WE WERE LUCKY
An autobiography by Hilde Gerrard neé Weissenberg, born 1907 FLIGHT FROM THE BOMBARDMENTOn the 4th March we arrived in Stainforth, near Settle, and the Wieners, who were very helpful tried to find us a room. They were working in a large country house, which belonged to one old lady, who had three dogs. Ernst asked her if she could take us in for a few days,. to which she replied. "I don't like children; if you had dogs I would take you." The chauffeur, who heard the conversation had a tiny cottage, he offered to take us into his home.
The nights were quiet and it was wonderful to be able to sleep. I was so thankful that we were still alive. Whilst I did my domestic work my earnings were very small, as I had the keep of myself and the children accounted for in the wage, and the fifteen shillings per week which I earned did not go very far. Now however I had to pay for our living and I wanted to find work quickly.
Stainforth is a little village and the nearest labour exchange and shops were in Settle. At that time there was no bus service and I went down into the town trying to get work and get orientated where I was. Our landlady offered to look after the children whilst I was away. The way down was easy, the wind was strong and I was full of hope. When I had registered with the labour exchange and I tried to make my way back, the wind had changed to gale force and was accompanied by heavy rain. The road led uphill all the way and the sleepless months and the worry had taken all my strength. In spite of the
weather I sat down on the grass verge of the road next to a telegraph pole to lean against for comfort. I cried so bitterly I did not want to stop. I was at the end of my strength; there was nobody near me and I could let myself go. I don't know how long I sat there or how many hours it took me to reach the high village again. The magnet worked - I had my children and I wanted to live.
The villagers helped to look round for work for me. A week later I was offered a job as domestic help in a very large house. It consisted of about 10 rooms and the lady herself worked very hard. She did her own bread-baking, washing and cleaning and I was to join her in her work, especially the cooking. I could earn the keep and a few shillings. I accepted gladly and we left the people with whom we lived and the cottage after having stayed there a fortnight and appreciated it very much that they had accommodated us. We moved to Langcliffe Place, a spacious, clean house and a busy household, where we could join the family life and work our way back to a normal routine.
Mr Ingham, a jolly stout man, the head of the household, liked the children and, after his work, he played with them and they were allowed to go into the garden and play anywhere on the large property. The house and the garden belonged to the nearby mill, whose manager he was and there was plenty of work on the large premises.
Edith and Ernst Wiener, who were on the German quota, were now able to go to the United States and Bertchen, my sister-in-law, took over the job in the house of the old lady with the dogs, where they had worked. At first alone and later on she was joined by her husband Albert, after his release from the Pioneer Corps. We were near again, only about half an hour's walk and the children could visit them and we met on Sundays.
Gerhard was still in the Isle of Man. The release from internment in order to emigrate to the United States did not come off. If one could prove anti-Nazi activity there was a chance for release. Gerhard was in correspondence now with Dr Landshoff, the owner of the Querido Verlag, Amsterdam, whose books of anti-Nazi literature we had distributed from Milan to the Italian-German speaking booksellers. Dr Landshoff's statements about his activity were effective and the next decision of the Home Office gave Gerhard his release. What a terrible eleven months since I saw him last!