The rainbow never sets

It was Christmas Eve 1928. Mutter was in Poznan, 32 kilometers from us, in a private maternity clinic, expecting me. She had been rather anaemic throughout the pregnancy, and the obstetrician wanted to keep her under close observation. Vater had permission to take her home by car over Christmas. She spent Christmas Eve together with Vater and Günter, but on Christmas Day she felt she had to go back to the clinic. I was born in the morning of 26 December 1928 in Poznan. Mutter put me in the bassinet under the Christmas tree.

January and February 1929 had been the coldest months on record. Most fruit trees in the garden had died because of frost. On the morning of my baptism, 8 February 1929, which was also Mutter's birthday, the milk in our kitchen froze. So had all the water pipes in the house. Nothing of the plumbing works functioned. My baptism was held in the Manor house, conducted by Pastor Schwerdfeger, our protestant minister.

I was breast-fed by Mutter for three months and grew up with Günter as my constant companion. I could hardly walk, when Günter taught me to ride his lovely hobby horse.

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Our family 21/6/30, the 40th Wedding Anniversary of my grandparents. From l.to r. Oma, I, Vater standing, Tante Margaret, Bernd, Onkel Werner, Mutter,
Horst, Opa, Günter sitting.

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