European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

The money was worthless the next day.

During this time many sank into poverty.

A lot of people had paid war bonds

and they became invalid – were not worth anything.

So, whoever had no material goods, lost everything.

1927 I left school.

Then I tried for an apprenticeship.

I didn’t get one, although I had good school reports.

It was in this time, as well,

that the grammar school pupils were older.

There is a difference between the strength of a fourteen year old boy or a seventeen/eighteen year old young man.

I wanted to become a type setter.

My uncle sought for a place – rejected.

Then another uncle said: “Well, then you become a bricklayer” – as well, no success.

My father was a metal worker – again, nothing.

And then I started at the company ‘Jonas’ as an adolescent employee.

That was in 1927.

During this time I joined the trade union, the central association of the employees.

The head office was in the same building. Later on,

that led to my dismissal, because of my activity in the union.