European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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Apprenticeship, Inflation
Apprenticeship, Inflation
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I can’t remember when my father came back home.
I can’t remember when my father came back home.
Wann mein Vater nach Hause gekommen ist kann ich nicht sagen. -
When soldiers, who were demobbed, came through Tempelhof,
When soldiers, who were demobbed, came through Tempelhof,
Wenn da Soldaten, die demobilisiert wurden, bei uns durch Tempelhof zogen, -
I always used to run there but I never saw my father with them.
I always used to run there but I never saw my father with them.
bin ich immer hingerannt, aber meinen Vater habe ich dabei nie gesehen. -
One thing that just belongs to this time: 1923, the inflation.
One thing that just belongs to this time: 1923, the inflation.
Eine Sache die noch gerade in diese Zeit fällt: 1923, die Inflation. -
My sister used to stand in front of the baker’s shop, me at the butcher’s
My sister used to stand in front of the baker’s shop, me at the butcher’s
Da hat meine Schwester vor’m Bäckerladen gestanden, ich beim Fleischer -
and we used to wait until my father came back from work and he had a backpack full of money.
and we used to wait until my father came back from work and he had a backpack full of money.
und haben dann gewartet, bis mein Vater von der Arbeit kam, und der hatte einen Rucksack voller Geld. -
Then he used to give us bundles of it and with them we paid for the bread or a 250 g of sausage or a 500 g of meat.
Then he used to give us bundles of it and with them we paid for the bread or a 250 g of sausage or a 500 g of meat.
Und da hat er uns denn Pakete gegeben, und da haben wir dann Brot bezahlt oder ein halbes Pfund Wurst oder ein Pfund Fleisch -
The money was worthless the next day.
The money was worthless the next day.
das Geld war ja dann am anderen Tag wieder wertlos -
During this time many sank into poverty.
During this time many sank into poverty.
und in dieser Zeit verarmten ja viele. -
A lot of people had paid war bonds
A lot of people had paid war bonds
Viele hatten auch während des Krieges Kriegsanleihe bezahlt, -
and they became invalid – were not worth anything.
and they became invalid – were not worth anything.
und die wurde ungültig – war nichts mehr wert. -
So, whoever had no material goods, lost everything.
So, whoever had no material goods, lost everything.
Also, wer keine Sachgüter hatte, der hat alles verloren. -
1927 I left school.
1927 I left school.
1927 bin ich aus der 8. Klasse oder der 1. Klasse, ich weiß nicht wie damals die Klasse war, entlassen worden, -
Then I tried for an apprenticeship.
Then I tried for an apprenticeship.
Da bemühte ich mich um eine Lehrstelle. -
I didn’t get one, although I had good school reports.
I didn’t get one, although I had good school reports.
Hab keine Lehrstelle 1927 bekommen, obgleich ich auch gute Zeugnisse hatte. -
It was in this time, as well,
It was in this time, as well,
Auch in dieser Zeit war es ja schon so, -
that the grammar school pupils were older.
that the grammar school pupils were older.
Ein vierzehnjähriger oder ein siebzehn-, achtzehnjähriger -
There is a difference between the strength of a fourteen year old boy or a seventeen/eighteen year old young man.
There is a difference between the strength of a fourteen year old boy or a seventeen/eighteen year old young man.
der hat ja andere körperliche Kräfte. -
I wanted to become a type setter.
I wanted to become a type setter.
Also, ich wollte da Schriftsetzer werden.