Katalin
Rath - The Ice Cold of Fear! - A true story from not so long ago -
Told by Nigel A JAMES
It
was 1974. It was getting late and summer was passing into winter.
But, it was already cold in the hearts of two very young people. Not
in the normal sense of winter, but in the naked feeling of ice cold
fear! Katalin Rath and her soon to be husband were getting
ready to flee. Their native Hungary had become too small for
their dreams and they were about
to embark on a journey of risks. And, it wasn't going
to be light. For legally leaving
the east was not easy, and permission
was needed. But how?
Having
just completed their medical studies, a trip to Leningrad was nothing
unusual. And, to this end – and only this end - they had
joined the Hungarian communist youth organization KIS. And, being two
party members, the ministry of the interior had automatically
approved their application for travel to Leningrad and
a two-day trip to Helsinki. A ministry stamp
on their already KIS approved application forms had been nothing more
than a matter of form.
If KIS says yes, then everyone else says yes, too!
But
there was something that neither KIS nor the ministry of the interior
had known. KIS had only approved
a journey to Leningrad. Using a very special pen, Katalin had
carefully added the trip to Helsinki herself. Now there was nothing
to stop them!
But,
not quite. They had two essential items of luggage to take with them
And, these were their future,and they were big. They were their
medical Diplomas. And, how could these be hidden in their luggage?
Katalin decided that the best way of doing it was by hiding them in
the lining of one of their cases, and that's what she did.
And this painstaking work was hard and it took a very long
time. The stitching had not only to be real and old, but
perfect as well. And, this was the hardest of all. But, worse was
to come at the airport.
Everyone
else's cases were being thoroughly controlled, and the entire lining
had been ripped out of the woman's case who was waiting in front of
them! Katalin was praying! Was this the end? But, their luggage
was not even checked. Their cases had passed the severest of tests.
They were through. And they and the rest of the group took their
seats on the afternoon flight to the north. Leningrad was waiting.
And,
despite being followed in Leningrad, they enjoyed every moment. They
knew that this was to be their last ever communist excursion and the
west was only hours away. And, then came the next test. They were
about to leave the hotel for the station. But, what to do with
their luggage? They were being carefully watched!
Two
big cases for just one night in Helsinki? Definitely suspicious.
Katalin thought quickly. They arrived to depart with just one
plastic bag. And then, just as the group was about to leave for the
station their plastic bag broke and their belongings fell on the
ground. Quickly, Katalin fetched one of their empty cases and
filled it with their belongings. And, thirty minutes later their
train was on its way. Nothing more could go wrong. And, Katalin was
singing the music of Dr. Zhivago! They were happy.
But
then, with the border in sight, the train suddenly stopped! Border
guards and dogs were waiting to board. The Russians were leaving
nothing to chance. And, once again came the feeling of freezing
cold fear! And, as the guards and their dogs made their way through
the train it became obviously clear that things were not going
to be easy!
But,
once again they were lucky. They had a Guardian Angel. And,
once again, it was the people before them that got all the attention.
And then, having controlled and searched the entire train, the
guards and their dogs got off.
But,
nothing happened. They just stood there, The train didn't move. Ten
minutes went by. An hour went by. Two hours went by. What was
happening? Freedom was just down the road. But, would they ever get
there? There was the very cold silence of fear and suspense. Everyone
was nervous. And then, with a
jolt and then
another jolt, the train started moving. Slowly at first, then
faster and faster. But, still the silence remained. So strong was the
fear of suspense, there was not even hope! And then, all of a
sudden they saw Finish plates on the cars. They had passed
into freedom! They had arrived. And then the cheering broke out!
And
the rest was relatively easy. They waited until the group was about
to leave for Leningrad before jumping. And then, after doing
so hid in a park just to make sure. And, so it was that that very
same day they made their way to Sweden by ship. And, there they
stayed for almost a year.
And,
they did everything from cleaning toilettes to serving in
restaurants. There was nothing below them. And then they moved on.
Both became dentists, and Katalin became a celebrated artist as well!
And
Hungary?
Now
living in Vienna, Hungary has
become part of their every day life once again. Family is
family and the ice cold of fear is a thing of the past! Now is the
future they dreamed of. Escaping was then. Now they are home!
Selected
Vocabulary
approved
– bewilligt
blessings
– Segnen
brake
into - einbrechen
close
– eng/knapp
escape
– Entkommen
essential
– unentbehrlich
fear
- Angst
flee
– Flehen
Guardian
Angel – Schutzengel
jolt
– Stoß
jumping
(jump/jumped/jumped) – springen
leaving
nothing to chance – nichts der Schicksal
überlassen.
luggage
– Gepäck
lining
– Futter
matter
of form – Selbstverständlichkeit
naked
– Nackt
obviously
– offensichtlich
painstaking
- sorgfältig
permission
- Erlaubnis
plates
– Kennzeichnen
pretence
- Anschein
risks
- Risiko
scheming
– intrigieren
stamp
- Stempel
stitching
– Nähte
suspense
– Spannung
thoroughly
– genau
to
this end – zu diesem Zweck
Diarikom
is sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder
– Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater
