- Contributed byÌý
- Harold Pollins
- People in story:Ìý
- Harold Pollins
- Location of story:Ìý
- Perth
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A2864919
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 25 July 2004
It was just after the war and I had become a Personnel Selection Serjeant. My first posting in that capacity was to the Primary Training Unit in Perth, Scotland, to which I had initially been called up.
It appeared that the restrictions on Prisoners of War had been lifted. They could now get out of their camps, not just for working but also for some leisure. Thus some German POWs who were stationed near Perth began being allowed out in the evenings provided they were accompanied. Somehow - I do not now recall the circumstances - I, and one or two others, began to associate with some of them, going for walks round the town. They wore civilian clothing with coloured patches to denote that they were POWs.
I must say that I was a little reluctant to do this. It was just after the war and the news about the Holocaust was still very fresh in my mind. Admittedly I didn’t know then what I came to learn only a few years ago, that part of my mother’s family living in Belarus had been wiped out. My knowledge of the Holocaust was not as personal as that.
Yet I somehow overcame my apprehension and went on several perambulations around Perth. I had learned German at school for four years, partly during the war, and was quite good at it - I‘ve forgotten most of it now. Unusually for those days, much of the teaching had been oral. We had spoken the language more than we wrote it. I recall a few years later, when we had been demobbed and had taken our degrees at university, I and one of my schoolmates (a former officer in the Royal Ulster Rifles), who had just taken a degree in German and had been appointed to a university appointment in the same language department, visited our old school. He spoke to the man who taught us German. My friend said that the German speech he had taught us was extremely good. He asked where the teacher had learned it. The teacher replied that he had never studied German at university, having taken a History degree. Not having a job - it was in the years of depression - he had gone to Germany. He had learned German merely by picking it up from daily conversations.
My knowledge of German was I suppose quite good then and as I walked about with a couple of German POWs we conversed in German. Goodness knows what we talked about. The only thing I remember about it was one occasion when I had used the word ‘manchmal’, meaning ‘sometimes.’ I recall that they were most impressed as I had pronounced it with the ‘ch’ in the middle of the word sounding like ‘ch’ in ‘church’ rather than the usual gutteral pronunciation, as in the Scottish ‘ch’ in ‘loch’.
The German POWs said that it was a very posh, upper-class pronunciation - rather ironical in view of the fact that I had gone to school in a working-class and lower-middle-class area. The POWs expressed their admiration for my knowing it. A tribute to the teacher.
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Message 1 - Talking to german POW's
Harold-
As we were in Austria immediately after hostilities ceased
we were given the opportunity to learn the German language, which being Scottish born - I could get my tongue around most of their CH's. one day while talking to two young ladies they lapsed into their venacular rapid "alata" after every word and so I interjected by saying " Ich verstehen gar night"....they then accused me of knowing more than they suspected as I was able to speak in "Hoch Deutsch".
On another occasion we were off to a dance in a nearby village when we were picking up the young ladies from our village, one of them arrived smothered in perfume which was unusual
so one of our "German Students" trying to compliment her said - "Du stinken sehr gut" - whereupon she belted him... and these were not petite little things either..if the horse was sick - they could all pull the plough !
I have no doubt that you are aware that Perth is the smallest town in Scotland as it sits between two inches !
Ìý
Message 2 - Talking to german POW's
Tom (I take it that that's your name)
Many thanks for your message. Thanks also for reminding me of the phrase Hoch Deutsch - I had forgotten it.
In 1950 I was on holiday with friends in Switzerland in the part where they spoke Swiss-German. In those days most people in the area were British visitors and it was strange, walking along the mountain paths, to see British people greeting each other with 'Gruess Gott' which in the local dialect was pronounced something like 'Grertzer'. There was a power cut while we were there and after a time there was a knock on the door. I answered it and a stranger said something like 'Gretzer', so I replied 'Gretzer'. He looked puzzled and we went through the same routine.
Afterwards my friend, who had studied German in university laughed and explained that the stranger had asked 'Brennt's licht'. So our conversation had been 'Are the lights on?' to which I had replied 'Good-day'.
A similar expression of ignorance occurred a few years later when I was on holiday in Florence with another friend. I saw a notice on a building site which went 'Entrata prohibitata a tutti personne non adetti a lavore' (I think I've got that right. I mentioned to the friend that I was pleased that I could translate it (I had never studied Italian). I said it meant'Entry prohibited to all people not addicted to washing.' He also laughed.
