I was born in Augsburg, home of MAN and Messerschmitt. I was only 9 years old at the end of the war,
but these memories are hard to shed. I grew up in a Nazi-family. My stepfather (at that time I thought
he was my father) was a party member. He was with the SA (storm trooper). We lived in a large apartment complex.
We were the only nazis there. It must have had its previleges, because I remember that we had a car, which belonged to the government. I remember that I was not allowed to go to church. I had a friend who took me occasionally to his catholic church. My parents seemed to be worried about this. In school, during the weekly religion hour, which was led by a priest, I had to leave the class room. There was only one other kid out of 40 who had to leave. Funny, being a kid of a party family, I felt like a misfit.
My father was then drafted and ended up on the Russian front. I really never saw him very much. I remember when he came home on his last break, this was in 1944, he gave my mother a pistol, with the instruction, to kill the kids and herself when the Russians are coming. I guess he knew something.
In February 1944 Augsburg was heavily bombed. This was one of the most terrible things I ever experienced. We had a bomb shelter in the basement of the apartment building. There were 6 families holed up during these air raids. My mother wasn't much comfort, she was shaking more than I. You should have heard every body praying.
Our building was not hit, but some bombs came very close. The steel door on the window kept blowing open. After the first wave we all went outside. The fires all around us turned the night into an eerie red hell. There was another wave after that, thank God we were spared, but the building was a mess. The concussion broke all the windows, there was no electricity, no gas and on top of it it was one of the coldest winter days, as I found out later. After this raid there were many to come. The air raid sirens did not work any more. They just made a hell of a racket with cannons to warn us. From then on I just sat around worrying about what's next. These air raids were so scary, because I knew that they were after us, aiming for us.
The government then decided to move families with kids out into the country. We were moved to Biberbach by Feuchtwangen, about 125 km north of Augsburg. This was paradise while it lasted. The farmers we had to live with were very nice to us and became lifelong friends. Biberbach was a small village. Only 9 family farms. It was about 4 Km from the highway, only accessible by a dirt road. There was no electricity, it was fun.
Towards the end of the war it got dangerous to just be outside. Planes were diving and shooting at anything that moved,( so we were told). There was one instance where they hit some manure heaps. But as a kid you get used to it and did not worry any more. The country side was just too beautyful there.
Then came the most scary night: The front came through our area. It was night. We ran out of the house trying to find a safe place. The sky was lit up by Leuchtkugeln, christmas trees, bombs, artillery etc. WE heard bullets whistling. It always seemed like they were heading towards us. I could hardly walk because my legs gave out for fear. We did not go to the place that was prepared for this occasion. We just waited it out on a road between two hills. I don't remember how long this lasted. Next morning it was quiet. No soldier came into our village. The farmers put out a white flag. This was sometimes dangerous, because there could have been some stray SS around. I know a women whose brother was hanged by the SS because of surrender issues. A few days later a US-army cheep came and then turned around again. From a hillside we could see the highway. We saw truck after truck, tank after tank move along for hours, maybe days. I read later that this was 65 miles long. There is a larger village by the highway with farms along the road. Four German soldiers holed up in a hayloft and started shooting at the Americans. The Americans leveled the farm. I saw the farm later.
It was excited and very happy to see the first Americans and was wondering how they would treat us.
(My mother did not have to use that pistol). I was surprised to find out that they spoke English and that
they were actually friendly. Are these the same people that tried to kill us? Seeing the first black person
was quite an experience too. They seemed even nicer.
Ther is a lot more I would like to share about what happened after the war. If there is any interest I will.
but these memories are hard to shed. I grew up in a Nazi-family. My stepfather (at that time I thought
he was my father) was a party member. He was with the SA (storm trooper). We lived in a large apartment complex.
We were the only nazis there. It must have had its previleges, because I remember that we had a car, which belonged to the government. I remember that I was not allowed to go to church. I had a friend who took me occasionally to his catholic church. My parents seemed to be worried about this. In school, during the weekly religion hour, which was led by a priest, I had to leave the class room. There was only one other kid out of 40 who had to leave. Funny, being a kid of a party family, I felt like a misfit.
My father was then drafted and ended up on the Russian front. I really never saw him very much. I remember when he came home on his last break, this was in 1944, he gave my mother a pistol, with the instruction, to kill the kids and herself when the Russians are coming. I guess he knew something.
In February 1944 Augsburg was heavily bombed. This was one of the most terrible things I ever experienced. We had a bomb shelter in the basement of the apartment building. There were 6 families holed up during these air raids. My mother wasn't much comfort, she was shaking more than I. You should have heard every body praying.
Our building was not hit, but some bombs came very close. The steel door on the window kept blowing open. After the first wave we all went outside. The fires all around us turned the night into an eerie red hell. There was another wave after that, thank God we were spared, but the building was a mess. The concussion broke all the windows, there was no electricity, no gas and on top of it it was one of the coldest winter days, as I found out later. After this raid there were many to come. The air raid sirens did not work any more. They just made a hell of a racket with cannons to warn us. From then on I just sat around worrying about what's next. These air raids were so scary, because I knew that they were after us, aiming for us.
The government then decided to move families with kids out into the country. We were moved to Biberbach by Feuchtwangen, about 125 km north of Augsburg. This was paradise while it lasted. The farmers we had to live with were very nice to us and became lifelong friends. Biberbach was a small village. Only 9 family farms. It was about 4 Km from the highway, only accessible by a dirt road. There was no electricity, it was fun.
Towards the end of the war it got dangerous to just be outside. Planes were diving and shooting at anything that moved,( so we were told). There was one instance where they hit some manure heaps. But as a kid you get used to it and did not worry any more. The country side was just too beautyful there.
Then came the most scary night: The front came through our area. It was night. We ran out of the house trying to find a safe place. The sky was lit up by Leuchtkugeln, christmas trees, bombs, artillery etc. WE heard bullets whistling. It always seemed like they were heading towards us. I could hardly walk because my legs gave out for fear. We did not go to the place that was prepared for this occasion. We just waited it out on a road between two hills. I don't remember how long this lasted. Next morning it was quiet. No soldier came into our village. The farmers put out a white flag. This was sometimes dangerous, because there could have been some stray SS around. I know a women whose brother was hanged by the SS because of surrender issues. A few days later a US-army cheep came and then turned around again. From a hillside we could see the highway. We saw truck after truck, tank after tank move along for hours, maybe days. I read later that this was 65 miles long. There is a larger village by the highway with farms along the road. Four German soldiers holed up in a hayloft and started shooting at the Americans. The Americans leveled the farm. I saw the farm later.
It was excited and very happy to see the first Americans and was wondering how they would treat us.
(My mother did not have to use that pistol). I was surprised to find out that they spoke English and that
they were actually friendly. Are these the same people that tried to kill us? Seeing the first black person
was quite an experience too. They seemed even nicer.
Ther is a lot more I would like to share about what happened after the war. If there is any interest I will.