Chapter 5

Dieter did his best to satisfy Gisela sexual needs. Her libido finally abated in mid-Juni, as her belly grew bigger. Dieter waited on her but wasn’t called on to fuck quite as often.

The Leck Schar started producing pure Aryan babies at the beginning of Juni. Hannelore Voss gave birth first to Paul Ernst’s son, Michael Paul Ernst on 1.Juni. The following morning Margot Kalbfleishch birthed Rudi Schmidt’s twins – Anders and Wilhelm Schmidt. Rachel Schröder produced Werner Sommer’s son Georg on 3.Juni.

Traffic between Leck and the Lebensborn in Flensburg quieted for a few days. Gerta Zimmerman gave birth to Rutger Jannsen’s son Lucas on 10.Juni. The doctors at the Lebensborn were busy on 12.Juni. Ursula Ewald gave birth to Rudi Schmidt’s daughter Hildegard at 9:30 AM. At ten o’clock, Monika Richter bore Hans Pieper’s daughter Marie. Hans couldn’t be present for the birth. He was in the army and his regiment was on maneuvers.

Gauleiter Lohse sent congratulations to Herr Baumann and Frau Konig for a job well done. Four pure-blooded Aryan baby boys and two girls would strengthen the Fatherland for the long fight.

Egon finally escaped punishment mid-Juni. He promptly asked Karin Fürst for a date. He managed to conduct himself properly and was rewarded with a good night kiss. The two hit it off and continued dating through the remainder of the school year.

Gisela wished Margot the best when she left for Lebensborn on 2.Juli. She promised to see her in a few weeks when she headed to the facility too. A few days later Winfreda Simon bore Georg Vögel a son on 8.Juli. They named the child Herman.

Herr Pfeiffer and Herr Fischer agreed to allow Dieter to spend a last night with Gisela in her bedroom on 21.Juli, the night before she was to report to the Lebensborn facility. Gisela felt too big and bloated for sex. The two cuddled and talked until they fell asleep. Dieter kissed his liebling and waved goodbye as Herr Fischer drove his daughter off for her final weeks of pregnancy and then the birth.

Dieter worked on local farms during his six-week break from school. He managed to borrow the family auto a couple Saturdays so he could drive over and see Gisela during his summer break. Gisela reported that Ella Petersen gave birth to Karl Müller’s son Günther the day after Gisela arrived at the Lebensborn. That left her and Margrit Hansen as the last two pregnant girls from Leck. Rachel, Hannelore and Margot had completed their six weeks of post-natal care and had gone home. More of the girls would depart shortly, after their time was up.

Margrit went into contractions 12.August evening. She had nine hours of labor before she delivered Stefan Martin’s son Jürgen. Gisela dreaded labor. Nine hours! How had her friend endured that pain? She was due in eighteen days. How could she do this?

World events were unsettling everyone from London to Paris, to Berlin, to Warsaw, to Moscow and to Tokyo. Poland signed a formal alliance with France and Great Britain on 23.August. The world shook when Foreign Minister Ribbentrop announced the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact on the 25th.

Polish agitators were raiding the Fatherland’s borders. War seemed imminent. The Führer canceled the planned September Party Rally in Nuremberg. That was a strong indication that peace was not expected to last. The deutsches army was massing on the Polish and French borders, preparing to defend the Fatherland from the aggressors.

Dieter and his parents watched with dread. Dieter hadn’t decided between serving his required tour in the army before university or going straight to university. He was leaning towards university first, but a war would change everything. He might be destined for the army, whether he chose it or not.

Dieter got a call 26.August evening. Gisela had started labor. Herr and Frau Pfeiffer, along Dieter and Egon, raced over to Flensburg to be there for the birth. It turned out to be a false alarm. The tired family returned home in the early morning.

No word came from Gisela or the Fischers for the next two days. Dieter was allowed to take the family auto and visit Gisela that Saturday, 31.August. Gisela complained of how much her back hurt. She felt like a whale. She couldn’t wait for her pregnancy to be over with, the pain of labor be damned! Dieter spent a couple hours trying to cheer Gisela up before heading for home.

“More Polish agitators are at it,” Herr Pfeiffer remarked when his son returned. “They attacked and killed four of our border guards. God knows what will happen next.”

“This can’t go on,” Dieter agreed. “The Führer will need to do something to teach these Poles a lesson.”

