The rainbow never sets

through it. I will show you later how it works. If Tourcoing comes Ñ the place in France, where Dewavrin & Fils, their main overseas supplier had their office Ñ you have to call me, unless it is a routine message with new prices."

His office was located at the other end of the main office, with a large desk and some comfortable lounge chairs.

After Jürgen had finished the introductions, and I had seen everything there was in the office, I sat at my desk and thought:

'Here I am, having jumped from an apprentice to wool tops sales, accountable to Jürgen Siemering only! Is this real, or am I dreaming?'

I also heard that Jürgen's father August had died in July 1952, only a couple of months earlier.

It was not difficult to settle into my work. I soon became quite competent on the teleprinter, and sent offers directly to the prospective buyers. I had known all the clients from my apprentice years, and the names of the buyers were soon learnt. I was also familiar with the types of wool tops we were selling.

*

My friend Peter Spies, whom I had met towards the end of my apprentice time, was working for Stucken & Co, another wool importer in Bremen. He had told me how fortunate I was, getting such a good job at Siemerings. He could not see himself getting a similar position at his firm, and so he had made some enquiries to go overseas for his firm. We would often visit each other and talk of the future. He knew of my overseas plans, and so we dreamed together about one day perhaps going into partnership and starting a wool exporting busines somewhere overseas. We became good friends. He was also a good tennis player and had joined the Werder club, where I was a member.

But before we could even think about going into business together, I knew I had to earn my own reputation first. Siemering had offered me a commission of DM0.01 for every kilo of wool tops I sold on my trips, or from the office on my own initiative. For that reason I was keen to go on my first trip to visit our clients, but this didn't come off until December. A Monsieur Roger from our French supplier Anselme Dewavrin & Fils, Tourcoing, was to come with me. I prepared two ranges of samples, one of spot lots and one of types which could be ordered for later delivery, together with the latest price list for greasy wool. Some clients bought raw wool, usually in 200 bale lots, which they either scoured and combed in their own mill or at the Bremer Woll Kämmerei (BWK). Our first visit was made to a spinning mill in Wilhelmshaven, near Hamburg, where we sold some wool, earning my first commission. It was also very useful to meet the buyers personally.

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