Impressions of Defeated Germans

Interviewer: What was your impression of the German civilians that you came across? Well, I’ll tell you, actually the soldiers even themselves, prisoners of war, I had twenty of those work with me different days, mechanic types and electricians, on automotive you know. I couldn’t speak very much to them and they couldn’t speak, but I found them, and the civilians as well.... Actually the interpreter on our unit, a German, nice man, and actually he used to be a driver for CPR on the train from Winnipeg I just forget where he told me, but he used to speak good English and that’s why our unit adopted him for interpretation, you know, amongst work people. Him and I were great friends because most things I wanted to know he was always there to help me and every day at 10:30 he used to say, I forget what he used to say.... We used to take the bicycles anyway and go down to his place for coffee. But the civilians that I knew, I found them maybe, I don’t know, what would you say, two-faced in a way, but I didn’t, I never took any chances, you know what I mean. But apparently they appeared to present themselves well, you know, no anger or nothing towards us, not that you could see really.