The rainbow never sets

He didn't sack me on the spot, as I had feared, nor did he say it didn't matter. How could I continue working for him, if I didn't have a driver's license? I then told him that I would be making every effort to go to Australia. That seemed to settle the dust for a while.

Through Frau Häseker I met her friend from Australia Mr. John Schroeder, the chief Migration officer in Bremen on 25 January 1954. I told him about the court verdict and that I was anxious to leave Germany. He encouraged me to proceed with my efforts and promised to write to a friend in the Department of Labour in Melbourne, to see if a job could be lined up for me.

"How soon would I be able to go?" "If you can pay your own fare I could arrange for you to go on the next migrant ship. If you want to have assisted passage, you will have to wait for at least 18 months."

"I can't wait that long. How much would the passage be if I had to pay it?"

"About £200, I think, but you can ask at Oltmann's here in Bremen, they're our shipping agents."

"I don't know where I can find that amount of money, but I will certainly try."

My parent's, of course, had no money. I would have to borrow it, I thought. Then I remembered that Onkel Albert had promised to pay my fare to Australia, before he had died in 1953. I would write to Kreglinger's and ask if they could help me, reminding them of Onkel Albert's promise.

On the day I had to surrender my driver's license, 8 February 1954, I wrote to Mr. Denduits, whom I had met with Mr. Beaurang in Düsseldorf in 1952, asking him to help me. I referred to Monsieur Albert Kreglinger's letter dated 24 July 1952, where he wrote that he would pay my fare to the port of destination, either cabin or tourist class. I also mentioned that the vessel SKAUBRYN was leaving Bremerhaven on 7 April, and that the fare was quoted £150 for the lowest class and £190 for the highest. Could he please help me.

Mr. Schroeder from the Migration Office had kept his promise. He had sent a letter to a friend in Melbourne, who replied, that I should have "reasonable prospects of employment in the wool trade during or after August when the season gets fully under way É Nevertheless, alternative suitable employument should be available for Mr. Tieman from May until August, and at any other periods while he is settling in and seeking a permanent opening in the wool trade."

That was wonderful news! Mr. Schroder advised me subsequently to apply for a business visa at the Australian Embassy in Bonn. I did this on 12 February 1954, supported by a letter from Mr. Schroeder. He also advised, that I needed a medical certificate for the migration papers. I attended to that immediately. The doctor declared me fit, except, he said, I had a hernia which needed

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