I was born on July 26, 1924, to the 20, Sébastopol place, and I always live there during the war.
At the beginning of this one, I am adolescent, under studies. Hardest will start after the exodus of I940.
The restrictions (1) arrive quickly; the I940-41 winter is cold: it is one winter with snow. How, to heat itself? It is difficult; how to eat? It is more difficult still. Great number of products of first need are rationnés' and, if the vegetables are not it, they are done rare. The merchants, to give some to the greatest number, decide: 1/2Kg by families, for example. One will give the large families a little more. Mothers of these families, as well as the pregnant women have " the card of priority ", the others make the tail... With their tower, will remain something?
It is however necessary to keep good moral and to smile... from time to time. A family example: my father did not like carrots... and, one day, it returned triumphing: it had found some! Does the war make reasonable? Reasonable, on a point, it was it: it did not smoke. Whereas to make its ration of tobacco? Our porkbutcher smoked; from where exchange: tobacco counters sausages.
Health are shaken; we miss vitamins, lipids and of good of other essential things. Therefore under do the effect of the cold, the engelures make them appearance? Then one advises to absorb a bulb of " stérogil ". Well! But nothing would be worth the bread, the meat if little given. A chansonnier of the time - the French always have the word to laugh, us says, because the newspapers announce a citrus fruits arrival: " Citrus fruits, it is the name of oranges, when there is not, more ".
But worst is still in front of us. After the vat, I start, in Aix, of the higher studies. Voyages, return ticket will be done in tram: it is less expensive, but it is long: in general, 1. 3/4. It is necessary to eat too; between students, we give each other good addresses; for example, for such small restaurants, one is used of the dry vegetables... Bonne aubaine.
The raids should be avoided; the girls inform the boys - far from many - they hide, to the signal " danger last ".
Is one day, without alarm in Aix, we distinctly hear the explosions of bombardments where? I succeeded in telephoning at home, it is not in Marseilles. Ouf!
Who says student, known as portfolio. Eh well, not! I have a small bag; it will be useful to me, if I am likely to find on a market of Aix a vegetable. I always think of a beet brought back thus a day to Marseilles.
One evening, and I return to the voyages, our tram returning of Aix, is blocked: tram coming from Marseilles ran off the line on the single track. Useless to wait! I go down to walk, and we are with VIOLESI, the level of plan of Countryside. It will be enough for me to go to foot to limiting Our-Lady, departure of line 26, via the Pine, Septèmes...
Arrive on March 1, 1944. A comrade, it was a nun, telephones to me to give herself following information: by command of the Germans, Faculties must close on March 15; all the examinations must occur front. I succeeded, so much better! And veiled to me laid off are Letters, but unemployed person; they is dangerous: the " idlers " are a game for the S.T.O. Fortunately a place is free with the Sacred Heart, street Barthélemy, and I become teaching in April. All occurs as well as possible, taking into account the occupation.
But PENTECOST the day before, May arrives 27; it is the terrible bombardment which made thousands of victims. I am still re-examined with, sucker with an old German good Christian, a communist neighbor, my mother; we recite all with enthusiasm the chain. But where is my father? Broker, it left for his round. In the event of alarm, it takes refuge in a church; considering the place, it thinks of Beautiful-of-May, then ravise and goes with St Mauron. (St Spirit A inspired well): if the church of Beautiful-of-May * is new, you know why.
It remains me to await, while working, because I have another stage after the licence, the arrival of the Release. The last memory, our functioning towards the church the morning of August 15. The previous night, there was a bombardment. We leave at 5. 45, for the mass of 6 H, the curfew is however raised only to 6 H, but so much worse! In the street George (our parish is St-Michel, and it is there that we go), we go on glass; many panes claqué during the bombardment.
In the course of the day, we will learn - not by the newspapers - the unloading in Provence. The hour of the delivery approaches (August 21-23).
How did we make to survive? Thank you my GOD.Alexandre SCHICKLER
*It is the church which Monseigneur Delay site in its homélie after the bombardment
Alexandre SCHICKLER permanent Diacre in 1986 will be ordered.
1- Rationing
Because of lack of food (because of the very strong destruction during the war, but especially also the German army provided for all its requirements while taking on the country that it occupied, all which it needed), the products were rationed and certain were not even available any more, others were replaced by other (ex: the potatoes were replaced by Jerusalem artichokes).
Consequently, the vital products (bread, sugar, etc...) were rationed. People could touch only one certain quantity of it according to their age.
Moreover there were prohibitions:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
prohibited: Butcher's meat consumption
Thursday and Wednesday
prohibited: Consumption of pork-butchery
Friday
prohibited: Meat consumption of horse
The ration cards were thus defined :
E : Children of less than three years. J 1 : Children from three to six years. J 2 : Children from three to six years. J 3 : Teenagers from thirteen to twenty and one years. A : Consumers of twenty and one to sixty ten years not devoting itself to work of force. T : Labourers of twenty and one to sixty ten years giving right supplements. C : Consumers of more than twenty and one years devoting itself to agricultural work. V : Consumers of more than sixty ten years.
One will still keep his ration cards until in 1949
