A little pocket money

A note in advance: The following story deals with difficult topics such as suicide and alcohol abuse, which can be stressful. Please be careful when reading and take a break if necessary.

My parents, my brother and I lived on Rehhoffstraße. From the living room you could see the viewing platform of the Michel. In 1952/53, I was standing at the living room window and saw someone jump from the viewing platform. The next morning, when we went to school on Holstenwall, we were not allowed to walk across Michelplatz. That was an experience I have never forgotten. Do you know the fire station on Admiralitätsstraße? The labour office for dock workers used to be next to it. The men stood there every day waiting for work. Ships and cargo were called up and which warehouse, then the men would speak up and be chosen. If they were picked, they quickly went to Baumwall, where the barges were already waiting to take them to the warehouses. On Fridays, it was also interesting at Baumwall, when the women of the dock workers stood at the bridge and waited for their husbands to receive their wage packets, otherwise all the money was wasted on drinks, ‘they got a little pocket money’. These were just small experiences, there are more to tell! One more. There is nothing better than coming back from holiday, driving over the Elbe bridges and seeing the towers of Hamburg’s churches, especially our Michel!!! Yours sincerely, Susanne, born in 1944