大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 war site by a volunteer from CSV London on behalf of Mrs Ellen Singer and has been added to the site with his/her permission. Mrs Singer fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I left Germany of my own free will in 1935. It was apparent about the persecution at that time, so I decided to leave. It was so much better living in a free country in England. I was 17yrs old. When I arrived I moved to Golders Green. My father could not send me any money, so I started working in Hendon as a mother鈥檚 help. This was the only job people from Germany, and Austria were allowed to do.

When the war broke out I had a permit to work in a factory in St Pauls. Earning 11p an hour.

During the war I was living near Belsize Park. Sometimes you would go to bed at night and you could hear the big bertha anti aircraft guns. It was difficult to go back to sleep afterwards. Friends would sleep in Belsize Park tube station. The platforms were full of people. There were bunks where people would put there bedding. At night there were no streetlights, so you had to walk around in the dark. You would hear the sirens going all the time. You could also see the search-lights looking for the planes. If you left the house in the morning, you never knew whether your house would still be there when you returned at night.

You could see the German doodlebugs, which were pilotless planes. You could hear them overhead, and knew you had to move out the way very quickly before they cutout.

Everything was rationed. Whilst I was pregnant I was allowed one egg per week. You had to queue for tomatoes.

I would always have friends over for dinner. There was a lot of horse meat instead of chicken or beef.

People were very friendly and helpful to each other. You could go tea dancing in the west end.

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