“Don’t root for a war,” Herr Pfeiffer replied. “Nothing good will come of the Fatherland fighting. We tried that twenty-five years ago. Look how it turned out for us.”

Herr Pfeiffer had served as a sailor on the König Albert, a battleship, during the Great War. He had been fortunate. His battleship missed Jutland, the only significant battle in the North Sea.

“I understand,” Dieter agreed.

Dieter read a bit after dinner and then listened to the radio. His programs kept getting interrupted with news bulletins about the Polish crisis. The announcers speculated that Deutschland would have no choice but to punish the naked Polish aggression.

The phone rang about 9:30 PM. It was Frau Fischer. Gisela had gone into labor. This time the doctors were certain that birth was imminent. Dieter, Herr and Frau Pfeiffer headed for the auto. Egon protested when he was told to come along.

“I’m fourteen and old enough to look after myself,” Egon insisted.

“You are about to become an uncle,” Herr Pfeiffer insisted. “You are going! No arguments.”

Egon huffed and stomped but got in the back of the auto with Dieter. Herr and Frau Pfeiffer knew Egon would be fine alone for a night. That wasn’t what concerned them, Egon alone. It was what Egon might do with a big empty house. The last thing the Pfeiffer family needed was for the younger son to conceive their second grandchild the same night their first grandchild was born.

Egon and Karin Fürst had been going hot and heavy most of the summer. The Pfeiffer parents feared Egon would be making a phone call seconds after their auto disappeared for Flensburg and inviting Karin to spend the night. The fact was, Egon was pissed off because that was exactly what he had planned.

The drive to Flensburg took about forty-five minutes. Dieter rushed inside the second the auto stopped, desperate to find out if his child had been born yet. Gisela was still in labor. Dieter was allowed to visit briefly and then he joined his family and Herr and Frau Fischer in the waiting area. The families had a four and a half hour wait until the doctor came out to announce the birth.

“Herr Pfeiffer?” the doctor said. Dieter’s father stood and looked at the doctor expectantly. “Nein, young Herr Pfeiffer.” Dieter hopped up and dashed over to the physician.

“Ja?” Dieter asked hopefully. The rest of the families stood and stepped closer to hear.

“Congratulations, Vater,” the doctor said. “Gisela gave birth to a 3.4 kg, 53 cm healthy boy.”

“A boy!” Dieter gasped. “Is Gisela all right?”

“Gisela came through the delivery in excellent condition,” the doctor replied. “She and the infant are resting and in perfect shape. Have you and Gisela picked out a name?”

“A name?” Dieter repeated. “A boy? His name is Horst Paul ... Horst Paul Pfeiffer.” Dieter and Gisela had discussed names for the past couple weeks, every time Dieter visited.

“Gisela and the baby are getting cleaned up,” the doctor explained. “You can go visit them and meet Horst in about fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you, Herr Doctor,” Dieter said. “Thank you for everything.”

“It is one of my pleasures with my job,” the doctor responded.

Fifteen minutes turned into twenty before the happy Vater and two families went back to see Gisela. They found her tired but smiling a huge smile, while she held little Horst.

“I told you he was a boy,” Dieter teased after he gave Gisela a kiss on the cheek.

“I should have listened to you,” Gisela replied. “He is going to be a football [soccer to Americans] player from all the kicking he’s been doing the last few weeks.”

“May I hold him?” Dieter asked. The nurse instructed Dieter on how to hold his son before Gisela gave him to his Vater.

“His fingers are impossibly small,” Dieter marveled. “He has so much blond hair for someone so young.”

“Just like you, when you were born,” Frau Pfeiffer commented.

“And like Gisela too,” Frau Fischer added.

Little Horst was passed from Vater to grandparent to grandparent and finally to his Onkel Egon. Horst finally ended back on his mother’s bosom. The infant managed to slide down, in search of a tit.

“Just like his father,” Gisela teased as the infant suckled.

“Visiting time is over,” the nurse announced. “The mother and child need some rest.”

“I’ll be back on Sunday,” Dieter said. “Duh! It is Sunday. I will be back in the afternoon, after I get some sleep.” Turning towards his Vater. “Can I have the auto in the afternoon?”

“You may,” Herr Pfeiffer agreed indulgently. “A Vater needs to be with his son.”

The Pfeiffers got home around 5:00 AM. The whole family went to bed to catch up on their sleep. Dieter was up mid-afternoon for a late lunch and then took off for the hospital again. No one in the family paid any attention to the news. He saw some people out on street corners waving flags, but he had no idea what that was about.

