The rainbow never sets

Near our house, we met Vater. "I'm glad to see that you are okay. Franz caught the horse just before it entered the stables. He still dragged the reigns and the ropes behind him."

"That stupid horse. Next time we'll take another one, one that'll stop when we call out for it to stop."

"Next time you need to be a little more careful, where you are going. Stay on the road. But I agree, perhaps the chestnut would be a better horse for skiing."

We had learnt a lesson, but we'd also had a lovely day. All too soon our winter leisure time came to an end, that is for us. Vater had phoned once a week, to find out whether the schools would be opened again, but they remained closed throughout February. 1941 turned out to be one of the coldest winters on record.

On Monday 3 March 1941 our school finally resumed. It was terribly hard to get up at five on that morning, after such a long and wonderful break, especially as it was still pitch dark. Franz, who had to take us to the station, had also the unenviable task to wake us. He threw a snow-ball at our window. It was not easy to hear through our double glazed windows, but we were expecting it. It was lucky that the outside window didn't break. But, we were up. We then dressed quickly, a thermos flask with a hot drink stood on the dining table. We ate some bread with jam, gulping down the tea. Then, quickly, we put on our coats and the fur coats over that, grabbed our school bags, and the bags with the things we needed for the week, and stepped outside into the faintest dawn of a chilly morning. Franz was there in the sleigh, waiting patiently for us to get into it, and then we went off, jingling all the way to the station. We were thankful to be able to put our feet into the fur-lined bag to keep them warm. No part of our body was exposed. The steam of our breath was the only sign that there was a living body inside the mummy.

When we arrived at the station, it was still not daylight. Horst and Bernd were already at the station. Judging by their faces, they did not seem to be too enthusiastic about school either. We had to struggle to get a seat in the train, when it eventually arrived. It was crowded. By the time we arrived in Posen the rising sun was glistening on the snow. We had to go straight to school, as it started at 8 am and we didn't have much time to spare.

Since the previous September Horst and Bernd had also come to stay at the Siebenbürger boarding house. I had moved with Günter and Bernd to the back room, at the end of the passage, which had a balcony. There was an ante-room which was occupied by Otto Körner, a new boarder, and another younger boy. Günter and I were no longer the youngest in the boarding house, which was a great relief. Otto went into the same class as I, and we became good friends.

72