Re: Our questions
Ernest Blaschke (eblasch@worldy.com)
Mon, 24 Mar 1997 22:18:51 -0500
> We have just joined Memories. What a great idea! A year 8 class (13 years
> old) have been reading literature based upon the second world war. They
> would appreciate some answers to their questions about what it was really
> like.Can anyone help?
Sorry I am somewhat late with my reply - too busy these days to write much....
> Questions for the survivors of World War Two
>
>
> "What was the thing that scared you the most during the war? Why?" asks
> Laura Cansfield.
Two things:
Air raids and the possibility that Germany might win the war.
Let me explain:
I lived in Vienna (Austria) during the war, which at the time was part of
Germany.
A great deal of damage was done during air-raids and many people were hurt or
died.
With my mother having been considered Jewish (she was Catholic but with Jewish
parents), our expectation of survival was very low if Hitler had won the war.
>
> "How did your life change?" asks Lisa Cheetham.
Well, the usual changes you will find when war breaks out: rationing, more
political indoctrination in schools and by the media to "support the war
effort". One had to be more careful what to say in order not to be reported to
the authorities (even seemingly innocent remarks could often be interpreted to
have hidden meanings). We were basically distrustful in Vienna of civilians
with a Northern German accent (they would often be Nazi officials).
>
> "How did you feel when the war started?" Philippa Lee and
> Rhys Bower.
Scared.
>
> "What was it like in the air raid shelters?"Mark Lovell.
Vienna had many types of air-raid shelters. The apartment building where I
lived had its basement strengthened by placing large treetrunk like posts
wedged between the floor and ceiling to prevent the ceiling coming down on you
if the building collapsed. This would generally allow rescuers to dig you out
of the rubble. But in case of a direct hit these posts would likely not have
helped much. So while we generally spent our time in the basement during
air-raids, I soon decided not to take a chance there but go to where it was
absolutely safe. That was in the centre of town in Vienna, several km from
where I lived, where the Romans had bulit a vast network of underground
tunnels (about 3 stories deep). Many houses in the downtown core had very deep
cellars. The entrance to the tunnels had been reopened from there (they had
been closed by brick walls when the houses were built), and even with direct
hits during air-raids, one simply had to walk through tunnels to exit from
another building.
Since air-raids in Vienna were restricted to daylight hours, I generally took
the streetcar to downtown in the morning, and either took it back home in the
evening, or if there was much damage to the street-car system, walked home.
Repairs would always be made at night, so that the streetcars would run again
the next day.
> "How did you feel when the war ended?"Dorian Jones.
Very happy. Actually the war was over for us before it officially ended. After
the Russians overran Vienna the war was no longer a concern for us, even
though it still continued for a few months.
>
> "What were things like just after the war?"Claire Hodges.
Well, lets say they were "interesting" for a young man my age (14). Dealing
first with Russian soldiers, then with other allied troops that occupied
Vienna later on gave us much insight into different cultures and parts of the
world. Physically, there was very little to eat, but the Russian soldiers
helped feed civilians at the very beginning, then the Marshall plan kicked in
and provided much of Europe with aid. Since we also had relatives living in
the West, we soon got food-parcels from them, as soon as the postal service
began to function normally again.
>
> "How did you entertain yourselves?"Gemma Miller.
Like everyone else. We played soccer, went to the movies, listened to the
radio (no TV at that time).
>
> Thank you very much.
You are very welcome. If you have any more specific questions, just ask.
Ernest Blaschke, now living in Toronto, Canada.
internet mail: eblasch@worldy.com