Dieter found out when he arrived at the Lebensborn facility. The front desk staff was clustered around the radio, listening as the Führer spoke.

“I am determined to solve (1) the Danzig question; (2) the question of the Corridor; and (3) to see to it that a change is made in the relationship between Germany and Poland that shall ensure a peaceful co-existence. In this I am resolved to continue to fight until either the present Polish government is willing to continue to bring about this change or until another Polish Government is ready to do so. I am resolved to remove from the German frontiers the element of uncertainty, the everlasting atmosphere of conditions resembling civil war. I will see to it that in the East there is, on the frontier, a peace precisely similar to that on our other frontiers.”

Dieter realized suddenly that Deutschland was at war with Poland. The aggressors would be punished and East Prussia would be reunited with the rest of Deutschland. Dieter went back to the ward to see Gisela. The Führer continued his speech.

“What do you think of the news?” Gisela asked.

“War?” Dieter replied. “This may make my choice between the army and university simpler, unless the war goes quickly.”

“I hope Georg is all right,” Gisela asked. “We haven’t heard anything from him for a couple weeks. Do you think he is involved in the fighting around Danzig?”

“I have no idea, liebling,” Dieter said. “How is Horst?”

“Sleeping ... finally,” Gisela replied. “The little suckling is beastly. He is grabbing my tits more than you do.” Dieter laughed.

“We know he’s my son, don’t we?” Dieter teased. Dieter and Gisela talked for about an hour before Dieter grew tired. He hadn’t managed nearly enough sleep that day. Dieter headed home while Gisela slept to recover her strength after the delivery. Dieter had to be at School at 7:30 tomorrow morning for the first day of Prima [Grade 12] at Gymnasium.

Teachers spent much of the first day of School updating the students on war news. The radio announced that the deutsches Army had secured the city of Danzig. Fighting was heavy in the Polish Corridor and Upper Silesia. The Luftwaffe protected the Fatherland from Polish airplanes and had bombed enemy forces extensively.

More detailed reports came in about how the fighting started. Polish forces had infiltrated into the Fatherland and blew up a radio station in Gleiwitz. The Führer’s order taking Deutschland to war was strictly in response to this Polish outrage.

The French President und British Prime Minister blustered and threatened war if Deutschland didn’t stop fighting with the Polish. Their 3.September deadline passed and the Führer did not back down. The two countries declared war on the Fatherland. Dieter understood what this meant to him personally. A year from now, after he was eighteen, he would be serving the Fatherland as a soldier. University would have to wait until after the war.

Dieter desperately wanted to borrow the family car and drive over to Flensburg to see Gisela after school each evening. His parents wouldn’t permit him to do that on a school evening. He didn’t get to see Gisela and Horst until Saturday afternoon. He spent every minute he could that afternoon with Gisela and Horst, until the Lebensborn ended visiting hours. Dieter made the trek again the following Saturday afternoon.

War news was promsing. The radio reported the deutsche Army was advancing into Poland. The Polish Corridor had been seized and the Panzertruppen were approaching Warsaw. Georg Fischer managed to get a letter home. He was healthy and fit. His division was among the lead truppen approaching the Polish capital, Warsaw. He wished everyone the best, including his new nephew, Horst.

The full meaning of the Deutsch-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact became clear on the 15th. Soviet forces invaded eastern Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. The Fatherland was cooperating with the Bolsheviks ... for now. The Soviet troops met little resistance. The two Heeresgruppen [army groups] surrounded the Polish forces in pockets scattered around Poland, two of the largest centered on Warsaw and nearby Kulna.

Dieter continued his weekend visits to Gisela and Horst as the fighting continued. Herr Baumann touted how thoroughly the superior Aryans beat the inferior Slavs in battle as he lectured about the war each Wednesday evening at the HJ meetings. The French troops were strangely quiet on the Westfront as the British troops crossed the Channel to join their allies in northern France. The world learned a new word, blitzkrieg or lightning war, that September.

The fighting ended in the beginning of Oktober. Gisela was anxious to get out of the Lebensborn by this time. Horst was being bottle-fed now, to wean him off her tits. Gisela was to be discharged 14.Oktober. Dieter rode along with Herr and Frau Fischer when the day came of Gisela to return home.

After bedtime one of the Saturday visits to Flensburg, Egon made a revelation.

