The Six Escapes
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The Six Escapes Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia - 1958 The Six Escapes By Rafael Augustin Published By Alexander Kerekes Carmel, California USA The Six Escapes By Rafael Augustin All rights reserved under International and Pan-American copyright conventions. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Printed in the U.S.A. First U.S. Edition December 2009 Published by Alexander Kerekes Carmel, California www.storiesbyalex.com Chapters: Introduction..................................................................................................6 First Escape..................................................................................................7 Second Escape..............................................................................................11 Third Escape.................................................................................................25 Fourth Escape..............................................................................................41 Fifth Escape.................................................................................................46 Sixth Escape – Freedom............................................................................59 Introduction This story is a true testament to the Yugoslavia was a former country of desire of the human spirit to be free. southeast Europe bordering on the Adriatic Sea. It was formed in 1918 as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Communist party control ended in 1990, and four of the six republics, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia declared independence in 1991. The Six Escapes takes place in 1958 - 1959 and is a true story of Rafael Augustin’s six attempts to flee from a Rafael and his beautiful lady, Yolanda, living tyrannical regime, his capture, a free and beautiful life in San Pedro de imprisonment, and his final miraculous and Lagunillas, Mexico desperate escape to Germany via Austria to seek asylum for a better life in Canada. The First Escape - 1958 black market some Austrian schillings, since the banks weren't allowed to sell I chose May 1st for two good reasons. foreign money to the general public. Now One, it was a national holiday and walking we were ready for the escape. some 20 kilometers to a town near the We met at 5 p.m. on May 1st at the Orel Austrian border would be less suspicious. Hotel in Moribor, and by sundown we Second, one of my technical school began walking toward the border, some 15 colleagues told me that he lived near the kilometers away. The first few kilometers Austrian border and that on 1 May many was on paved road, then on a gravelly local people would be drinking and mountain country road. We passed celebrating all night at the local restaurant occasional farms, but soon ascending to / bar. the forested mountain. At one time a My friend Josef and I had a few days to German Shepard dog attacked us. But, I get ready and promised to tell absolutely sprinkled on the ground some of my nobody of our plan. We would travel light pepper, which the dog sniffed and then and I brought two shirts, a suit, shoes, a sneezed and ran home. On a few raincoat, and a package of ground black occasions we hid in the forest to hide from pepper mixed with hot red pepper. The the people passing by. Here the people pepper was meant for nasty farm and were known to report people to the local border dogs. Also, I managed to buy on the police or the border guards when seeing uncomfortable. Our plan was to cross the strangers near the border. At one time we border at 2 a.m. According to our heard a sneaky dog snarling at us, when information, it was best time, since the his owner showed up on a bicycle. The border guards were changing shifts and man stepped off the bicycle and asked, thus, any noise made by us while crossing “Where are you going?” I said,” To meet wouldn't be so suspicious. my friend and to celebrate May Ist, at the From across the room one of my school restaurant.” He replied, "Oh yes, there are colleagues recognized me and came to already a lot of people and music." He got greet me. We talked about the school, and on his bike and continued down hill. then I asked him if he lived up the hill Walking another 15 minutes, we heard the closer to the border. I thought this might music. It was about 10 p.m. We observed give me a better idea of the location of the the place carefully from a distance, seeing border. He said, "Yes, it's just 10 minutes’ people but no border guards. Slowly we walk." After a while he left to visit with approached and walked in while most some friends. Later, I noticed that he was everybody was dancing. We sat down at a talking to the boarder guard, who looked at corner table, and ordered a dinner with us. I was sure that we were in trouble. I told drinks. Meanwhile, I noticed a uniformed my companion friend that it would be best if border guard dancing, which made me we go through the kitchen and cross the border immediately, despite the fact that it down with us at a table. was now only about midnight. By sunrise, most of the guests had We discreetly sneaked through the disappeared and so had the musicians. kitchen but once outside, four soldier Our conversation and/or interrogation was guards surrounded us. One shouted, “Stop! done in Serb-Croatian, since the border And hands up." They were pointing army guards were all from other provinces. machine guns at us. One of them said, "We In turn the Slovenian soldiers were sent to know you're trying to escape to Austria!" I serve the army to their provinces. In said, "No, we're just on the way home Slovenia, we learned Serb-Croatian, now." We were frisked now from head to including the Cyrillic writing. The third toes, our ID's and documents taken, but Yugoslav language, the Macedonian, was fortunately they didn't find my hidden an option at schools. Austrian money, which was sewn into my Sometime later a new army guard, with pants under my belt. Had they found that, some rank came to our table, took our we not only would be guilty, but they would documents from the two guards, and confiscate the money. Nonetheless, they dismissed them. Once again we were interrogated us for an hour, threatening to interrogated at length with questions such take us to jail. Then finally they took us as "Who do you know in Austria and other back into the restaurant and two guards sat Western countries? Who else is trying to escape with you? How many times before have you tried to escape?" Finally, he said, "OK, I'll walk you part-way down the mountain, then you must go home. After half an hour he handed us the documents and said, "If you try to escape again, I'll personally take you directly to prison.'" Well, both of us now were greatly relived, but mad at my school colleague, ”the squealing pig.” While walking back to the city of Maribor, we decided not to go home, but instead, ironed out another escape plan. Photograph of my friends and I before my escape. I am seated in the center Second Escape A well-dressed, middle-aged man with a briefcase walked into the restaurant and We assumed it would be too risky to try came directly to our table, asking if he may to cross the border today at the same join us. I said, "Yes, of course." Both of us location. So, we went directly to the railway were apprehensive, but it was too late to station in Maribor. From here, we would run if he was an undercover policeman. He take a train heading for Austria, but get off wasted no time in asking me, "What is your one station before the border at Sentilj, date of birth?" I told him, and then he then continue on foot over the mountains. pulled out of his briefcase a sheet of typed Sitting and recuperating from our 30 paper and handed to me. It was a kilometer walking misadventure at the horoscope; I read it and found many things railway's restaurant and waiting for the 8 very agreeable about my life. One p.m. train departure, we were being quotation struck me most: "Your main goal constantly vigilant and ready for an instant in life is to go to foreign country." I was now getaway, should we be approached by quite puzzled and thought, what in the hell police who may have been informed of our is he up to? Meanwhile he asked my friend intent. While having dinner, we probably for his date of birth and handed him looked like two rabbits eating carrots out in another paper. He too was amazed of the field, always on a lookout for a many agreeable quotations, but no mention predator. of foreign country. Then the man asked us avoiding people and farmhouses, mainly by to each pay 50 dinars. After we paid, he walking across the orchards and vineyards. got up and left. I'd heard of horoscope At one time a huge St. Bernard attacked before, but never had an opportunity to us. Again, I sprinkled some of my pepper at learn about it, since under the Communist him, he sneezed and disappeared. regime it was, to say the least, disapproved By 11 p.m. we arrived at the top of the of and discouraged. mountain, which I assumed to be near the At 8 p.m. we boarded a train bound for border. We laid down on the damp and Vienna, Austria. As we were boarding I saw cold ground in the forest to wait until 2 a.m.