Eyewitness Testimony Hendrik Peeters

1945 - the terrible war became unbearable. With deep concern, we also experienced in Orla am Ende how many families lost their sons and fathers, how the people of the East had to flee, the cities were bombed to rubble. We heard the roaring of the bombers that laid Dresden with thousands of refugees in ruins and ashes... In this difficult time, which cannot be described, how it burdened us, there were many foreigners in inns, barracks; older, German craftsmen were assigned to families in Orla and surrounding villages. Thousands of men worked in a new factory: "REIMAG". In the middle of the forest, in the mountain, underground. Everything served the war, with "V2" there was supposed to be a turning point to the "final victory"! A young man, then 20 years old, worked in this factory. His name??? HENRIK PEETERS From the city administration of Orlamünde, he was assigned on January 2, 1945, to a family home. Although food was scarce, there was something good on the lunch table that day: red cabbage, potatoes, and beef roulades, to which we invited Hendrik Peeters. In my notes, there is the sentence that Hendrik said excitedly to us: "You forget, I am a foreigner!" Dear Heinrich, that is how I remember your arrival! From January 2, 1945, you belonged to us. Your leg injury was very severe, long under medical treatment. In mid-January 1945, Mrs. Andersen came with daughters and Rudi, fleeing from the Russians near Posen/Poland, acquaintances of my sister. They found shelter with us; kitchen and stove were "shared"! Our mother considered it natural to help with your nutrition. Everything was rationed with food cards, the rations became smaller and smaller... the hunger grew ever greater. But we had dwarf chickens, whose feeding was difficult, but the egg production was free, not subject to delivery obligation! In our kitchen, mother sewed day and night. Your place was near her sewing machine. You integrated yourself quietly and modestly, never disturbing. I was so young and certainly never asked you about your worries and needs. I remember that you were allowed to write one card home per month. The fine, clean handwriting is well remembered. But you probably never received an answer from your parents? During your time with us, women knitted stockings and gloves for soldiers, wool was rationed for this. Somehow the stockings became smaller, the gloves shorter - and the remaining wool we used for you. Your stockings no longer had any "feet" and the pants were worn out, held together with safety pins. Old shoes and underwear you received from our father - whether it all fit, no one asked!!!!! On March 14, it was mother's 48th birthday. With difficulty, we obtained some flour in Kleiribucha, thanks to the diligent dwarf chickens there was a cake. You wrote a touching congratulation for mother, but also "the baker has no yeast, the gardener no flowers"... It was a beautiful spring - sunny, warm - compensation for all other evils? The war got worse, the "fronts" moved closer and closer. One day in April, I received an order from my boss, mayor and local group leader, to destroy various files in the town hall. The "enemy" almost in sight, this destruction was done in the heating boiler of the town hall cellar. It was not suitable for such amounts of paper, thick smoke arose. In the excitement, we were not aware that we could suffer health damage. Grete FischMr and Gerda Kolb, both also working in the town hall, were with me. Help came from Herta and you --- and then it happened that you, as the only male, fainted briefly. You literally fell into our arms, but otherwise nothing bad happened to you! Meanwhile, mother had started the bath stove at home with the residents' registry so that we could all undergo a thorough cleaning. I was "allowed" to recreate this burned registry from memory during the Pentecost holidays 1945, with Gerda Kolb, under American military supervision... After the American army entered Orlamünde in mid-April 1945, finally on May 8, 1945, the war ended. We were so used to your presence and I could not understand that you had to leave us "so quickly." A small note reads: "10.5.1945, Heinrich for home transport to Belgium." Ascension Day 1946 you wrote a letter that you arrived healthy on May 21, 1945 at your parents' home. Herta sent a copy of it because mother and father were meanwhile in Essenheim - I had left home with Willi after the Americans left on July 2, 1945, and Thuringia was occupied by the Russians. With great caution in the French-occupied zone, I was ashamed to ask you for the first little shoes for Ursula. Despite all your youth and your own problems, you kept the best contact with our family with various help and grateful letters. In June 1947, we were very happy to hold a package from you in our hands! With a pounding heart, we opened it, with disappointment took out the contents. It was "robbed," filled with old pieces of wood and some potatoes, a remnant of the Lierer newspaper and a wonderful scent of fine soap!! In July 1947, it was about property in Orlamünde, my parents received from you a statement about your time with us. Of course, you did this for us, this willingness touched us deeply. For decades we received from you, dear Heinrich, many heartfelt and grateful letters, family news - joyful, sad, and packages. Mia was close to us like you, although we did not know her. Your children were born - but then came the year 1967! From August 23-29 there was a long-awaited reunion with you, dear Heinrich, and meeting Mia in Essenheim. Mother came out to meet you both in front of the house. Even today we hear your first words: "Mia, this is Mrs. Hädrich, if there were no Mrs. Hädrich, there would be no Mrs. Peeters." We were all very, very moved and I just cherish the tears in the memory of that day. I see you and my mother’s happy face, framed by her beautiful white hair. Beautiful days followed, Mia as "conductor," father with you in Heidelberg in much rain "in the Oberhoyern," with ice-cold feet! and Mia without stockings.1958 - World Exhibition in Brussels and Essenheimer Siege in Licr! What have we put you through, what have you, have you done for us! First mother, father, Ursula, Harro - the children stayed alone with you - then we with Weikinger's and Gretchen. Aunt Klara moved and you spoke a great, unforgettable word: "Your friends are also my friends." Everything we received from you so generously and excellently organized by you is a lasting memory for us. There were always visits from us to you, from you to us. Stronger and more intimate we grew together over all these years.