Walter Zimmermann

“My father was a communist, an official and founder of the party. For this reason he had problems with the Nazis, they wanted to destroy him, so in 1938, we had to escape. A lady who worked at the British embassy helped us, I don’t remember her name anymore. It was a long time ago. We became immigrants in England. (...) She helped to place us in a center for refugees, at first in Leeds and then in Skipton in Yorkshire.”

“I learned Czech properly only in England, in the army. I joined the army in 1941 and served there until 1946. I was dismissed in 1946. It was a log time ago, time flies so fast. I don’t have any negative memories, I was lucky, we were doing well there. Before I joined the army I had worked in Manchester in a textile factory, in a leather-making workshop. In December 1941 I joined the army. There was a call to join, but I joined voluntarily. I was dismissed with a corporal’s rank.”

“I was lucky on the front in Dunkirk. Some Frenchman has saved my life. I was walking there and he shouted at me: ´Attention, ici, les mines.´ Watch out, there are mines there. If he hadn’t shouted, I would have stepped on it. (...) The Germans were shooting at the bunker about five minutes after I had left it. If I had stayed in there five minutes longer, I wouldn't be here. My wife then went there with me and I showed her the place.”

“I think it is exaggerated. I have never been interrogated, I didn’t have to report to anybody, nor was I asked to inform somebody about whom I had spoken to or who had spoken to me. They trusted me. I have never been questioned by our authorities.” – “But there are records that StB had contacted you.” – “One time I felt there was some distrust, carefulness on their part. It happened once. Otherwise I never experienced any problems. I like to remember that time, I was very happy. When I was abroad or here at home as well, I was lucky that it turned out so well for me; I had the advantage of knowing several languages: English, French and German. I had no problems.”