What happened was we couldn’t all fly to Berlin on the same plane so a small group of us went a day early with one of our German teachers, Fraulein Durfel. That day she took us to East Berlin on the subway/train. (If I remember correctly the train between East and West Berlin was above ground, the train in West Berlin was a subway.) We walked around and ended up in a bookstore, so I looked at the books and started reading one. When I looked up everyone in the group had left.
So there I was in East Berlin not knowing how to get back to our hotel and not even knowing its address.
I didn’t have any trouble finding the train station and getting back to West Berlin, but when I got off the train I didn’t know which subway line to use. And even if I picked the right one I didn’t know where to get off. All I knew was the name of the hotel, Das Haus der Zukunft.
While I was pondering the board, seeing if I had subconsciously noticed any of the stops along the route we took, a kindly gentleman, the fellow standing behind me in the photo, asked if he could help. It turned out he knew where the hotel was. It was only a few blocks from his sister’s house and he was coming from East Berlin for her birthday party. So he invited me along, and the family phoned the hotel to let them know I was safe and that someone would walk me there after the party.
How sweet was that?
My roommate Edy and I did some sightseeing with the fellow’s niece and her son while we were there.
We went to East Berlin that day, and it was the first time the woman had ever been there. I still remember how nervous she was until we got back to the West. The contrast between her reaction and Edy’s and my confidence that we were safe because we had American passports made a lasting impression on me.
We didn’t know it then, but the Berlin Wall would be built in a little over a year. After that the kindly uncle would never be able to see his family again.
February 5, 2022
wow, being left behind in the bookshop!
but then finding yourself in the arms of a nice family, who cared enough to help you…and befriend you later on.
What scared me about Checkpoint Charlie was the security and how they had a mirrored rolling thing for under our Ford Transit van, lots of shouting, hard looks, no one smiling. Somehow the 12 of us got through and went onto a day in a “deep and moody part of Germany” – I seem to recall we ended up in a type of underground cafe for a meal. And I don’t believe we stayed on that side at all…camping was probably not permitted.
I’d love to hear more about it. 🙂
it was such a long time ago…much water under bridge since then. Maybe I will start another page/file on my wordpress.
I have such a mixture of feelings reading this post!
I’ve been reading a lot about the holocaust the last few weeks. many are historical videos for the museum of living history. people who Survived.
and to think you were there right before the Berlin Wall was put up. Amazing!
you’d think with young visitors from a foreign land they’d be more careful.
to think they wouldn’t make sure the group wasn’t all present before they just Left the store!!! that’s irresponsible to me. Fraulein Durfel should have made sure all of you were there! but… I shouldn’t blame I guess. I know Germany is very beautiful but I’ve honestly never really wanted to see it. and btw…
you looked very much like a young Judi Dench! have you ever been told that? I’m glad you’re sharing these adventures with us! XO
Fraulein Durfel said I should have been paying more attention. I thought it was funny and didn’t take her comment seriously. How embarrassing would it have been for her if I had disappeared?
What a story!!!! And a powerful, yet very sad ending. That man was your angel while you were there, yet what a sorrowful time awaited him!
I know. 🙁
I consider this what i like to call a minor miracle, some kind person helping when you needed it. you were blessed to be found by caring people. what a story this is. love it
Yes, I regard that as a minor miracle too!
What a story! Have you ever thought of writing a book? So fun to get to go to a birthday party…of someone you had never met.
I like blogging better. Actually, I love it.
Wow, what an interesting blog post.
Thanks. 🙂
Out of all the possible outcomes, how fortunate you were! Given the Fraulein’s admonition, I’m pretty sure my feelings would be terribly hurt; glad you elected to take the high road.
Love this story! Are you, by chance, still in contact with any surviving family members?
Unfortunately no further contact with the family. I didn’t take her response seriously. Clearly if you lead a small group you should count how many people you have and not go too far off if you lose one. 😀
Wow, that’s some story. I think I would have been scared to death finding that everyone had left and not knowing exactly how to find my way.
At least I knew the name of the hotel. If I hadn’t had that and the fellow hadn’t come along I don’t know what I would have done. And what would my German teacher have done? What a hoot that would have been.