The rainbow never sets

that for Germany it is five minutes before midnight Ñ five minutes before victory. It is only days before a new weapon can be employed, then victory will be ours.

We were surprised at such credulity. To me this sounded now like empty propaganda promises. I realised how all these years I had been hoodwinked by such hogwash, and I thanked God for the change in me.

A few days later Frau Koggel reported, that Hitler was dead and that his bunker had been conquered by the Russian army. Would she now change her mind about the Nazis? I had my doubts.

As Mutter came back from her shopping one day, she said that she had heard that in the neighbouring village an old army depot was being raided by the people. Since I needed some clothes, we went to see what we could scrounge together. Most of the useful items had already gone by the time we arrived. So I roamed around, looking into different rooms, when I came across a cardboard carton with a lot of rubbish on top. I lifted the rubbish and discovered a pair of nice brown civilian low boots which fitted me perfectly. I was very happy with that find, as it was impossible to buy anything like that in the shops.

At the beginning of May I came down with severe stomach pains. I went to the local doctor, who sent me straight to the Quedlinburg hospital. Luckily I was able to walk, but only just. A woman surgeon examined me at the hospital: "Appendix," she announced in her rough manner. "Needs to come out tomorrow."

I had nothing to eat that day, as I had felt sick. The operation was scheduled for next morning, which meant no food that evening and of course the morning of the operation nothing either. When I came out of the anaesthetic, I vomited as I had done after all my previous anaesthetics. My whole stomach felt as if it wanted to burst. It was an excruciating pain and I worried that the clamps could come undone. Again, there was nothing to eat nor drink for me the whole day.

By the following morning the hunger pains were worse than those from the operation. The night sister came and asked: "Are you feeling better this morning?"

"I really can't tell you, because I am too hungry." "I'll fix you," she said kindly, and came back with a drink. Slowly I sipped the liquid through my parched lips and a swollen mouth.

"This tastes absolutely heavenly. I have never tasted anything like that before. What is it, sister?"

"Just ersatz coffee with some sugar and milk." "Amazing what a few days of fasting can do to your taste buds!" After that I felt better.

There were many friendly people in hospital, trying to talk to me. They usually asked: "And what are you here for?"

I would reply: "Appendix."

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