The rainbow never sets

your leaving certificate."

I was impressed, so were the others in the class. There would be no school pranks, no larrikinisms, but a more serious approach towards learning in the knowledge that we were privileged to be able to finish our school education in such a conducive atmosphere.

The other teachers were also fine. They all treated us as adults, and we all put a special effort into catching up on a year, for some, several years, of lost learning opportunities. It was difficult for the teachers to shape us into one unit, having come from such diverse backgrounds, but they managed very well. We were being prepared to sit for our leaving in 18 months time, and they pressed together the curriculum of at least two years into that period. Being under Russian occupation meant that we had to take Russian language, without exemption. It turned out that neither the teachers nor we were very enthusiastic about this subject, but there was nothing they nor we could do. We also knew that it was not going to be examined, as we had started too late in our school life on this new language. As it turned out, I picked it up rather easily with my prior knowledge of Polish and like with anything in life, what I did learn became rather useful later on.

Gradually the Russian influence became more noticeable. Where political parties had formed, the regime wanted to interfere. They forced the Social Democratic Party to join with the Communist Party to form the German Unity Party. Members had not been consulted. The teachers made very astute comments about it, drawing parallels with the Nazi regime before. They had also ruled by decree. They were very courageous in those days. There was one teacher in particular, who was not afraid to confess that he was a Christian and that he was opposed to the way the Communist Party ruled. His lessons taught us to become more aware and more critical of current events.

Unfortunately, we had to learn not just from theory. The trams had been restored again. One day I was returning by tram to the station, when it was stopped by a group of Russian soldiers in the middle between stops. They blocked both entrance doors and shouted: "Davai, Davai!"

They shouted again, motioning us to leave the tram through the front door. As I stepped out they pushed me towards a group of men. We had to wait there until everyone from the tram had come out. Our group had to remain, whereas the others were allowed to get back into the tram and leave. They had selected all able bodied men from that tram. When an army lorry arrived, they again shouted: "Davai, davai!"

The soldiers pointed to the top of the lorry and began to push. It was clear, they wanted us to get up there.

"Where are you taking us?" I wanted to know. With an angry "Nyet," he ripped his rifle off the shoulder, and pushed me against the wheel. There was no doubt in my mind, these people meant

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