The rainbow never sets

later found out, for our train and the hospital train after us, were the last trains to leave Posen without being shot at. (see Posen Januar 1945, p.20 reporting that on 22.1.45 towards evening a train had been shot at by enemy tanks near Luban, which we had passed about an hour earlier, and that at 6.30 pm two artillery shells hit the Rochus Bridge at the eastern end of Posen. At that time the Russians were in the process of encircling Posen, and their forward units of fast tanks had crossed our train line to Berlin a couple of hours after our train went past.

The train was still moving rather slowly, but we felt more relaxed. Albert, our friend with those lovely stories from far away lands, settled into his corner and began to sing:

"Hang up your washing on the Siegfried Line, have you any dirty washing, Mother dear."

One by one we joined in and the tension eased, but not for long. A military guard came along on the outside runner board, opened the door of our compartment and created a hell of a row: "How dare you sing that 'Schmachtfetzen', that filthy smut, a song from the enemy! Do you all want to be arrested for sedition?"

I couldn't believe my ears. Here we were, letting off some steam of our pent-up emotions, having just overcome some anxious moments, and slowly realising that we had actually escaped certain death, and then copping this! We were furious. We didn't say a word to the guard, and he just left us. We resolved to continue to sing, but not at the top of our voices. With the rattling of the train the guard would not be able to hear anything.

We crossed the river Oder about midnight, shortly before Frankfurt. Only then did we feel secure. What bliss it was to fall asleep in the knowledge, that we had escaped. The agony of the last few weeks drifted over into dream land. No nightmare could have been as frightening.

In the early morning hours the train passed through the suburbs of Berlin. Here life was still in full swing. The "S" Bahn, (electric suburban trains) were wizzing past our slow train, and people were waiting at stations. At Neukölln station our train came to its final stop. We were all ordered out and marched to a nearby sports hall, where we found some floor space to continue our interrupted sleep.

In the afternoon an order came through to line up again, according to our previous batteries. After welcoming us to Berlin, the commanding officer said: "You have two options: either be de-mobbed and then you can go home or to some relatives or friends, as long as you know their address. The other option is to continue as a FLAK helper. You will be engaged in training younger ones. You can make phone calls tonight, think it over, talk it over with your friends. I give you three days, then I want your reply."

140