“I owe you a huge debt, Dieter,” Egon commented after the two went to bed.

“Oh?”

“You dragged Mutti and Vati over to Flensburg this afternoon to see Horst,” Egon explained. “Karin came over after you left this afternoon.”

“That is not a Reich’s secret,” Dieter replied.

“We kissed like usual,” Egon said. “Karin was really enjoying it. I talked her into taking off her blouse and bra. Feeling her bare tits was ... was ... unbelievable!”

“It is,” Dieter agreed. “Karin got so horny. I tried slipping my hand up her skirt. She just giggled so I went further. I’m fingering her pussy and she is moaning and squirming as I tease her. Next thing I know, she’s reaching down my pants and grabs my dick.”

“Sweet, isn’t it?” Dieter remarked.

“Very sweet,” Egon agreed. “Next thing, we are stripping completely naked. I’m feeling her tits and kissing. She squirming and rubbing against my dick. It feels ... so ... hot and sweet. I rub my dick against her pussylips ... and Karin giggling and moaning in delight. I rub lower and lower. Shit! I want to fuck her!”

“And?” Dieter asked as he listened to his brother’s tale.

“I manage to stick the tip of my cock against her hole. Karin stares into my eyes for a moment and then she smiles and says, ‘Stick it in. I want it.’ I do it.”

“You stopped and put on a rubber?” Dieter asked.

“Um ... um ... nein,” Egon said. “Karin wanted it and so did I. I pushed and pushed until her hymen broke and I slid all the way into her pussy. So hot ... I was in heaven.”

“And Karin?” Dieter asked.

“It hurt at first,” Egon admitted. “I kissed her while I held still and she got used to my dick in her belly. After a minute, she told me to screw her. It felt so good. We did it for ... like ... half an hour.”

“Half an hour?” Dieter as skeptically.

“Five minutes?” Egon corrected.

“Really?”

“Um ... maybe two minutes,” Egon admitted. “It felt to amazing. I couldn’t last long. Fucking is so intense.”

“Did you remember to pull out?” Dieter asked.

“Karin asked me to ... and ... well ... it felt so nice and ... well ... I didn’t manage to pull out fast enough,” Egon admitted.

“So, you planted a belly full of sperma in Karin?” Dieter said.

“It will be safe ... won’t it?” Egon asked. His confident tone had disappeared. “I didn’t make a baby in her, did I?”

“I have no idea,” Dieter said. “You know ficken is how babies are made.”

“Ja,” Egon agreed.

“You gave her a belly full of sperma,” Dieter added. “That is what makes babies.”

“We’re too young,” Egon said.

“I’m too young for a baby too,” Dieter said. “And yet I have Horst. Hope Karin has her period when she’s due. That means you did not get her pregnant.”

“Do you really think I could have gotten Karin pregnant?” Egon implored.

“Do you know when her period started last time?”

“No idea?” Egon asked. “How does that help me know if Karin and I made a baby?”

“If Karin’s period was less than a week ago, you two should be safe,” Dieter explained. “If it was more than three weeks ago, you should be safe.”

“And if it is in between?” Egon asked.

“There is a chance that you made a baby with Karin,” Dieter said.

“Shieße!” Egon huffed. “I can’t be old enough for this.”

“Rudi Schmidt is a year older than you,” Dieter replied. “He made three babies with two girls a year ago.”

“Yes,” Egon sighed. “I guess it is possible. What can I do? Could Karin get in the Lebensborn program like Gisela did? She’s in the JM [Jungmädchen, the program for 10-13 year old girls]. She’ll join the BDM in a couple weeks, after she turns fourteen.”

“Maybe, I am not sure,” Dieter responded. “The Lebensborn program was done as a part of the Party Rally in Nüremberg. We aren’t having a rally this year, because of the war. I don’t know if the HJ is still accepting Aryan babies.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Egon sighed.

“Nothing you can do,” Dieter replied. “Pray, hope and wait for Karin’s period.”

“I guess,” Egon responded. “Best thing to happen in my life happens today and I screw it up.”

“Get to the drug store and gets some rubbers,” Dieter advised. “I suspect this isn’t the last time you and Karin do this.”

“I hope not,” Egon agreed. “I’ll stop by and get some Gummis.”

Sunday was normally a family day for the in Leck. Egon managed to catch up to Karin in the late afternoon. He found his older brother after a short conversation with Karin.

“How bad are the chances I got Karin pregnant if it has been eight days since her period started?” Egon asked.

