You would think that I should have posted an announcement before I published Postwar Survivor.

Well, yes, this would have been the normal thing to do. However, I knew that my trusted V.A. Chris Haas, would send an announcement to my loyal readers, to offer them the opportunity to obtain the book at a discounted price. I wasn’t worried that anyone would be forgotten. Whoever had subscribed to my newsletter, would be notified.

However, what did worry me, was the fact that I wrote this particular book in response to my reader’s request, to follow up on Karl’s life, after the war. As I mentioned many times before, I didn’t think that there was much to write about, and I wondered how this uneventful book would be received. 

Now, after numerous emails, and questions, from many of my new found readers, and loyal friends, I feel a lot easier. A whole lot, matter of fact.

Let me get right to some of the questions: “Do you still eat sugar filled rolls in the morning?” Yes, of course I do. The only thing that could possible stop me, would be my wife, Jennifer. However, now, after nearly forty five years of marriage she has either gotten used to it, or, she has given up to educate me. Don’t really know what it is. I suspect, that the fact that my weight never changed, might have something to do with it.

“Do you still eat mostly potatoes and noodles? “ Yes, as long as they make potatoes and noodles, I will not even try to stick something else in my mouth. The problem is mostly, that I don’t know how to get rid of it. Once it is in your mouth, what are you going to do with it? Swallowing is not an option. No way!

Just like to tell you, that vinegar and salt works, to clean copper. I tried it on my old copper watering can. It looks now like new.” Right, but it does not last forever. You have to clean it on a weekly basis.

“You touched on the topic of declining family and moral values. Was there more to it than you mentioned?”  Yes, a lot more. Plus the incompetence of the newly elected officials. However, there were exceptions, If they were indeed, competent, they were corrupt beyond imagination.  Maybe this was a job requirement, I don’t know. But, I do know that it went hand in hand. Had something to do with human nature, I guess.

Did it changed during the past seventy years? (I am sometimes asked when I am a guest speaker.) I don’t know. Your call. It is also your choice, how you wish to look at things. Sometimes I am told that the present climate is the price of freedom.

No, I shake my head. Wrong terminology.   It is the burden of freedom.  

I tried to write a balanced account, about times which were not only difficult within themselves,  but also difficult to understand. Based upon the comments I received, I know now that I came pretty close. Close enough to encourage me to continue writing about Karl as he came to this great country of ours. In the meantime I also started to write the second book of the Kellner Chronicles.

Thank you  for all your comments, and please feel free to ask questions about these forgotten times. If I can, I will answer. And, thank you, for your loyalty and reading my books.

Horst