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Else and Steven compare contrasting memories of growing up in very different times. For Else as a young girl living in Germany during the Second World War it was a traumatic and troubled time. As her much loved Father fought with the German Army, Else and her family were evacuated to what was thought to be safety in Pomerania. However, towards the end of the war as Soviet forces crossed the eastern borders into Germany, Else and her family found themselves in the path of invading Russian troops. Else suffered horrific experiences when captured by the invading soldiers and then subsequently marched to imprisonment far away from her family. Determined to escape - Else and just one other young girl from amongst the prisoners undertook a daring plan to hide in lockers within the country house being used by the troops as an overnight stop. Once the troops had finally left in the morning – Else and her friend began their long and traumatic journey on foot back to their homes. Eventually reunited with her Mother, brothers and sister in the Pomeranian village where she had left them. The family then continued their escape back to their home in Dusseldorf – a journey of hundreds of miles, on foot and pushing the baby in a pram.
Several years on, Else found herself working for the British occupying forces in Germany and this opened up the opportunity to move to this country, where she met her RAF husband, settled down in a Wiltshire village and brought up her family.
In more recent years, now a widow in her 80’s and living in Norfolk, Else undertook to write her account of her young life and war-time experiences. Still with very clear memories of the time, it was a painful process but helped along and supported by her son Steven, ‘Innocence Lost’ was published. In this conversation they reminisce warmly about life in Wiltshire and in particular, the impact on Steven of growing up with a German Mum in rural England. Christmas traditions, lifts to school in the bubblecar, the gradual discovery of his Mother’s amazing story - now it’s Steven’s turn to start writing his planned life story ‘Growing Up in Lederhosen’!