Refugee in search of a homeland

My sister Emma: the chain of pearls (this was crossed out) My cousin Gertrud Schmidt: a good dress or coat, some small things (but no jewellery).

Fräulein Lina: The small broach (bee), one dress, lingerie (nighties) towels.

Marthe Oboussier: two table clothes with 18 serviettes marked S.K. (because she had lost so much through me) (this was crossed out) already received.

Jetty Oboussier: my gold thimble which I had received for my wedding from her great-grand mother.

Please share all linen amongst yourselves. I wish that my funeral be as simple and as cheap as possible. The word from scripture: "I know that my redeemer lives" could perhaps be mentioned at my grave side. Your Mutter."

*

Back in Bremen I didn't like the atmosphere in the divided firm. The only consolation was a new secretary, Herta Duwe, whom I took out occasionally. We had to be careful that no one in the office would find out, as such a thing was frowned upon (you do not go out with a secretary from the office!).

My apprenticeship at the firm was to terminate on 31 March 1952. Wunder & Sohn had offered me a position as wool tops sales person, but I felt that I wasn't ready yet, though I could have done with the money. I still wanted to learn more about the spinning side of business, and as Onkel Rudolf had offered to help me, I wrote to him a letter on 19 March.

"Wunder & Sohn will take me on as employee as from 1 April. My overseas plans have all come to naught, except Australia, which still has not been decided, but I may need a lot of patience with that. Herr Wunder agreed that if I get an apprenticeship, he will give me unpaid holidays, and I can go back to him afterwards."

On 25 March 1952 I received an invitation from Onkel Rudolf Hardt to come for three months to Dahlhausen to the firm of Hardt Pocorny & Co as an extension of my training. He kindly offered to pay me DM.100 per month and a room in a house nearby.

I said good-bye to Kurt and my other friends. I was not sorry to leave Bremen, as I had never felt at home there, in spite of the wonderful friends I had made over the last two and a half years. My one hope was to go to Australia, and a meeting with Mr. Beaurang had been arranged for the time I was staying in Dahlhausen. I had hoped that I would not need to go back to Bremen. In any case I had grown tired of my room with no

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