“There is a chance,” Dieter said.

“How bad are my chances?” Egon asked. “How likely is that we made a baby?”

“I don’t know exactly,” dieter replied. “You remember when I spent eight nights a month with Gisela while I was supposed to get her pregnant?” Egon nodded yes. “The first of the eight nights I fucked her started eight days after her period started.”

“So, I am totally screwed?” Egon stated.

“Not necessarily,” Dieter answered. “Gisela and I fickt the first time eight days after her period. Frau König told Gisela that there was a chance I could get her pregnant that night but it was much more likely to happen later on our trip home. There is a chance you made a baby with Karin but you could have done worse. Like fucking near the end of the coming week. Make sure you have a Gummis if Mutti and Vati go to Flensburg with me next Saturday. Your risk is high then.”

“I have got to get to the drug store,” Egon said. “Karin liked what we did and wants to find time to do it again. Fucking is ... so ... sweet.”

“It is,” Dieter agreed. “Gisela and I are both anxious to get together again when the doctor says she is ready for fucking again.”

Egon and Karin waited impatiently for 28.Oktober to arrive. The day arrived and her bleeding did not. Egon was nearly petrified at the prospect of becoming a father at age fourteen. Dieter tried to reassure his brother that it was too soon for panic. Karin’s period might arrive. The frightened boy waited two more days before Karin gleefully reported to Egon at school that her bleeding had started the previous night. Egon made sure he had a supply of rubbers for when the two had opportunities to be intimate.

Gisela had returned home from the Lebensborn on 15.Oktober. She and Dieter spent time together whenever they could. Saturday afternoons were reserved for trips to Flensburg to see Horst. Herr Pfeiffer permitted his son to borrow the family auto for the trips.

That lasted until the end of Oktober, when the Reich announced gasoline rationing. Weekly trips to Flensburg would have to be reduced to monthly trips. Visiting their son once a month was completely unacceptable to Dieter and Gisela. The first Saturday they couldn’t use the auto was the 29.Oktober. They hopped on their bikes and cycled the 35 kilometers to Flensburg. It was a pleasant fall day and the ride was enjoyable.

The two young parents spent a couple hours with Horst before heading for home. They stopped along the way, soon after they passed Wallsbüll. The forest adjoined the road and provided nice shade for their rest stop. They sat down and relaxed among the evergreens.

“The doctor reminded me of something when I talked with him this afternoon,” Gisela commented.

“Oh?”

“It has been eight weeks since Horst was born,” Gisela continued. “The doctor says it is safe for me to have sex again.”

“Really?” Dieter smiled. “You mean ... uh ... now?”

“It’s been too long,” Gisela replied. “If we move further into the woods, no one will see us from the road. Did you bring rubbers?”

“No,” Dieter replied. “I didn’t expect us to get this chance today. Is it safe to do it without?”

Gisela paused for a moment. “It’s been twenty days since my first period started after Horst was born. I think it should be safe.”

“You’re sure it’s safe?”

“Dieter, it’s been over fourteen weeks since we made love,” Gisela said. “We are alone and we have all the time we could want. I need you today.”

“Fourteen weeks ... actually 102 days since we made love,” Dieter responded.

“But who is counting?” Gisela giggled. “I need you now ... today.”

“I’ll pull out before I come,” Dieter said as he started stripping off his clothes. “Horst may get a brother or sister someday, but not nine months from now.” Gisela removed her clothes too. Her skirt went down on the ground and she sat down on it. Dieter sat down between her open legs, naked with his legs splayed around her torso. The horny youth deep kissed and made out. They took full advantage of the warmer, summer-like day to enjoy their foreplay. Dieter was kissing and suckling at Gisela’s tits after fifteen minutes or so. He kissed his way further down her belly, to her surprise. Dieter hadn’t done this before.

“What the... ?” Gisela gasped as he kissed her belly button and continued further down. He looked up and grinned at her before continuing to kiss her belly. He pulled her panties down to expose her labia. He continued kissing lower. Dieter steeled his nerves. Giving Gisela pleasure was proper. Dieter kissed her on the clitoris, drawing a deep gasp from his shocked lover.

“Where did you learn this?” Gisela groaned as she shuddered. Dieter ignored her question and licked down through her moist labia. This didn’t taste bad. Actually, the moistness was kind of sweet, in a funky way. Dieter continued licking up and down her slot while Gisela squirmed and moaned in delight. Werner’s dirty magazine had been correct. Mädchen did like their guys to eat pussy. Dieter continued licking and fingering until Gisela exploded in a noisy orgasm.

