CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY
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be forgotten, strands of tinsel. I still remember that the proper prepa–
ration of these varied decorations cost a good deal of trouble, de–
manding the help of all, and the whole family on Christmas Eve was
too nervous to be hungry. The mood, as people say, was simply
terrible, and the one exception was my Cousin Franz, who of course
had taken no part in the preparations and was the only one to enjoy
the roasts, asparagus, creams and ices.
If
after that we came for a
call on the day after Christmas and ventured the bold conjecture that
the secret of the speaking angel resided in the same sort of mechanism
that makes certain dolls say "Mama" or "Papa," we were simply
greeted by derisive laughter.
Now it is easy to understand that in the neighborhood of falling
bombs such a sensitive tree would be in great danger. There were
terrible times when the gnomes pitched down from the tree, and once
even the angel fell. My aunt was inconsolable. She went to endless
pains to restore the tree completely after each air raid so as to pre–
serve it at least through the Christmas holidays. But by 1940 it was
out of the question. Once more at the risk of making myself un–
popular I must briefly mention here that the number of air raids
on our city was considerable, to say nothing of their severity. In any
case my aunt's Christmas tree fell victim to the modem art of war
(regulations forbid me to say anything about other victims) ; foreign
ballistics experts temporarily extinguished it.
We all sympathized with our aunt, who was an amiable and
charming woman, and pretty into the bargain. It pained us that she
was compelled, after bitter struggles, endless disputes, scenes and
tears, to agree to forego her tree for the duration.
Fortunately-or should I say unfortunately?- this was almost
the only aspect of the war that was brought home to my aunt. The
bunker my uncle built was really bombproof; in addition a car was
always ready to whisk my Aunt MilIa away to places where
nothing was to be seen of the immediate effects of war. Everything
was done to spare her the sight of the horrible ruins. My two cousins
had the good fortune not to see military service in its harshest form.
Johannes at once entered my uncle's firm, which played an essential
part in the wholesale grocery business of our city. Besides, he suf–
fered from gall bladder trouble. Franz on the other hand became a
soldier,
but he was only engaged
in
guarding prisoners, a post which
