Thank you Pat, that was fascinating.
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| The letter http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6478 |
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| Author: | Pat [ 23 Aug 2009, 21:22 ] |
| Post subject: | The letter |
Cecil Maynard, Headmistress of the Carnbach branch of the Chalet School, settled into a chair opposite her Aunt, Lady Russell. "We had a mysterious letter at the school yesterday, Aunty Madge," she said. "Addressed to you, but care of the school, England, as if the writer had no idea of where we were. The postmark's a bit smudged, but it looks like Berlin. With the Wall coming down last year, I was wondering if it could be from one of our old girls who vanished during the War." Madge took the envelope eagerly. She was still upright and energetic, despite being in her 80s, and she opened the envelope eagerly. "Do you mind if I read this now, dear?" she asked. "If this is one of our 'missing' old girls I want to find out who it is." "Not at all Auntie. I'm as keen to know as you. We've heard enough over the years from Mama about the German and Austrian girls who were at school with her to be as interested as you are." "I'll read it alouf then," said Madge, settling her reading glasses firmly onto her nose. "Dear Madame" she read. "I am hoping that this letter will find you, as I do not know what has happened to the school since it left Austria. I remember my time there with much love, though I suspect that I caused more than a few problems, being one of the 'wicked Middles'! Maybe you remember Alixe von Elsen? I went to a State school near my home, and quiclly learnt that I should not talk about my last school, it was not safe, either for me or my family. We had no Guides there, only the Hitler Youth, which was not the same! No one was safe, I remember people near us who disappeared from one day to the next. Mama and Papa told me very firmly not to talk about home things with anyone else. The War was very bad for us, though we had little bombing at first, as Berlin was so far for bombers to reach. I left school at 18, and I married very much straight away, as all German girls were expected to do. My husband, Wolfgang, was in the Luftwaffe, a fighter pilot. We had two children very quickly, a boy Burkhard, and a girl Maria. But then Wolfgang was killed in an air fight, and I moved back to Berlin to be with my mother. That was a bad time. The bombing was heavy now, and food was hard to find. So many shops were gone, and the deliveries of food were difficult to make. Then the Russians came, and that was worse. There was no safety on the streets at any time, not for a young woman, and we were all starving. Then the War finished; they said Hitler had killed himself, and Berlin was divided up between the winners. My home was in the Russian zone, though the street outside was the edge - the building opposite were under the Americans. I could see the planes bringing food for the people in the west in 1948, when the Russians tried to take all of the city. I am glad they failed, for it gave my children a better life. Both Burkhard and Maria found work in the west part of the city, and went to live there, and that was good. My work was in the east part, and my home too, so I stayed. It is hard to give everything up unless you feel it really necessary, and none of us did until it was too late. Then one morning I opened the curtains, and there was barbed wire down the street outside. The Wall had started, and no one could go to the west any more. Those that had work there lost thier jobs. My children were there, but I could not reach them, though they could visit me. Only for a day, and not very often, but they could come, and later on bring their families. The Russians built the wall down my street. Two walls really, both high and made of concrete. I could see over it from my window, see the church I worshipped at trapped inside the two walls. See the American zone so close and yet so very far away. Then I was moved, to a smaller place away from the wall. They tore down the flats, saying they were too near the Wall. Later they blew up my old church, as it was in the way, and of course, useless to anyone where it was. A friend said that when the church tower went, the cross on the top flew off, but I wasn't there, so I cannot be sure. My children told me of the people who died trying to escape, but we in the east were told nothing of this. We knew that between the two walls was a death zone, and most did not try to pass it. We lived as we could, with the queues, and the small amounts of food. The hardship of getting anything we needed. My son was late back to the checkpoint one night, as we were talking and forgot the time, and was in prison for two days because of that. The East Berlin soldiers did that. We thought the Wall was there for ever, even when more protests began, and I joined the people praying for a peaceful soloution. Young people began to leave through Hungary, finding theor way to Austria and a new life, but even then I did not think things could happen so fast. When it happened last year I did not believe it. A friend rang me and said 'They are breaking down the Wall.' I told her that that was not a funny joke, and put the phone down. Then someone banged on my door and told me to put the television on, western television of course, for ours showed nothing all night. I did, and saw people standing on the wall, attacking it with hammers, and the tears began. In the morning I went to the Brandenburg Tor, to see it myself. There were holes in the wall, and we could go through. People were hugging each other and crying, strangers from east and west, but part of this great change. Now we will be one Germany again, and I felt that the time had come to find the friends I lost all those years ago. To see if my school had survived, as I had survived. So I have written to find you all. If this letter finds you, please give my love to those I knew, especially to Joey and Biddy. Elizabeth Arnett was also my age, as was Betty Wynne Davis, and they were more naughty than even me I remember. I have not the money to visit you, but perhaps you may write and tell me your news as I have told you mine. Alixe von Stralsund." |
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| Author: | Elder in Ontario [ 23 Aug 2009, 21:43 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thank you for this, Pat - it's an amazing, and frightening insight into what happened to one of the German girls who were forced to leave the school after the Anschluss. I hope that Madge, and some of the others, will now write to Alixe and perhaps even travel to visit her, since she can't afford to visit them? |
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| Author: | Liane [ 23 Aug 2009, 21:46 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Glad Alixe came through. Is there more of this Pat? |
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| Author: | ChubbyMonkey [ 23 Aug 2009, 21:48 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
What a chillingly plausible scenario, not just for Alixe but for all of the Old Girls who were forced to leave. Thankyou, this has given me shivers down my spine. |
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| Author: | Pat [ 23 Aug 2009, 21:50 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
We are just back from a holiday in Germany, staying a few days in Berlin. this was based on personal memories of the local tour guide we had there. He grew up in West Berlin, but his Aunt was trapped. He was put into prison at the age of 17 becuase he was 5 minutes late back to the checkpoint after visiting her! We saw pictures of the church being blown up, as part of the Wall memorials. I also hadn't realised that the Brnadneburg Gate (Tor in German), had also been trapped between the two parts of the Wall. That's one reason why it's so symbolic for the people of Berlin for the separation and the reunification. I'm afraid it's just a short one-off. |
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| Author: | Helen P [ 23 Aug 2009, 22:14 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thank you Pat, that was fascinating.
