"With the greatest courage I've ever shown in my life, I prevented the Americans from quartering troops in our house..."

"And then came the occupation troops, a company of Americans headed by a very handsome officer, all spit and polish, who told us that we had to vacate the premises. The farmer on whose farm we refugees from the bombing were being housed was beside himself with anguish. It was towards evening and it was already getting dark and the American officer went through all the rooms of the house with his flashlight.

In my childish naiveté, I was sure that it was a revolver. He walked in with his boots on - the farmer had such beautiful old German furniture - and the officer checked all the cupboards to see if anyone was hiding inside or if weapons were stashed there. Then I was able to summon the greatest courage I've ever shown in my life. I was the only one who could speak a bit of English and I looked this officer in the eyes and the words just suddenly poured out of me, as if by the grace of God. And I said, `In my entire life, I've never seen an American officer who behaved in such a way.' Then suddenly everything stopped and the men behind him stood there with their mouths open. And in that moment, he gave a little nod and became more obliging. And we worked out a deal so that not only could the farmer stay, but there would also be no American soldiers quartered in the farmhouse. For our part, the women - my mother, myself and the farmer's wife - had to promise to wash and iron and cook for the Americans. But we could stay."

Elisabeth P., born in 1927, fled before the advancing Russians from Vienna to Salzburg, lived in 1945 in Groszgmain near Salzburg (Boltzmann- Institut/Steinocher-Fonds Interview Archive, Salzburg)