SeniorenNet Hamburg: Writing against Forgetting: Inferno over Dresden

Inferno over Dresden
by Irene Weidel

There I am standing in front of the striking memorial of the Frauenkirche (Women church) In Dresden. Each year,'when ever I come here, is this history building changed a bit. The original stones of the mountain of rubble were, as far as possible, used in the rebuilding. One day it will rise again to its complete height, exactly as it once belonged in the city's landscape.

I go inside in the lower Gewölberaum (domed room) one can remember those, who lost there lives in February 1945. Around me it is quiet.. As the past grips me. I am not aware of the visitors, who come and go. I am experience very cleary, the fateful night of February 13/14th 1945.

Camival time had just arrived and as if in defiance of the depressing news the poeple tried to spend a few happy hours together. Not on the street as in peacetime. Poepie meet rather in private rooms or the local pubs.

Already für the days, refugees with few possessions streamed out of the combat regions of Schlesien, Ostpreußen and Pommern to Dresden. Many more carne and it look lots of time to manage the necessary accomodation. Moreover the railway lines were occupied by hospital trains full of wounded.

I have only a few more days working until I come by the legal protection scheme for expectant mothers. At the beginning of April I am expecting our first child. On this 13 th day of February I am employed by the authorithies in the air raid waming service until 10 pm. Heidrun, my relif, appeared a bit early. "ls there anything special ?" she ask. Two announcements of formation flying, one from the nordwest, the other from west." I reported: "Oh they're flying again Berlin, the second formation could be Leipzig. Have you already passed it on ?". " Naturally, everything is taken care of. I am going now to catch my train." Heidrun called to me"bye, l'll see you morning"

The German cities are burning, are being bombed, are falling in ruis. Only Dresden remains spared. The Gauleiter (the Head of the Nazi administrative area) Mutschmann, asures as Dresden is taboo. There were in our suburbs no precaudionary measures what ever no air raid shelters, air raid fire water tanks, escape routes, alarm positons and things like, that been put into practice. More an more people look for protection and accommodation in this city. The main station is crowed with poeple. The last train out of Niederschlesien have just arrived. Accommodation for thern must be taken care of. At another platform stands a hospital train with wounded soldiers. They are just being unloaded. Many helpers are doing their best; it is hardly manageable. I am very glad to be on my way home. It is just a short way. In our district there nothing to be seen of all this misery and confusion

At home we are still sitting together for a little while, when a neighbour rings the doorbell excitedly : "Come out quickly and take a look at the wonderful firework in the sky above the inner city hang many bright pyrotechnics and coloured flares. Along with them the rumbling of shooting can be heard. (It was not a firework. )Mother is not very enthusiatic and thinks allowed : "what a waste, we still have a war".

lt is exactly 10.30 pm wenn the infernos begins. There was no early warning given to the population, no sirens. The sky spits fire. Again and again in the night the strong bomber formations roar over the houses, dropping their deadly loasts. Three attaks behind each other until the early morning of February 14 th, 1945. As it became bright, low flying aircraft shot at everything that still moved. The inner city bumed for several days, there was no escape out for this hell. For Heidrun there was no "morning".

lt is good to know, that with the rebuilding of the Frauenkirche, wich is possible as a result of many donations from all over the world, mankind find each other and think about it.

SeniorenNet Hamburg