The Writing 69th: Felix Schaefer's Account (German Civilian)

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Felix Schaefer (German Civilian)

The day of the raid, Felix Schaefer was working for a master tailor in a workshop in a house in the center of Wilhelmshaven. When the air raid alarm sounded on the 26th, he wasn't too worried. As he said, "we were used to it." He went out to the street to attend to some business when he noticed 30 or 40 bombers overhead. Quickly he went to the cellar of the house which, two weeks before, had had its ceiling reinforced to protect the inhabitants in case of a bomb attack. Fifty or so (mostly older) people were gathered there along with Schaefer's boss, Herr Schwarz. Schaefer was thinking, "They're brave those Americans, to attack in the bright light of day." At that moment, bombs fell nearby hitting the house and sending dust through the cellar ceiling. The ceiling held up, but the door was blocked, trapping them in the cellar. Schaefer found a small window, and climbed out with the help of two foreign forced laborers (either Poles or Russians, he can't remember which). The laborers removed the grating and helped Schaefer and the others out. Later, Schaefer and another man were photographed sitting on the rubble of the bombed-out house.