One Man's Journey is Another Man's History - an unofficial memoir of a 73-year-old in parts (PART 1)
CHILDHOOD
Hans Peter was born in a small town in the Saar Protectorate shortly after the end of World War II. Life in the post-war era was tough, same goes with the ones carving a life in the small town of Konfeld where Hans Peter grew up. The winter was harsh, summer was hot, everyone had to contribute to putting food on the table.
Hans Peter... taking a picture on his First Communion
BRIEF HISTORY OF SAARLAND POST WWII
After the collapse of the Nazi Germans, Saarland was partitioned from Germany in 1947 and was known as Saar Protectorate, governed by the French Fourth Republic. One of the main reasons for the French to take control of Saar was its large coal deposits in the region. Most of the men in the region worked in the coal mines. However, food rations were low, so many families still worked on their own lands after mining hours to keep food on the table. Konfeld, where Hans Peter stayed, was in the Saar Protectorate. However few kilometers away was the border of Germany. Hans Peter recalled many times his mother would take him on a Sunday shopping spree after church service. They would take a bus, cross the border to the nearby town to buy clothing material, as well as foodstuff. Things were cheaper in Germany.
Ten years later, in 1957, despite an earlier effort by the French to offer to establish an independent Saarland, the people of Saar supported the reunification of Saarland with West Germany, hence, all border stations were closed. Life went on like usual.
LIFE AT HOME
Almost every man in town worked in the nearby coal mines, either in Völklingen or in Neunkirchen. His father, Johann, like every other man who worked as miners would wake up as early as four in the morning to get ready to go to work. The nearest train station was in Wadern, some eight kilometers away from home. Every morning after breakfast prepared by his wife, Anna, Johann walked across farm fields, jungle tracks, along with friends to reach the train station; and from there, took a train to work. By the time his work shift ends, got home from the train station, Johann would be at the family's little farm nearby their home by four in the afternoon. Almost every family had a land in town, big or small, everyone tended to their own fields. Those with bigger lands tended to their farms on a full-time basis while the rest worked to produce enough for their own consumptions.
Hans Peter's family owned a small piece of land, where his family planted wheat, potatoes and other kinds of vegetables that would provide for their daily consumptions, as well as preparing for the winter. Potatoes usually lasted throughout the winter, cabbages were fermented into sourkraut. Refrigerator did not enter their lives until much later, so everyone usually fermented their cabbages and kept vegetables in the basement where it was cool. They also reared a cow and a pig. The cow helped in the farm, whilst the pig would be made food when it was mature enough. When they slaughtered a pig, the meat was enough to last them until the next pig they bought was mature enough to be slaughtered. Fish and seafood were not common in the inland of Germany. Hans Peter himself did not try any seafood until he was eighteen.
Farmer's life despite having a full-time job
On the way to the farm, the track and the bridge no longer exist today.
Every afternoon after school, Hans Peter and his sister, Marlene would help out on the farm. He had to feed the cow, the pig. When it was planting season, he guided the cow to plow the land while his parents and his sister would plant the seeds and other chores. Hans Peter recalled the times when he pulled the rope tied around the cow as the stubborn cow refused to move. When he started shouting at the cow, his father said the cow would move on its own, all he had to do is to guide the cow, and not pull at it. Sometimes Hans Peter got lazy and told his parents he was ill, or tired, and his sister would have to finish up the work for him. That did not last very long, Marlene was six years older than Hans Peter, she later got married to a butcher and helped her husband in the shop.
Childhood days by the house
After planting season, Hans Peter was not needed on the farm as often so he had time to play with his friends. Soccer was their favorite. Hans Peter did not enjoy chasing after the ball, but he liked having friends to play with, so almost all the time he volunteered to be the goalkeeper. One day as they were leaving the house to head to the farm, Anna reminded Hans Peter to feed the cow before he went to play with his friends. He has forgotten completely about the matter and while he was in the middle of a game, he remembered the chore and ran home to feed the cow, leaving the goal post unattended.
Hans Peter was born after the war, six years after their first child, a boy, he was very much loved and pampered by his mother and sister. Anna who doted at his son, however, was never a believer of sparing the rod when it comes to educating his son. There were times Hans Peter would come home covered in mud, or all wet from playing in the river, or making dams at the river to make ice skating rings and getting him pants soaked and frozen in the winter cold. It was common back in those days where Anna would chase Hans Peter around the house to smack him from getting dirty, wet or naughty. Every single time his mother calls out to him gently, Hans Peter knew something bad was going to happen. But every time, his mother convinced him she was not going to hit him and every time he fell for the trap. The minute she snatched him, he would be smacked hard and good. Still, he continued his fun, she continued her smacking.
Class photo back in those days.