Refugee in search of a homeland

"Oh, just an appendix," and they chuckled as they walked past. I felt quite offended by that, for my pains were real, especially when after four days they made me get up and walk, with my clips still in place. I couldn't walk upright, and people would poke fun at me again.

As I was recovering in hospital, I heard in the news of the unconditional surrender of Germany. It was the 8th May 1945. The war in Europe had ended. Where was Günter? I couldn't help but think about the cost, so many deaths, so much destruction, it was beyond imagination. Had one person caused it all, or were we all involved? Hitler and the evil Nazi regime had finally been removed, but why did he come to power in the first place? Had people just ignored the rainbow, which God had set in the clouds as a constant reminder to live in harmony with him, with one another and with everything that lives on earth? There was no answer to this question, but I did thank God that the war was now over for all in Europe.

*

Cherry picking time in Westerhausen was great fun. It started in June and there was plenty of work for everyone. Heinz and I were also recruited.

"Let's get a ladder each, Heinz. We are both tall, then we can reach higher than everyone else."

"There are more cherries here than further down. You'll see, our chip baskets will be filled much quicker than the others."

"I'm not too sure about that," I replied, shoving the most delicious cherries into my mouth. "They look so appetising here, that I find it hard to put them in the basket."

"Me too. They are so sweet." "Did you bring any lunch?" "Yes, I did."

"Bit of a waste. I don't feel like eating anything after all these cherries." We agreed that tomorrow we won't need any lunch.

Standing on the ladders all day made us quite tired. We managed to pick quite a lot of cherries, besides eating a lot. We were looking forward to do the same tomorrow.

"You'll have to eat something," Fräulein Lina admonished me when I didn't want to eat any dinner. "You'll end up with diarrhoea otherwise."

"Heinz and I don't want any lunch tomorrow." "I'll give you some dry bread. You must eat something other than cherries. Just be sensible!"

I took enough dry bread to share with Heinz next morning. We didn't get sick, just slight diarrhoea. The bread must have done the trick.

This work went on for several weeks.

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