The rainbow never sets

soldier appear about ten meters before us. He was holding in his hand a rifle, ready to shoot. Then another one emerged from the scrub on our right, and several more from the left. They had completely encircled us and were not amused to see two German boys emerging from the floor of the forest. We stood there looking very goofy.

"What the hell are you doing in this forest! There is a war on, you know?"

I said: "We just came here for a walk. There has been shooting going on since Sunday, and we were cooped up in the village."

"The shooting stopped this morning," Heinz added, "and we thought it was all over."

"You silly boys. Get home, quick march." We ran home as quickly as our feet would carry us. As I was still feeling weak, Heinz slowed down. When we came to the village, Heinz said: "I'm going straight home."

"So am I." I didn't mention anything at home about our experience. Later that afternoon I went to the shop to get some milk. On my way home I suddenly came across a patrol of German soldiers in full battle gear, handgranades dangling from their belts and their rifles ready to shoot. They were walking in single file along the house walls. One of them asked me: "Have you seen any Amis?"

"No," I said, "They haven't come to this village yet." "They're around here somewhere. You had better go inside." I let them go past, and when they were out of sight I went straight home. Twice that day I had met some German troops! Was that an omen? What could it mean? The night was unusually quiet. It gave us all an opportunity to catch up on some sleep.

None of us dared to go out the following day. We heard some sporadic rifle shooting in the distance, but no heavy gun fire. The atmosphere was tense.

Early next morning a girl from next door called over the fence: "The Amis are here! A unit of large tanks, and the commander is throwing lollies to the children."

What relief! The tension over the last week had been tremendous. The shelling, the fire, the encounter with the German troops, it had all been almost more than one could bear. A strange calm came over me, a feeling of inner peace. After my talk with Heinz and Vater, I no longer saw a problem with a defeated Germany. I began to see new opportunities emerging from the new situation. I had to start a new life.

Before my convalescence leave was over, I was truly liberated from the power of the military, having de-mobbed myself just ten days earlier. I was very happy that for me the war was over. It was Saturday, 14 April 1945.

Heinz and I came together again, but neither of us wanted to see the American troops. We talked of the future, and what it would bring for us.

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