Bkimberl at 18:55, 13 July 2009

2009-07-13T18:55:04Z

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	such a murderous war as that in which the working-class of Europe		such a murderous war as that in which the working-class of Europe
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		+	<p align="right"> [[Main_Page \| WWI Document Archive ]] > [[Diaries, Memorials, Personal Reminiscences]] > [[A German Deserter's War Experience]] > '''XXIV AMERICA AND SAFETY''' </p><hr>

Hirgen at 05:19, 2 September 2008

2008-09-02T05:19:16Z

New page

<CENTER>XXIV 

AMERICA AND SAFETY </center>

 WHAT I have still to relate does not concern actual war experiences.
But the reader might want to know how I came to America. That
must be done in a few short sentences.

 In Holland war was believed to be unavoidable. Again I had
to choose another domicile. After much reflection and making of
plans I decided to go to America.

 After having left my place I executed that plan. Some days
after I was informed that the steamer Zyldyk of the Holland-American
line was leaving for New York in the night from the 17th to the
18th of March. According to my plan I packed my things in a sailor's
bundle and began the risky game.

 I had never been on a sea-going steamer before. The boat was
a small trader. I had found out that the crew had to be on board
by midnight. I had an idea that the men would not turn up earlier
than was necessary. With my sailor's bundle I stood ready on the
pier as early as ten o'clock. All I had packed together in the
excitement consisted of about seven pounds of bread and a tin
containing some ten quarts of water. At midnight the sailors and
stokers of the boat arrived. Most of them were drunk and came
tumbling along with their bundles on their backs. I mixed with
the crowd and tumbled along with them. I reached the deck without
being discovered. I observed next to me a deep black hole with
an iron ladder leading downwards. I threw my bundle down that
hole and climbed after it. All was dark. I groped my way to the
coal bunker. I would have struck a match, but I dared not make
a light. So I crawled onto the coal which filled the space right
up to the ceiling. Pushing my bundle in front of me I made my
way through the coal, filling again the opening behind me with
coal. Having in that manner traversed some thirty yards I came
upon a wall. There I pushed the coal aside so as to have room
to lie down. I turned my back against the outer wall of the boat.

 Nobody suspected in the slightest degree that I was on board.
Now the journey can start, I thought to myself. At last the engines
began to work; we were off. After many long hours the engines
stopped. Now we are in England I guessed. Perhaps we were off
Dover or somewhere else; I did not know. Everything was darkness
down there. While the boat was stopping I heard the thunder of
guns close to us. I had no idea what that might mean. I said to
myself, "If the English find me my voyage is ended."
But they did not turn up.

 At last we proceeded; I did not know how long we had stopped.
All went well; I scarcely felt the boat move. However, it was
bitterly cold, and I noticed that the cold increased steadily.
Then the weather became rougher and rougher. Days must have passed.
I never knew whether it was day or night. Down in my place it
was always night. I ate bread and drank water. But I had scarcely
eaten when all came up again. Thus my stomach was always empty.

 Through the rolling of the boat I was nearly. buried by the
coal. It got worse and worse, and I had to use all my strength
to keep the coal away from me. The big lumps wounded me all about
the head; I felt the blood run over my face. My store of bread
was nearly finished, and the water tasted stale. I lit a match
and saw that the bread was quite black.

 I wondered whether we were nearly there. No more bread. I felt
my strength leave me more and more. The boat went up and down,
and I was thrown hither and thither for hours, for days. I felt
I could not stand it much longer. I wondered how long we had been
on the water. I had no idea. I was awfully hungry. Days passed
again. I noticed that I had become quite thin.

 At last the engines stopped again. But soon we were off once
more. After long, long hours the boat stopped. I listened. All
was quiet. Then I heard them unloading with cranes.

 New York!---After a while I crept forth. I found that half
of the coal had been taken away. Not a soul was there. Then I
climbed down a ladder into the stokehole; nobody was there either.
I noticed a pail and filled it with warm water. With it I hastened
into a dark corner and washed myself. I was terribly tired and
had to hold on to something so as not to collapse. When I had
washed I took my pocket mirror and gazed at my face. My own face
frightened me; for I looked pale as a sheet and like a bundle
of skin and bones. I wondered how long the voyage had lasted.
I had to laugh in spite of my misery ---I had crossed the ocean
and had never seen it!

 The problem was now to get on land. What should I say if they
caught me? I thought that if I were caught now I should simply
say I wanted to get to Holland as a stowaway in order to reach
Germany. In that case, I thought, they would quickly enough put
me back on land. With firm resolve I climbed on deck which was
full of workmen.

 I noticed a stair-way leading to the warehouse. Gathering all
my strength I loitered up to it in a careless way and---two minutes
later I had landed. I found myself in the street outside the warehouse.,

 Up to that time I had kept on my legs. But now my strength
left me, and I dropped on the nearest steps.

 It was only then that I became aware of the fact that I was
not in New York, but in Philadelphia. It was 5 o'clock in the
afternoon of April 5th, 1916. 1 had reckoned on twelve days and
the voyage had taken eighteen.

 Physically a wreck, I became acquainted with native Americans
in the evening. They afforded me every assistance that one human
being can give to another. One of those most noble-minded humanitarians
took me to New York. I could not leave my room for a week on account
of the hardships I had undergone; I recovered only slowly.

 But to-day I have recovered sufficiently to take up again in
the ranks of the American Socialists the fight against capitalism
the extirpation of which must be the aim of every class-conscious
worker. A relentless struggle to the bitter end is necessary to
show the ruling war provoking capitalist caste who is the stronger,
so that it no longer may be in the power of that class to provoke
such a murderous war as that in which the working-class of Europe
is now bleeding to death.

XXIV AMERICA AND SAFETY - Revision history

Bkimberl at 18:55, 13 July 2009

Hirgen at 05:19, 2 September 2008