FIVE YEARS INTERNED.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17220, 10 August 1921, Page 12

FIVE YEARS INTERNED.

ORDEAL OF TWO AUSTRALIANS. '"GHASTLY" FOOD, PAPER SUITS. Reclining in comfortable easy chairs on the verandah of their homo at Woolahra, Mr Otto Bauer and his 27-year-old '.son, Louis Carl Bauer, related the story of their five years' internment in the ..town of Wiesbaden, one of the oldest and most famous of German watering-places, says the Sydney "Sun." Mr Bauer, senr., is a naturalised British subject, and first took up residence in Australia nearly 50 years ago, and his eon Louis was educated at the Sydney Grammar School. The story of their adventures is doubly interesting because it gives an introspection of the domestic life of the Fatherland during the Great War.

"We sailed from Sydney for Germany by the Friedxicli der Grosse, in March, 1914, and landed there in May," said Mr Otto Bauer. "Soon after we arrived I had the honour (or otherwise) of meeting the Kaiser under somewhat historic circumstances. _lt was at the- anniversary of the opening of the Kiel Canal—one of the biggest events of the year, celebrated by an immense regatta extending over four weeks. A number of British warships were there, the town was beflagged, and everywhere way gaiety. The Kaiser took a keen interest in yachting, and on account of my connexion with the Royal Sydney. Yacht Club I was in*vited aboard the Royal yacht, which was to follow up tho big ocean race. ''Whilst the contest was in progress and all boats were out at sea, a destroyer suddenly came racing alongside our craft, and the sensational news of the assassination ,of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria was com-: municated. , The Emperor immediately signalled for' all boats" to lower 'sails, ana tho Royal yacht steamed' His. Royal Highness, seemed' very depressed at the news.

"Later tho regatta was conducted byPrince Henry, but the joy had gone out.of it, and the British ships were shortly afterwards .recalled, "Then/the war broke out,"' continued Mr Bauer; "With great 'dbnV culty I received permission for my wife to leave the country. '.From Flushing, she sailed for England, and that was the last I saw of her for five years.) My son. and'l were living at the time at Wiesbaden....'- Then we wore ordered to go; to the internment camp, at Ruhelebeh,'. But ..Louis fell ill. . ."

"The fopdj It waV ghastly stuff,'and 5 could not,digest itl'' ejaculated, Mr Louis BauoTV: v >'! My.weight dropped from lost to'Ssti" ;;°

y. "We,. werey.permittcd to v . remain," said the.father,--'"but 1 I had to'give a substantial monetary that we would t not leave the town. ; Besides that, we had to report twice daily. The food was fairly good'for tho first ,couple of years, but afbv. .-that .'."■■ ' "It was. terrible—terrible I" exclaimed tha son with a shudder. "One small piece of meat each weak, arid potato-Dread-r-tlgh 1 We practically lived on : that?'

Mr" Bauer added that he -Was good friends with the Dutch' skipper of a hoat'tradinir up ( the Rhine, and through him-'wjas able -to send : letters, '-secretly, to; his »; wife, and., also to-get money from hist'bank in .London. But for thattheyiwdnld havel starvied. "When boat" called at Bebrich, a towtishito cti[i Rhine hear by, 1 ' said the fatner frith a chuckle, "I would call;on-hiin ahd take along;an empty njigiV' bfc*pgld'be hwayy with .provisions. ■'^^oy'^ere'very, strict with :'ns at first.'.; : not allowed to wander were several) : tteies* tfrresjbedi j : f however, the pjplicei officials, got to khoT? us, and, we would be saluted in the street by both high and lo\V:ranks.. Then L'tvas taken away to; hospitdl with:a poisdned legi hnd ;it''wiis taken off. I* " i; yHere the son took" up the narrative. "After-' the operatibni'' he said, '.'tojf. father\,was unconscious for seven weeksii The doctor;said, to me: 'He will never' 'livevoWhere would you like hihr, buriedft I had to decide, so I cho'ae Mains, his birthplace, which was; just i acrossthe riveK I went there and purchafed ia' gravefor him, . .."' ; - "But l cheated them I" interrupted the- father with a hospital altogether 18 months. Once vFrenobaviatprs dropped-bombs on the Avery building /next ■ door j killing 37 people; filled in. time' in various 1 w'ays. There were football matches-Soccer,itiwae-T-betweeu the schoolboys of 1(5 and;l7; sometimes the band would.play in the park j and then fre-i. *quentfy;#e would hue a trap and drive around town'. It waß a glorious place, and ■■■ splentyf of Bights. But towards, the ehd<the life became deadly .monotonous: i;,'i.";

,v "I played .patience from morning to mghtj"i interposed the son. •'Otherwise I .think I should have gone mad." ' "Everything,wae\,very costly," continued, the older man, the worldfamed paper suits were very popular, a large number' being The womenfolk were resourceful, and eveh window curtains were turned into.dressea. Just, before leaving I paid £45 for an ordinary tweed euit—l tremble to think what the v cost would ..nave* been in marks. ■■•■;':■ Vv.'U- •■■;"■■•• j-.--.

V-"When 4 the armistice was" declared the people were, naturally, much depressed; and very'bitter' against I the enemy., especially .the French. They hate the French, and during the occupation I have, seen .men hide in.door.ways'wheh the French flag was passing to_avpid,saltitihg it. The English and Amefacana*-were''more welcome, anil in many cases were received" into families. , -{'We hadssome difficulty .in getting out of Germany," concluded Mr Bauer : with- a "shrug, '"but -I can-tell you I was glad to get back' once more to my 1 -wife, and eventually to Australia." '