Regular Text (C+) - Otto Herald and Manfred Pollak - Two brave pilots and an unexpected Christmas flight!

Destination Unknown 

Otto Herold and Manfred Pollak  

It was the 21^st of December 1975. Vienna was happy and in a great holiday mood, and, with snow on the ground, it was going to be a wonderful Christmas. But, then came the bad! The notorious international terrorist Carlos and his band of German and Palestinian accomplices had taken over the OPEC headquarters in the centre of town and were holding OPEC staff and oil ministers hostage. And, amongst those being held was the powerful Sheik Yamane of Saudi Arabia. People, all of a sudden, stopped thinking of Christmas.

And, with 4 policemen already dead, the Austrian government could not afford to take any chances. There was too much to lose. And so, after careful consideration, the terrorists demands were agreed to in full. These included a message in French to be read out at 2 hourly intervals on the radio, and a plane to take them to freedom. But, of course, a plane needs a crew.

Otto Herold was a young co-pilot with Austrian Airlines at the time, and when the call for volunteers came he was ready. And so, on the morning of the 22^nd of December, 1975, Otto Herald and Captain Manfred Pollak were behind the controls and waiting for permission to take off for destination unknown.

The passengers, both terrorists and hostages boarded and every thing went according to plan. And, the 2 pilots experienced no real problems. But, there is one thing that Otto Herald still very much remembers.

Because there were no hostesses, Otto Herold volunteered to serve coffee. This was no problem, and all on board were thankful for the refreshment – that is to say – all except one! One of the hostages, an oil minister, rudely rejected the offer of coffee, and whilst angrily pushing it away demanded a tea. And, the crux came when Otto Herold went to collect the dirty cups. One of the terrorists, a Palestinian, stopped him, and, instead, forced the now non too happy oil minister to clear up the dirties. There were to be no more passenger complaints for the rest of the flight.

And so it was, that after various stops in the Middle East to release hostages, the flight came to an end in Algiers, and, Carlos and his gang then disappeared, and Otto Herold and Captain Manfred Pollak were then flown back to a very sad Vienna. And, Christmas?

It was more an occasion of relief mixed with sorrow. People had been killed and Austria was wounded. There was no real joy.

And, Captain Pollak and Otto Herold? Volunteering had been a very brave act, and both were subsequently decorated for their courage. Of course, both continued flying and Otto Herold was promoted to captain. And, of course, as every one knows, captains can never stop flying.

Now, happily in retirement, Otto Herold is still very much behind the controls of his fleet of model planes. But, no models, however impressive, can ever replace the Viscounts, DC9s and Airbuses which he once flew in real life. But, flying is flying, and the take-offs and landings are still just as exciting as then!

Vocabulary – Wortschatz - Szokincs

according – laut - szerint

accomplice – Komplize - bunreszes

consideration – Betrachtung - megfontolas

courage – Mut - batorsag

crux – Springenden Punkt - döntö

decorated – ausgezeichnet - felekesit

demand – Forderung - követeles

dirties – Schmutzige Geschirr – piszkos cserepedeny

experience – erleben – ateles

hostage – Geisel - tusz

impressive – beeindruckend - hatasos

notorious – berüchtigt - közismert

retirement – Ruhestand - visszavonulas

subsequently – folgend - rakövetkezo

volunteer - Freiwilliger - önkentes