Alfons Henne (b. Germany, 1935), blinded during the Second World War (WWII). "On May 8, 1945, one day before the end of the war, I was walking on the street with a friend. He wanted us to go inside an empty house but I wanted to go home because it was time for my dinner. My friend insisted and we went in. There were hundreds of things in the cellar. We didn't know what they were. My friend took one of them and pulled a ring off of it. I said "Give it to me". It exploded in my...
more »Alfons Henne (b. Germany, 1935), blinded during the Second World War (WWII). "On May 8, 1945, one day before the end of the war, I was walking on the street with a friend. He wanted us to go inside an empty house but I wanted to go home because it was time for my dinner. My friend insisted and we went in. There were hundreds of things in the cellar. We didn't know what they were. My friend took one of them and pulled a ring off of it. I said "Give it to me". It exploded in my hand. I lost a hand and was blind in one eye. I was brought to a hospital where the whole floor was full of children, about forty of them. They had all picked up ammunition. Some of the children died. In those days, most of the victims were kids at play. I became a telephone operator and I am now retired. I ride a tandem bicycle together with a friend, always at the back of course. My big love is music. I am a tenor in a chorus. I also play the trumpet, the pan flute and keyboards. Sometimes I play in the church. Playing keyboards with one hand is a bit difficult but I really enjoy it." . CHECK with MRM/FNA
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