Page 34

Willi is about 20 here

Auslandsreise Schweden

First trip abroad: the rail-and-ferry journey from Dusseldorf via Bremen's Freimarkt and Sassnitz-Trelleborg to Boras, Sweden.

Diary page 34

Translated from Willi's German.

I. First trip abroad. Sweden An express passenger train whisked me away from Dusseldorf, heading towards Bremen - first the whole Ruhr coalfield, then Munster, Osnabruck and Bremen. Dear Bremen, here I am again, I thought, as I stepped into that city so familiar to me. I collected Kurt from work when Hanni and Reiser arrived, and off we went to the Atlantic, the cafe and bar. It was just the time of the Freimarkt, so business was booming, and after the fine programme the dancing began. Two merry, pretty girls were soon at our table, and it was a jolly, cheerful night that lasted until six in the morning. The next morning at seven o'clock I travelled on, by way of Hamburg, Lubeck and Rostock, to Stralsund. I had a look at the old town and found it delightful, especially all the water. I was amazed when our express ran straight onto a ferry and was carried across to the island of Rugen, where the train went on at once to Sassnitz. At two in the night I boarded the steamer that was to carry me into the foreign land - a fairly large ship. Towards morning we landed at Trelleborg, and after the checks I boarded the express for Goteborg by way of Malmo. Goteborg, the second Nordic port city, lies splendidly scattered over its hills. A passenger train then brought me, after two hours, to my destination, Boras. The journey to Goteborg was very lovely, and Hungarian musicians pleasantly shortened the time.

People: Willi Distel, Kurt, Hanni, Reiser

Places: Dusseldorf, Bremen, Muenster, Osnabrueck, Hamburg, Luebeck, Rostock, Stralsund, Ruegen, Sassnitz, Trelleborg, Malmoe, Goeteborg, Boras

Interesting facts