to miss him. The minutes crawled by. Then an hour had gone since my phone call. Maybe he got delayed? Maybe there is a lot of traffic on the roads? I knew he had his car with him, so he should not be much longer. More time passed. After two hours there was still no sign of Vater. By then it was lunch time, and I went back to the office: "Has my father called, or left a message?"

"No," was the brief reply. What happened to him? Why isn't he coming? I waited, and waited, but Vater never came. All the questions I wanted to ask him had to remain on my mind. I realised then how isolated we were from the outside world. We had no idea of what was going on out there.

That night I was restless again. In the stillness of the night, and through the darkness I could hear a distant noise. I asked my comrades: "Can you hear some rumbling in the distance?"

"Let's go outside and see." We all went outside and listened intently into the moonlit night. "I can hear something. Sounds like thunder. It comes and goes." "It's guns. Heavy artillery."

"The Russians must be coming closer. I hope, my parents are safe." My prayers that night were very much concerned with my parents, Günter and Gerda. May God protect them all, and let them get through this mess unscathed. As for myself I only asked that it would soon be over and I would be with him. Peace came again over me. I checked my gun by my side, and my boots, ready to jump into them if the alarm was raised. We had been told not to undress, but sleep in full uniform to be ready for

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