Ruth L David – “We could not speak of our deeper feelings.”

I previously told my own story via my book “Child of our Time”. I felt there was little known about those of us who spent too many years in a refugee hostel – seven, for me and some of my contemporaries. It had its inevitable disadvantages, too many for comfort and with only German speakers around us, a slower assimilation of the new language. When the bad news finally hit, we did of course realise we were not alone in our loss, but there was no one who could show sympathy for any of us and we could not speak of our deeper feelings. However, we have kept fairly close contact and feel sisterly in many ways. I think we all married and all had families and feel gratitude for new lives.

I spent most of my life in the UK but in the last fifteen years I have lived in Iowa, USA, in a second marriage. For the last twelve years I have been invited annually to the school of Hessen, whence I hail, and although it is emotionally stressful, I know it is a good thing to do.

Ruth L David
Ames, Iowa, United States