#7Memostory
Zvonko Springer (zzspri@COSY.SBG.AC.AT)
Sat, 6 Dec 1997 21:12:53 +0100
Hello MEMORIES early in winter 1997!
The 7th life-story is about Rabbits contra German Army and my sister's
remembrance during WWII time. The title of it is
*** RABBITS NERVE SENTRY ON DUTY IN 1944 ***
I have returned home to Osijek late 1944 after I got my promotion to
lieutenant-junior. I was assigned as an officer to the 1st howitzers'
battery returning to Osijek in a new battle position there. Mother told me
then about an exciting incident that happened at home few months ago.
Our house was in Krezmina Street No.5 in central and oldest part of Osijek
called TVRDJA (= Citadel). At the eastern side of a wide street lined with
two rows of Japanese cheery-trees stood individual residences. Each of
these villas had a garden and a larger yard behind them. Fences between
yards were of large-eyed mesh-wire spanning between concrete pillars and
about 2 m high. Rear yard fences were more solid and made of boards nailed
to strong beams spanning between concrete pillars too. Later height was
about 2,5 m because of the adjacent sports' field behind.
Originally, we have had in our yard a solid built chicken house and large
box for house and garden's offal. The later was emptied say in monthly
interval at normal times. When I returned to Osijek the combat line was at
the Drava River and nobody bothered about the regularities anymore. The
German Army has occupied one of adjacent houses. Formerly it belonged
Schmucklers, a Jewish family, who left on time before Nazis' came to power
in Croatia in April 1941. Now, a German CO general resided in it and it was
heavily guarded. There was a concrete flagstone footpath along the yard
fence where a sentry in heavy army boots marched up and down day and night.
Can you imagine what sounds make heavy boots with nailed soles on concrete
flagstones during calm nights?
Mother has converted chicken's house into rabbit's pens first. Later, one
attached a larger housing for rabbits made of timber where pens had a
double flooring simplifying the cleaning. Mother's rabbit farm has thrived
and they had enough meat during those war days without any meat supply
except for very little issued on ration cards. Mother learned how to
prepare rabbit's meat spicing it for good taste. Also, there were skins
after adequate cleaning and treatment provided for skilled hands making
needed warming utensil.
At wee-hours of a dark night there was loud banging on the main door.
Father got up, took a torch (with blue pane) and went cautiously down to
see what's all about that noisy hammering at his lawyer's office entrance.
Seeing shadows of uniformed persons behind window's blinder asked before
unlocking the door: "Who are you? What do you want?" Answer came barking
loud: "Army Police! Open door and come out instantly!" Slightly opening
door father saw two armed helmeted police officers with the distinctive
breath plate straining a light beam strait at him.
Father went down the few steps followed by officers. They've readied their
MPs (machine pistol) as they went around house driving father towards pens.
Suddenly, several loud bangs came from the direction of one of rabbit's
pen. Officers froze to a standstill barking out at father: "What's that?
Who or what makes such a racket?" Father just couldn't withhold a rugged
tune in his answer saying: "There are rabbits in! Want to see it?"
Unbelieving one of the officer strained light beam onto the pen out which
several tough bangs sounded again.
In the meantime mother got up and met three men now back at the front
door. Father's explanation, which caused uproar and officer's apology for
disturbance, has calmed mother's bewilderment. Then mother commented: "It
must one of those male rabbits tapping on wooden floor. It must have been
sentry whose boots sounded similarly when marching on concrete behind pens."
~~~~~~~
Best regards from the Oak Hill in a rather cold night from
CROATIAN SOLDIER alias Zvonko of Oak Hill