11 Apr 1944, R. E. Jones Wartime diary | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

11 Apr 1944, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

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Submitted by Admin on Mon, 2014-03-17 21:30
Book / Document: 
R. E. Jones Wartime diary
Date(s) of events described: 
Tue, 11 Apr 1944

Windig, Kalt, nass und niedige wolke. Fossboden wiederliegten. Mit Steve um die Abend (Heer des Romanians sich ergibt? Zwei shiffe zu kommen um nehmen uns fort? Alle gutes Neues, wenn es wahr ist)

((R E Jones returns to writing in German for the next few days' entries. Jill & Brian translate today's entry as follows:

"Windy, cold, wet and low cloud. Relaid floor. With Steve in the evening. (Romanian army surendered? Two ships coming to take us away?) All good news if it's true."

))

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Comments

Submitted by brian edgar on Fri, 2014-04-11 22:40.

Niedege = probably = niedrige = low.

Fossboden probably = Fussboden = Floor, ground.

wiederlegen - can't find any plausible meaning.

Perhaps he means 'floor laid again' although no online dictionary recognises 'wiederlegen' as an accepted form.

I know that in some places in camp people removed wood from floors to burn.

'The Romanian army has surrendered?'

Submitted by jill on Fri, 2014-04-11 23:03.

I agree with brianwindsoredgar's interpretations of Jones's brave attempts at German. So the full entry should be:

"Windy, cold, wet and low cloud. Relaid floor. With Steve in the evening. (Romanian army surendered? Two ships coming to take us away?) All good news if it's true."

Jill

Submitted by David on Sat, 2014-04-12 10:01.

Thanks for the help with the translation. Re-laying the floor makes sense, as on the 8th (http://gwulo.com/node/19117) he wrote:

Many floors up due to dampness.

The wooden parquet floor swelled up in the damp weather, and strips of wood could easily be knocked loose.

Regards, David