Dieter lay beside his lover as she recovered her wits. “Where did you learn this?” Gisela demanded when she could ask coherently.

“Werner loaned me a dirty magazine about a month ago,” Dieter explained. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to try this since I read the story about how much a fraulein enjoys pussy eating. The story was correct?”

“You can try that anytime you want,” Gisela sighed. “That was amazing.”

“Ready for the real fun?” Dieter asked hopefully. He swatted his erection against Gisela thigh. It’s been too long since we made love.”

“A hundred and two days, nineteen hours and...” Gisela laughed as Dieter rolled on top of her and spread her legs open. She was still giggling as he thrust his dick deep into her body in one long stroke. “Much better,” Gisela gasped as she felt him split her open.

Dieter wanted this coupling to last a good, long time. After fourteen weeks of celibacy, Dieter’s stamina wasn’t as good as early summer. He lasted a couple minutes, which was enough to delight, but not satisfy Gisela’s need for fucking. After a recovery time, the lusty couple went again. This time Dieter managed to drive his lover to orgasm before he pulled out and sprayed his seed on Gisela’s belly.

The two lovers cuddled in the late afternoon sunlight. “I want this to last forever,” Dieter sighed. “I love you over everything.”

“We have the next nine or ten months,” Gisela replied. “Let’s make them count.”

“They aren’t enough,” Dieter said. “I want to spend the rest of my days at your side. I will always love you.”

“I would like that,” Gisela sighed. “I wish it were possible.”

“It is possible, if that is what we want,” Dieter stated. “Do you want to spend the rest of your days with me?”

“Rest of my days?” Gisela repeated. “Dieter, are you suggesting we marry?”

“I ... I guess I am,” Dieter replied. “Will you marry me when we finish our service time, the army for me and wherever they assign you?”

“Oh ... wow!” Gisela gasped. “Are you serious?”

“You and me together,” Dieter replied. “We can make a proper family for Horst. I don’t want to spend my life with anyone else.”

“My father won’t like this,” Gisela warned.

“Will you spend your life with me?” Dieter repeated. “I love you and want this to last forever.”

“I love you too,” Gisela replied. “When the war is over and we can be together again.”

The two cuddled and exchanged kisses for a minute or so. “Do you think you will get called up by the army?” Gisela asked.

“I expect so,” Dieter replied. “The war in Poland may be over but the English und French do not seem ready to quit. We sank the Royal Oak [British battleship] last week in Scapa Flow. They are searching the seas for the Deutschland and Graf Spee [German pocket battleships out raiding British commerce]. The Wehrmacht is shifting troops west, I suspect. They are calling people up. Werner is to report in five weeks for basic training.”

“I thought Werner was our age,” Gisela commented.

“He’s nines months older than me,” Dieter replied. “He is eighteen already and through with school.”

“What is Herr Trumbauer going to do at the bakery?”

“He’ll find another apprentice,” Dieter replied. “If the war is still going on next spring, I expect I will be off to the army too.”

“Not to university?”

“Herr Chamberlain decided for me when he announced England was at war with the Fatherland,” Dieter said. “We have no choice but to do our duty for our country.”

“I suppose,” Gisela agreed reluctantly. “I will be here for you when the war ends. I promise you ... Horst and me.”

“I love you,” Dieter responded as he kissed his lover.

“Do we tell our parents our plans?” Gisela asked after their lips parted.

“I am not in a hurry to tell,” Dieter said. “We know our plans in our hearts. That will do for now.” He received another kiss for that comment.

Prima jahre [Grade 12] of school moved along quickly. Gisela and Dieter spent as much time together as they could. November brought such rainy conditions that Dieter and Gisela couldn’t use their bicycles to ride over to Flensburg to see Horst each Saturday. The Fischers and the Pfeiffers agreed to allow one trip a month to see their son or grandson. The two families agreed to make the trips two weeks apart. Dieter and Gisela rode along with both sets of parents, so they could see and play with Horst more often.

The wet weather turned cold as winter began. The previous winter had been mild, but the winter of 1939-40 was brutal. Temperatures dropped below -20C for weeks at a time. Everyone in Leck bundled up and muddled through the worst arctic deep-freeze in living memory. Meteorologists said this was the worst winter in 100 years.