A Window Opens

ISBN: 0595181104

Author: Philyaw, Ardyth

Condition: New

Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Copyright 2001 A. M. Philyaw All rights Reserved Chapter 1, A Window Opens, The Voyage Excerpt from Meta's Journal (Age 11) February 10, 1938 We have been on the Berlin for nearly a week now. My parents suggested that I write a journal in order to keep track of my lifes adventures. I never figured I would have an adventure in my life, but here we are on our way to America leaving behind our fatherland, Germany. My parents tell me that we are going to America for a better life. I thought the life we had in Germany was wonderful. We lived on a farm and had open fields to run and play with my sisters, Emma and Anastasia (or Stasi). Last spring was the best time we ever had. We ran through the fields and they were completely covered with lush green grass and wildflowers. We took some buttercups and rubbed them under our chin. If our chins turned yellow it meant we liked butter, or so Im told. I dont know if there is any truth to that tale because Emmas chin didnt turn yellow and I know she likes butter. Maybe she didnt rub hard enough. Sometimes, when our chores were done early, Papa would take us in his boat and row us up and down the canals in Bremerhaven. Mama and Papa explained to us that we needed to leave Germany due to political reasons. I had to have them explain to me what they meant by political reasons because I am only eleven. They said we did not share the same views as those who led the country. I figured he meant Adolf Hitler. You couldnt go anywhere in Germany without being reminded by a poster or statue that Hitler was our leader. I tried to think back as to when my parents made the decision to leave. I believe it was soon after Papa lost contact with his sister, Ilse. Tante Ilse had gotten married a few years back to a Jewish man. They were setting up their house and preparing for a family when suddenly, they decided to move. Tante Ilse was six months pregnant and it seemed odd to me that she would move so soon to having a baby. They said that they needed to go to a safer place and were going to try to get to Switzerland. Periodically, we would get a letter from Tante Ilse saying they were doing well and how far they had traveled. They did not have much money so they had to travel when they saved up some money. They would stay with relatives along the way so they could save money. Then the letters stopped coming. Papa tried to locate her, but no one knew where she was. The last place she and her husband stayed was Stuttgart. Papa had a cousin there. His cousins family took them to the train station and saw them off and that was the last anyone saw of them. That was about three months ago. There are a number of reasons why we may not have heard from her. Mail has been known to get intercepted, so her letters may not be reaching us. They might be hiding until after she and the baby are strong enough to travel again. But Papa fears the worst. He believes that she, her husband and baby were sent to a work camp. These camps do not seem like pleasant places to go. They get very little food and water and they make the people there work long hours and give them very little sleep. About a month ago, Papa was questioned by some of Hitlers men. That was when he and Mama started talking about going to America.So, Papa sold the farm and took us to catch the next ship out of Germany from Bremerhaven. Mama cried as she watched the house fade in the distance when we rode off. There were lifetimes of memories built in that house. It had started as a one-room dwelling and later, other rooms were added as the family grew, both in size and prosperity. Mama kept as many valuables as she could, but the larger items were sold. She did manage to bring her most valued possession, the cuckoo clock her parents gave to her and Papa on their wedding day. I know I am going to miss my bed that my grandfather had hand carved for my mother when she was a little girl. We