Life During the Blockade
Berlin, June 1948 to May 1949
Age Thirteen and Fourteen
Although it was utter famine for 2.2 million hungry Berliners, we were all swept away by the spirit of the Airlift. To hear the planes' engines above us, continuously, day and night, was infinitely reassuring. It meant that the Allies were not letting go of West Berlin. They were staying here and were keeping their promise to help us fight for freedom. But, how long could this Airlift last? How long could they keep supplies coming at this impossible rate?
We did not complain about the low rations, much less about the nearly total absence of electric power. But recalling the last two winters, we began to wonder about coal for fuel to keep us from freezing to death, and gas for cooking. Needing to cut the city's gas consumption by 50%, gas had to be rationed, and this turned out to be quite complicated when several families had to use one kitchen.
During those days we read the gas meter at the start and finish each time anyone used the stove. If, let's say, three parties were cooking at the same time and one was finished, the gas meter was read and the usage divided by three. After the next party was finished, the meter was read again and the usage divided by only two. It had to be that exact. I had been given the tedious task of keeping track of everybody's gas consumption and making sure that we stayed within the allocation, or our gas would be shut off without warning. To avoid one party blaming the other for using more than their share — we were hearing some ugly stories on this subject — I tried to keep the records as accurately as I could. We never over used, but I had to mention a “caution period” for all of us when once we came close to our limit. It was a lot of work for me and sometimes frustrating when somebody had used the gas and forgotten to write down the meter reading while I was in school. However, we all got along so well and, as a team, we did whatever was necessary.
During the summer, the use of the city's power had to be cut by 75%. All streetcars and subways were halted by 6 p.m. Domestic electricity was limited to four hours a day, two hours in the daytime and two at night. Except for Sundays, we were gone in the daytime. Whenever the lights came on during the night — there was no set time when that would be — we got up and frantically worked on ironing, mending, darning socks, unfinished homework, and most importantly, cooking the next day's meal. As I mentioned, we had gas for cooking, but many people had to cook on hot plates in their rooms, as we had to do until we moved to the Klemm's apartment.