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I was an Oxford medical student, on holiday in Austria in the summer of 1948. My hosts in Liezen in Steiermark decided that I should visit their relatives in Vienna. Since Austria was occupied at that time by the four postwar powers in Europe – Russia, America, England and France – I had to go to Graz to obtain a grey pass which would allow travel across the appropriate zones.
This was duly done, but noone pointed out to me that the words “Nur am rechten weg” were printed on the bottom of this document. This was crucial to the events taking place in the subsequent journey.
I boarded the train which my hosts said would take me direct to Vienna. What they did not tell me was that it would steam right across the Russian Zone, which my grey pass specifically forbade me to do (“recht weg” was in fact the Semmering Pass, which connected Vienna with the British Zone in which Liezen lay).
When the train reached Gaflenz, the border station for the Russian Zone, the train was boarded by a solemn Russian soldier who inspected all “papers.” On seeing mine, he said “warum nicht forme" ("why are you not in uniform)?” The other travellers in the compartment all said in explanation “student!” This did not satisfy the Russian, who ordered me off the train.

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