The rainbow never sets

Mutter whispered: "I just wanted to see if you were still alive. You hadn't moved all night and I couldn't even hear you breathing. Thank God that you are all right. Go back to sleep again."

So much for an uninterrupted night, I grumbled to myself! But it was not long before I went back to sleep, a wonderful deep and restful sleep.

The sun was already high in the sky, when I woke up. I must have slept for 14 hours, with just the one interruption.

As there were no sirens in the village, there was never an air raid. "Sorry for pulling at your toe last night, I was really worried," said Mutter. "Doesn't matter, I went straight back to sleep. You see, I had to lie on my right side all the time since my ear trouble, as it hurt too much on the other. Any movement meant the ear hurt, so I learnt to sleep very still."

We all laughed about this little incident. Dear Mutter, always worrying! After breakfast I was introduced to Frau Koggel, the farmer's widow, who was now our land lady. She was a rather grumpy old woman, and accepted the story about my mastoid operation without any question.

There were no longer animals on the farm yard, but the surrounding barns were used by a relative of Frau Koggel. The toilet was a little wooden cage above the dung heap.

I spent all day looking around and talking to the family, which I hadn't done for so long. After lunch I had a long sleep again, still catching up on the strenuous day yesterday.

Vater took me to the Bürgermeister on Friday, as we had planned. He asked me all sorts of questions, where I have been, whether I want to stay with my parents from now on, and what I intended doing. After giving him satisfactory answers, he seemed quite approachable. A great deal depended on him, for he had authority to give me my resident permit and, what was more important in those days, my ration cards. I was greatly relieved when I left the office as a civilian! It was official. I had the papers in my pocket.

In the afternoon Mutter introduced me to the local minister. The church was just two minutes from our house. His name was Pastor Borchert. He greeted me warmly and said that he had heard about me and was glad that I had arrived safely. Then he wanted to know who was going to attend to my operation wound. When I told him that I had a referral to a specialist in Quedlinburg he seem happy that all was under control. Before we left he wanted to know how old I was. When I told him sixteen, he wanted me to meet his son Heinz. He was turning 16 later this year.

Heinz was slightly smaller than I. He had a fresh face and intelligent eyes. We seemed to click immediately.

"Come, I'll show you around." He showed me his room, his books and old toys, and then the church. He's lived there all his high school years, attending the school in Quedlinburg. I told him about my school years, my home, and then I opened up to him about my year at the FLAK.

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