A friend was on the phone. A man was in the office of the Protestant Student Community.
He was a resistance fighter from South Africa and needed accommodation. But according to the friend, they did not believe him. I got into the car and drove there. A young man sat opposite me, he was from South Africa, persecuted by the government regime and looking for protection. Was he an honest man or …I called my friend Paul, he knew about the SWAPO resistance struggle, he talked to him for a long time and Paul said he was honest, he was being persecuted. I got him a room and gave him 600 DM my monthly stipend.
After two weeks he had to move on, he was afraid the South African secret service might catch him. We went to the railway station of a small town.
Take care, he said. I took him in my arms. I hugged him, he was my brother.
I clenched my fist, as all resistance fighters do, we turned and looked at each other once more, then each went his way…. Four weeks later, the German police reported that an impostor from Austria was on his way, claiming to be a white resistance fighter from SA and that he was taking naive German students who believed his story. I was one of them. He hadn’t betrayed me, but my feelings, my fear for him.
Christoph’s Bio:
Christoph Nix (PEN Germany) obtained a PhD in both Law and Theatre Studies. He has published several novels and a series of crime novels set in African countries such as Uganda, Togo, Burundi and Malawi. In addition to his works of fiction, Christoph Nix has numerous publications in law and theatre studies.
Christoph Nix (PEN Germany) obtained a PhD in both Law and Theatre Studies. He has published several novels and a series of crime novels set in African countries such as Uganda, Togo, Burundi and Malawi. In addition to his works of fiction, Christoph Nix has numerous publications in law and theatre studies.
