European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)

The older ones already knew, but the little ones didn’t.

She said: “Well, we are going to church.”

So we asked: “At night? Why are we going to church at night?

Why is there a church service at night tonight?”

The aunt answered: “Well, because there is. Let’s go.”

We had put a lot of clothes on – whatever we owned and she took a blanket.

Everything seemed adventurous, but we were not frightened.

We were just glad to get out of this cellar.

Then we went, but not the way to where the church was,

but up the mountains, a totally different direction.

The oldest cousin was 14 years old and should carry a rifle, being really pleased about that.

By then we knew: now we are going into war.

There were men with us and because adults were with us, the fear went.

We walked very, very far.

There was a lot of snow.

It was so hard that nothing sank in.

It was very glittery, so it was a beautiful but cold night.

During the first night we walked for at least three or four hours

until we reached a bunker high up in the mountain.

It was very cold in this bunker, but we were so tired that we were still glad we could lie down.