Born in 1924 - that was the generation caught between democracy and the Great Depression. We experienced a childhood shaped by the Nazi dictatorship and ideology. Despite societal pressures, many of us found security within our families. We watched as bread was baked and bought gummy figures and bear dirt at the corner shop. Our toys were wooden hoops, balls, and bears. And we were among the last whose emergency high school diplomas were still recognized after the war.