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| Author: | Abi [ 23 Aug 2009, 22:42 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
It's horrible to think of that sort of thing happening to so many people - somehow when it's someone you "know" it seems much worse. Thanks Pat, that was really moving. |
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| Author: | Alison H [ 23 Aug 2009, 23:27 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat - that was really interesting. I can't believe it's 20 years this year since the Wall came down. |
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| Author: | Mia [ 23 Aug 2009, 23:32 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Very evocative! |
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| Author: | Karoline [ 24 Aug 2009, 07:45 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Very intersting, thank you Pat |
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| Author: | JB [ 24 Aug 2009, 09:48 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks, Pat. |
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| Author: | PaulineS [ 24 Aug 2009, 10:19 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat |
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| Author: | abbeybufo [ 24 Aug 2009, 10:31 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat - very moving. You certainly put your trip to good account |
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| Author: | lizarfau [ 24 Aug 2009, 12:26 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Nice, Pat. Timely (I can't believe it's nearly 20 years since the Wall came down either) and very sad and evocative. |
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| Author: | Carolyn P [ 24 Aug 2009, 12:42 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat, that was great. |
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| Author: | Fiona Mc [ 24 Aug 2009, 13:22 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat, My English teacher was German and she had been there when the built the wall and was there when it came down. She said all she could do was cry. |
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| Author: | Kathy_S [ 24 Aug 2009, 14:48 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thank you, Pat. It does seem likely that some of the CS girls we lose contact with were caught in the east. |
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| Author: | Squirrel [ 24 Aug 2009, 18:25 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
That was extremely emotive Pat. What a time Alixe has had of it - and what joy it must have been to get through the wall and be able to be free again. I find it very difficult to understand why 'the victors' thought to treat innocent people in that way. As if the war hadn't been bad enough without all that. I find myself hoping (even though I know that this is already complete) that Madge will take herself over to visit Alixe (even if she stays at a hotel while doing so!) and actually spend some time with her. Thanks Pat. |
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| Author: | Lisa [ 24 Aug 2009, 18:29 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thank you Pat - I'm going to Berlin for the first time in February and just starting to read up on all this history. Very evocative and thought-provoking to read from Alixe's point of view. |
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| Author: | Pat [ 24 Aug 2009, 19:28 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
We were on an organised tour and didn't have time to go to the Check Point Charlie Museum, though we'd like to have done. Something for another time perhaps. What really gets me about the Wall (and the equivalent barrier right across the country) was that it was designed to keep people IN!!!!! The line of the Berlin Wall is now marked with a double row of bricks. |
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| Author: | Miss Di [ 25 Aug 2009, 03:59 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat, that was very thought provoking. I recently read "Bury the dead" by Peter Carter - all about an east Berlin family (written before anyone knew the wall would ever come down), especially the oldest daugher Erika. Very chilling it was. |
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| Author: | Cath V-P [ 25 Aug 2009, 04:38 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
I can still remember the absolute sense of shock when the wall came down. That was very moving; thank you Pat. |
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| Author: | jmc [ 25 Aug 2009, 10:18 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thank you Pat, that was so moving. I was 16 and living in Japan at the time and I can still the papers that my friends showed me. As I couldn't read all the Japanese I had to ring home and ask my stepmother, who is German, what it was happening and all she could do was cry over the phone. |
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| Author: | Mrs Redboots [ 25 Aug 2009, 18:59 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
The Check-point Charlie museum was on our "must-see" list when we went to Berlin 18 months ago - fascinating! As was the Tempelhof Airport (since, sadly closed) and the Olympic Stadium, which is still very much in use - the World Athletic Championships were held there last week. I think the putting up of the Berlin Wall is one of my first memories of world affairs - and how I remember weeping when it came down; it was in the days before cheap air fares, of course, so we couldn't go, but we really felt that Berlin was the only possible place to be, that weekend. It's a funny city - it can't quite decide whether it's finished with its past or if it wants to remember it! Thanks, Pat. |
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| Author: | Chris S [ 26 Aug 2009, 15:13 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Although the Berlin wall is history, there are other parts of the world where people have built huge walls to separate communities. When will they learn? Thank you Pat for a very thought provoking story. |
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| Author: | Lesley [ 30 Aug 2009, 11:54 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks for that, Pat - brings the situation to life when you 'know' someone that was affected. I lived in Berlin before the Wall came down and, as a member of the military, was also able to visit East Berlin - the differences were stark. |
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| Author: | Smile :) [ 09 Sep 2009, 16:56 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat, very thought provoking! |
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| Author: | shazwales [ 09 Sep 2009, 19:47 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Thanks Pat that was very moving. |
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| Author: | RroseSelavy [ 09 Sep 2009, 22:32 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: The letter |
Mrs Redboots wrote: I think the putting up of the Berlin Wall is one of my first memories of world affairs ... I think the fall of the wall was one of my first. Though I was a bit too young to understand it properly, I definitely remember watching the scenes on TV with a sense of awe that something really big was happening. What touched me was the footage which showed people waiting very quietly and calmly until they got the signal that the demolition was starting, and then surging forward. Thanks for a little glimpse of history, Pat. |
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