Page 25 - Fanget I Tiden oversættelse - caught in time (komplet)-converted

the men stated excitingly. Soldiers of different rank sang together – or shouted.

About 700 exhausted, exuberant men joined in and resounded the Nazi Party
Hymn “Die Fahne Hoch die Reihen Fest geschlossen” (The Flag on High).

Meanwhile, the three man orchestra tried to execute the assembly, but in vain.
They were outshouted. The musicians were all older men around 60 years who

normally played at the Vienna opera. It frightened them that they were hastily

ordered by aircraft to support to troops at the front. But they did as they were
told, and kept playing hit after hit, only interrupted if one was to go pee. Actually,

Die Fahne Hoch was a song belonging to the Brownshirts, but it slowly snuck into
the army and became a symbol of cohesion. The dining room was filled with a

stench of sweat, remnants of food and whisky. But nobody took note of it. Most

were drunk – shouting and screaming. Crying out several months of frustration.
Some arm-wrestled, some told dirty jokes and some even went outside to throw

up. The stench of vomit mixed with the reek of too many cigarettes. By his side,

Peter Eberhardt had General Jürgen Hahn. Dizzy and light-headed he looked at
Hahn's ruddy face. He felt more like a man than he ever had before. As he sipped

the whiskey, he thought about the letter he would write to his mother tomorrow.
"Drink now," commanded Hahn, while his bulky belly scuffled up and down.

He grabbed the nearest whiskey bottle and filled a mug.

"Cheers," he roared to overthrow the terrible noise that filled the room.
Along with the hundreds of soldiers, the two men rose up. Hailed and sang for

the tenth time this evening Die Tab Hoch. The general maiden rocked back and

forth and almost roared him into the face.
"We Bayers must stick together, right?"

Peter Eberhardt did not answer, but nodded willingly. He felt dizzy, and his

stomach complained. But throwing up wasn’t going to happen, he thought.
As the song finished, Jürgen Hahn kept on standing. His big body swayed

dangerously. A fist landed on Peter Eberhardt's shoulder.

"Follow me home. My 53-year-old body cannot handle anymore."
Then Hahn tottered into the human sea, heading towards the exit. Peter followed

him, and with a big bump, the great general fell to the ground. With the help of a