Refugee in search of a homeland

to be very selfish. The people of Bremen seemed to me stiff, formal and conventional. They were steeped in their tradition of trade and had Ñ what I had found surprising Ñ a rather narrow outlook on life. For newcomers like me to be accepted by them would have been rather exceptional, and so I always felt an outsider in Bremen. Nevertheless I was glad that I had joined the tennis club. It gave me a lot of pleasure and it kept me fit. It was back to the grindstone, though, when the tennis season was over, and language lessons started again.

This meant again hard work during the day and studies in the evenings. It was not as bad, though, as the previous winter. Hugo Deiters, another friend I had met at tennis, invited me for a weekend to his home in Ibbenbüren, near Osnabrück. He was learning commerce in Bremen, and we both went to the same course at the Chamber of Commerce for book keeping and accountancy, but he had nothing to do with the wool trade. His father owned a large flour mill and appeared very rich. Hugo invited me to come home with him for a weekend. We went by train. I was reminded of our weekends in Sapowice, when we came home from Posen. There was a similar atmosphere of expectation.

We were met by a driver in a big car. Their home was a large country manor. His father was very kind and welcomed me into his family. His mother had died recently. We talked about lots of things, and he wanted to know about my back ground. So I told him. He seemed very touched by my story, and when he heard that we also used to hunt at home, his eyes began to shine.

"Hunting is one of my passions. Hugo likes it too. We often go out hunting. I have bought the hunting rights on a large area, and in winter we arrange big shoots."

I thought the weekend was a great success. Hugo was pleased that his family accepted me so well, and before we left for Bremen, Herr Deiters said: "Hugo and I had a chat together. Hugo is very keen to go skiing this winter, but I don't want him to be on his own. Would you accept an invitation from us to join him, everything paid for, of course."

I was stunned. To go skiing in the Austrian Alps, and everything paid for! "Are you sure you want to invite me?" I felt so silly, but I didn't know what to say.

"Of course. You get on so well with Hugo. You would do us a favour." "A favour? How can I refuse when you put it so nicely. Of course I would love to go with Hugo. You are most kind. I don't know how I could ever thank you for it."

On the train back to Bremen we had a lot to talk about. Hugo needed some skiing gear, and so did I. He had been given plenty of money to buy all necessary clothes, including a pair of skis each. It was unbelievable. I had been skimping all this time, as I simply couldn't afford anything extra, and here I was on a shopping spree, to buy expensive ski gear. My excitement infected Hugo too, and we both were looking forward to our

225