Spoke with Uwe Timm About War, Liberation, and American Impact
"Soldiers, identified as GIs, approached and rapped on the entrance"
Uwe Timm, the 85-year-old author, recounted his childhood experiences during World War II, alongside the influence of the Allied forces in this heartfelt interview. Growing up in Hamburg, Timm shared profound memories of bombings, war's end, and the transition period that unfolded under the watch of American soldiers, known as the GIs.
Interviewer: Herr Timm, you were young when World War II ended. Can you share your memories?
Uwe Timm: I have vivid recollections. One is being pushed through the Osterstraße in a pram, with wet towels draped over me, as trees burned on both sides. The streets were ablaze with tiny flames—burning curtain scraps. I also remember being forbidden to look at the street, as there were dead bodies lying around.
I: Your family's apartment was destroyed by a bombing raid in 1943. What do you remember from that?
UT: My father was on leave when the bombing occurred, thanks to a stroke of luck. He could estimate the attack from the radio news. He managed to evacuate the residents of our apartment building early on. Unfortunately, a firebomb hit our house, and it burned instantly. People saved what they could carry quickly, such as a table that now stands in my home.
I: Can you tell us about the end of the war and your experiences with the American soldiers?
UT: I lived in Coburg at the time, evacuated with relatives. German soldiers were still building trenches at the Itz River when we arrived. I once fell into one and couldn't get out; an American soldier found me and helped me out. As Americans moved in, they effortlessly pushed aside a circus wagon filled with stones that had been set as an obstacle on the bridge. There was shooting, although it soon stopped. We met the Black Panthers, the first African-Americans I'd ever seen. Initially, we were afraid of them due to misconceptions, but the soldiers behaved with respect, compassion, and professionalism.
I: What was the mood among adults when the war ended?
UT: The adults, especially the men, who had always been boisterous, became noticeably small. They insisted on saying, "I knew nothing," or "We had nothing to do with it." The fear permeated them. The local Nazi leader, Veitmeier, was reduced to sweeping the streets when the GIs arrived, and people even splashed him with water from passing cars.
I: What do you make of the term "Zero Hour" that is often used to describe the time after the war?
UT: The term "Zero Hour" is controversial because World War II's ending wasn't a complete nullification of the past. Old relationships were rebuilt in West Germany, and the denazification became more relaxed due to mounting fear of communism and the East-West conflict. Old judges who issued death sentences during the Nazi era returned to positions of power.
I: How did people react to the Americans?
UT: The adults, especially the men, were initially apprehensive. People didn't understand the American soldiers and feared them. However, the GIs behaved cordially, and soon enough the young Germans were showing off their newly acquired English phrases—despite initial reservations.
I: Was there any change in politics after the war?
UT: After the war, society underwent significant shifts, despite the lingering remnants of the past. The denazification process unveiled problems and shortcomings in the political structure, but becoming more democratic was neither an immediate nor flawless endeavor.
I: Can you describe the country in May 1945?
UT: The country was in an aircraft of uncertainty, with people fearful and tense. Many were on the run, and there was widespread looting, with people afraid to venture into the woods. The old order was beginning to disintegrate, while the new one had yet to be established.
I: What did you think when Defense Minister Olaf Scholz announced plans to make Germany war-ready?
UT: I find such statements alarming, considering Germany's consistent goal to promote peace. The situation with Putin undoubtedly poses threats, but one must carefully consider the implications of military escalation on society at large. Giving priority to the rich while marginalizing the poor is concerning, and one must contemplate the definition of freedom and the patriotism of an equitable society.
Volker Petersen interviewed Uwe Timm
Sources: ntv.de, Spiegel Online, and documenta-magazin.de
- World War II
- History
- 80 Years After the End of the War
- National Socialism
- Literature
- German Authors
- Post-War Society
- America's Influence on Post-War Germany
- The European Union, with its institutions such as the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission, has recognized the significant impact of the United States during the post-war period, especially in the denazification and rebuilding of Germany.
- Uwe Timm, reflecting on his childhood in 1945, recounted his first encounters with American soldiers, known as the Black Panthers, who entered Hamburg following the war's end.
- German politics underwent a transformation in the years following 1945, as the country grappled with the aftermath of World War II and the integration of European relationships, particularly with the influence of the European Parliament and the Council.
- As the European Parliament revisits the post-war era and Germany's role in recent global affairs, discussions have arisen about the meaning of freedom and the patriotism of an equitable society – echoing the sentiments of authors like Uwe Timm, who lived through the turbulent years of World War II.
