Wo ist der liebe? German police stop youngsters from eloping

Everything was set. Having spent New Year's Eve together, they'd decided to elope. They couldn't wait any longer, and he, emboldened by his recent travels in Italy, assured her how easy the escape would be. "We'll get to the airport", he said. "That'll be the most difficult part." She, trusting his maturity and experience, agreed.

They knew their parents may not approve. Finish your education, they'd say. Work hard to improve your chances, they'd say. Spend more time together to see if you really want to be together. Typical German parents trying to put their kids on the right track.

They wanted none of it.

Let's go to Africa, he said. They'd watched a documentary on it the night before, and full of youthful optimism, of love and of a healthy regard for warm weather, they decided where to go. They packed the practical essentials they thought they'd need.

Who though to act as witness? They decided his sister, Anna-Lena would be the perfect choice and confided in her. She readily agreed. They didn't plan a long trip - just long enough to have the ceremony and return.

As the New Year dawned over Hanover, they made their escape. Sunglasses on and wheely suitcases in hand they walked the kilometre to the nearest tram stop and went to Hanover train station where they waited for the airport shuttle.

That's when a suspicious guard, possibly jealous of the young love, possibly spurned by a partner previously and still bitter, possibly angry about working New Year's morning or maybe just seeing it as his "duty" decided to get the police involved.

Two officers made their way to the station. They questioned the three, almost without provocation, on their plans for Africa, requesting to see money, tickets and passports. They brought them to the police headquarters where the three got a chance to have a good look around. A consolation prize perhaps.

Parents were called. "I'm still in a state of shock." said his mother, "I thought 'I'm playing a part in a bad movie.' When we realised they were missing we went looking for them." It was only when the police had called that they knew what happened.

Their luggage was searched. The pink lilo they'd dragged was put with their summer clothes, cuddly toys and provisions.

They knew their parents would have something to say. Would try to stop them. They wouldn't be happy when they arrived. But they smiled for the camera. They knew their love couldn't be stopped for long.


Photograph: /AFP/Getty Images

It's hard to be a six-old-boy and a five-year-old girl in Germany. Mika and Anna-Bell are told they'll have to wait until they're older.

"They can still put their plan into action at a later date," Holger Jureczko, a police spokesman said. One wonders how long it will be before they try again.