Post-war turmoil
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6, and on the spur of the moment. Anita and Klaus secretly ran away from home. On a bitterly cold January night they left their cozy Halle homes and fled to Würzburg, full, they said, of the spirit of adventure.
The city, almost mid-way between Frankfurt and Nuremberg, suffered a deadly bombardment during the last weeks of the war. The historic old town was almost completely destroyed.
Anita Knoch: So, we arrived in Wuerzburg at the train station, and there was already a large camp made up in the waiting-room, where you could sle
ep. Bed after bed, everyone lying down with their things. The situation in Wuerzburg was terrible. There wasn´t enough money, not enough of anything. We really hadn't thought it through, just youthful recklessness. And two adventurers.
We went to my aunt and uncle's shortly afterwards, and the first thing they asked was, "Are you married?" - Us: "No." Then they said, "Sorry, then you can´t stay here."
Georg Wübbolt: They didn't take you in?
Anita Knoch: They did not, and Klaus was very offended. So, we stayed in the station waiting-room for two or three days, and I said: This can't go on, we´re going to have to earn some money. Café Ludwig on Kaiserstrasse, which is the main street, was one café that was still standing. I went there and said that we would play entertainment and dance music for them every afternoon from three to six and in the evenings, with violin and piano. I really don't know how we managed that, since we were both into Bach and Beethoven! But Klaus stood at the front and fiddled away (laughs). It was very funny.
More details in the book, including the real reason for the adventure.