Harold
Message 1 - talking to the Germans
Posted on: 26 July 2004 by Ron Goldstein
Hi Harold
You just reminded me (I wonder how many times I've said that on this site!) of an earlier reply I made to a thread. It went like this.
Message 9
In reply to this message
German is Verboten
Posted 2 Weeks Ago by Ron Goldstein - WW2 Researcher
Many years ago, I was Production Controller for an offshoot of a large public company and I was based on the 3rd floor of a large building.The MD, who was on the top floor knew that I spoke a few languages and one day asked me up to his office to do some German translation for him.
Our conversation went something like this.
'Ron, do me a favour, I've got this chap on the phone calling from Zurich. He's placed a large order for some girls tunics and he now wants to modify it. Instead of a Tunic top he wants crossover straps. I want you to tell him its not possible to alter the order at this late stage'
My reply went:
'Sorry Harold, my German is strictly of the Military kind. If you want me to ask him to come out with his hands up or he'll get a burst up his backside, then I'm your man, but if its to do with girls tunics then I'm sorry but I'll have to pass!
Regards
Ron
Ìý
Message 2 - talking to the Germans
I take your point.
In 1953, after having lived in Swansea for a period, I went with a group of adult students (WEA and Extra-mural) on a two-week holiday. We had intended to go to Spain by rail but there was a strike in France so we went first to Belgium and then to Bonn, in Germany. I must say that, unlike my experiences in Perth with German POWs, I found the experience in Bonn quite disturbing. I kept wondering what the people I came into contact with had been doing in the 1930s and 1940s. In fact I can only recall speaking to very few of them - except for the remnants of the Jewish community I found in Bonn. I remember on the first night, at dinner, asking the waiter for something and he complimented on my German and asked how long I'd been in Germany. I said two hours. And we went on a boat trip on the Rhine and the Welsh crowd (who were Welsh-speaking) sang a series of penillion, Welsh songs in harmony.
Harold
Message 1 - Memories of Pollins
Posted on: 04 October 2004 by Monovian
I remember Pollins Radio well, as i have explained in a piece on the "Bombing in Leytonstone" paqe.
I used to pass it each day before the war on the way to Davies Lane School. Among contemporary pupils at the time was Frank Warrender who was, until recently HM Coroner for West sussex and I met him again for the first time since 1940 when I was working in Tunbridge Wells in 1983-93.
Along by Pollins were a grocer (Addis & Burnett), a greengrocer and Sainsburys, with a sweets hop on the corner of Davies Lane. Hammond's, newsagents were just the other side of LMS railway bridge as were Bowens Chemists - and in postwar times, Josephs Tailors (Leon was the outside left for the Stones and an England amateur international).
My grandparents and aunt & uncle lived in Ferndale Road and I well remember horn-rimmed spectacles on Mr Pollins.
More to follw if I get a response.
Malcolm Pettit
PS Remember Frankie Jefford, buidler's son also Arthur Evans (still somewhere in Woodford when i was last in touch) and Frank Newman, later of football fame?
Ìý
Message 2 - Memories of Pollins
Posted on: 06 October 2004 by Harold Pollins
Ah,memories!
I remember most of the names you mention although Josephs' shop was just two shops away from Pollins Radio. I knew one of the sons, Monty, and we used to go to watch Leytonstone FC in the unpronounceable Isthmian League. I wrote a short piece about Leon Joseph about fifty years ago.
We all went to Davies Lane School and my brother and I went to Leyton County High School. My younger sister went to Tom Hood Central School.
I was born above the shop and lived there, apart from Amy service and three years in Wales, until 1964. My eldest sister and her husband had the shop until the husband died in 1996 and my sister a year later. The premises were then sold by their daughter, my niece. I haven't been back to see what has happened to it.
Best wishes
Harold Pollins
Message 1 - german p.o.w's
Posted on: 26 January 2005 by mandy
Hello,
I am wondering if anyone can help me, I am looking for any information regarding my Late Father, who was a German p.o.w in Burton on Trent, I was told by my Step Mother, that he was captured by Russians and tortured.
Why were the Germans that were captured, brought to the U.K?
I dont know that much about his life before I was born,so any help will be great,
Thanks,
Regards,
Mandy.
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