Refugee in search of a homeland

her back in Emersleben? She was barely 15 years old. There were so many questions, but no answers. Only one thing was certain. Both my parents had arrived safely in West Berlin. I thanked God for this and prayed that Gerda may also be safe. I knew that they would be at Frau Grube's.

In the morning of 3 February I phoned my parents and learnt then that Gerda had also arrived in Berlin safe and sound. The reasons for her delay were also explained. In order not to raise any suspicions, my parents had told everyone that they were going on a fortnight's holiday to Blankenburg, in the Harz Mountains, where they usually went. As she was going to high school in Halberstadt, it would have been odd to be seen with them. Secondly, she had helped to pack more of their belongings which were then stored with friends, thr family silver included. She was told to stay in Emersleben until a telegramme arrived congratulating Onkel Helmut on his recovery. This was the signal for her to take the train to Halberstadt, where she was usually boarding during the week. From there, suitcase in hand and provided with someone's address in east Berlin, she took the train to Berlin and crossed over to the American Sector, where Mutter was waiting for her.

On 4 February I sent another DM100, this time directly to Vater, and he in return wrote his first letter from Berlin:

"Unfortunately there are a lot of expenses here travelling back and forth those long distances, and I fear that we won't get away from here very soon. This gigantic mass of refugees over the last few weeks, and still continuing to come, is causing enormous delays with the formalities. We have to complete a total of 16 points on our forms, but sometimes, for only one point we are given an appointment eight days later, and in the meantime we can't work on any further point, as each needs to be completed before we can go on to the next one. Real bureaucracy! I was advised that it would take at least five to six weeks before we can fly to West Germany. It's no fun to queue up in a line with hundreds of people for hours in this cold weather, and when finally my turn comes up, to be told that I had to complete another point, before that one could be dealt with. All this queuing in vain!

Our trip, also Gerda's, went smoothly, we've only lost our passports. Because everything was so well prepared, we left Emersleben without anybody noticing it. I had applied for holidays in Blankenburg. From Halberstadt we travelled on detours to Berlin. Mutter had a referral to the Poliklinik in Berlin from her doctor, and I, of course, had to accompany her. So we were able to salvage quite a few things, especially as Mutter had also sent things away by parcel post. Only with the money it was not so easy, and we had to leave a lot behind, in the hands of many people, as to take it with us would have been too dangerous." (6.2.53)

249