Newborn Nazi

by Rhoda D'Ettore

  “I used to be Schatzi, then I became Darling. Now she is Schatzi,” Hedwig quipped.

  “But she will never be My Darling. I only have one of those,” Gustav laughed and kissed her cheek.

  Hedwig and the tall blond man at her side spent most of the afternoon together. Gustav told her all about his child and home in Berlin. He explained that his new job entailed mostly administrative duties which he enjoyed.

  They discussed Edmund and the funny things that happened in the past. Gustav stated, “You should have seen the face of Captain Weinhoffer shouting about dead goldfish. It was priceless. And Edmund just sat there telling him it was true. I thought the captain was going to explode when he snapped his pencil.”

  “It's funny now, but then it was terrifying.” Hedwig thought to herself, One of these days, I should write a book. No one would believe my life.

  By the late afternoon, Gustav finally stated what Hedwig dreaded to hear, “It's time for us to go back.”

  “I know. And Katherine seems like a lovely young lady. I wish you nothing but happiness.”

  “Thank you. She is lovely, but she lacks your conviction and strength.”

  “Are you staying in Berlin? Is it safe for you? How are the air raids?” Hedwig questioned.

  “Last year, the initial raid was a shock. No one was expecting it. Since then, there have been a few insignificant attacks. They are hitting military targets, however. So the residential areas are safe.”

  Hedwig stopped walking and faced him, “Gustav, you work in a military target.”

  “It's my job. It is part of life, and there is nothing I can do. I am not going to run away. Where would I go? The war has stretched the entire globe. There is talk that Japan will soon be posing strikes against the United States. The whole world faces uncertainty.”

  Hedwig saw his logic. “If you and your family ever need a place to hide, I know of a secret room that is available.” They both laughed.

  “Katherine and our son will not be returning with me. As you said, the air raids are too dangerous,” Gustav explained. “You see, you are not the only one who prepares ahead.” Gustav escorted Hedwig back to her home where the two old friends parted ways.

  To clear her head, Hedwig began cooking for the family living in her basement. She prayed for an end to the madness she saw in the world. She prayed for a world where families could live without fear.

  Her biggest fear, however, was that her prayers would go unanswered.

  Chapter 70

  November 1943

  A knock at the door woke Hedwig out of her sleep. That was too light to be a guard's knock, she thought.

  Hedwig grabbed her robe as she shuffled to the door. After a deep breath, she opened the door with a smile. She saw before her a familiar face, her attractive former friend with blond hair and green eyes. “Heidi. What are you doing here. Get in. Get in.” Hedwig grabbed her arm and pulled her inside.

  “Aren't you happy to see me?” Heidi asked.

  Hedwig embraced her, “What are you doing here?”

  Heidi hugged her friend, “Father Becker didn't tell you? You need to attend Mass more often.”

  “Heidi, please. Tell me,” Hedwig begged. I forgot how annoying she could be.

  Walking toward the sofa, Heidi removed her coat and explained, “My name is Hilda Hoffman. I am a refugee from Berlin. Father Becker thought you might be in need of some assistance with your clothing donations, so I came to offer my services to you.”

  “What do you mean, a refugee from Berlin?” Hedwig inquired.

  “You don't know? Berlin was attacked and over 2000 people are presumed dead. There are about 200,000 left homeless.”

  Hedwig raced for the radio.

  Heidi continued, “There are so many people fleeing, it was easy to assume a new identity. And no one will know any differently. Father Becker found someone to make me a fake passport. So now I am Hilda.” She thought for a moment, “Hedwig, you are the only family I have left. My parents were never found. I don't know what happened to my brother. I feel so guilty, because they are all dead and it is my fault.” Heidi explained.

  Hedwig needed to process her thoughts. “Do you know of Gustav's whereabouts? Do you know if there are lists of the dead posted anywhere?”

  Shocked, Heidi asked, “Gustav? Do you mean Gustav Gottlieb? I have not thought of him in years. Why do you ask about him?”

  Hedwig realized she never told Heidi of her relationship with Gustav. “He moved to Berlin.”

  “Oh.” After a long pause, Heidi then offered, “I'm sorry. Father Becker told me Edmund died a couple years ago. You know I always liked him. He was a sweet boy.”

  Hedwig snickered, “He loved you. He always told me he was going to marry you someday.”

  “Really? I did not know that.” Heidi exclaimed. “I would have married him on his graduation day.”

  Bittersweet memories danced in Hedwig's head, “It's true. Jealousy engulfed him when you brought Gustav here for the first time.”

  “I had no idea. That must have seemed so cruel.”

  Hedwig touched her friend's hand, “No Heidi--I mean Hilda, cruel is a world where a woman must flee for her life in a storage trunk.”

  “Do you know of any way to contact Gustav? Perhaps Father Becker has contacts who can search for him?” Heidi asked.

  It seemed hopeless. “The only person I know who might be able to find him would be Colonel Weinhoffer. But I do not know if he is still in command of Nazi Intelligence anymore.”

  “Nazi Intelligence? Hedwig, what do you know of Nazi Intelligence?”

  Hedwig laughed, Boy. She did miss out on a lot of adventures, didn't she?

  Shrugging, Hedwig replied, “Forget it. It does not concern you. I know Gustav's in-laws live on Howsen Street. If I can find them, perhaps they have heard news. I just can't remember his wife's maiden name.”

  Heidi slumped, “Gustav's married? Is she pretty?”

  “Actually, Hilda, she is a lot like you. He settled for second best.”

  Over the next month, Hedwig scoured the newspapers and listened to the radio searching for any sign of Gustav. Remarkably, Heidi's personality changed toward other people and especially those of Jewish decent.

  Hedwig filled with pride to see her old friend playing with children in the basement and helping to sew clothes for strangers. These were things the anti-Semitic Heidi would never have done years ago. But the “Hilda” of today was a new person who had suffered greatly. It made her grow as a person.

  On December 20, 1943, Katherine Gottlieb knocked on Hedwig's door. “Katherine. Come in, please. Get out of the cold.”

  Katherine held a box, but her face was void of all expression. “I thought you should know. Since you were such good friends, I thought you should hear from me that he is not coming back.” Katherine crashed to the floor in grief as Heidi and Hedwig escorted her to the sofa.

  Heidi blurted out, “What do you mean he isn't coming back?”

  Hedwig thought to herself, She might have grown as a person, but she is still stupid as ever.

  “Hilda, this is the wife of Gustav Gottlieb.”

  Heidi replied, “Oh. I'm sorry, but I don't think she is anything like me.”

  Hedwig rolled her eyes. “Katherine, why didn't you just telephone? You came all this way alone and in the dark of night?”

  Katherine whispered, “I needed to get out of the house. I could not cry in front of the children, and my mother reprimanded me for getting emotional. But my husband is dead, what else am I to do?”

  “Dead? Gustav is dead?” Heidi's eyes started tearing up, and she held Katherine in her arms.

  No Heidi, she is fainting and crying because he took a trip to America. Hedwig thought.

  Hedwig then suggested, “Why don't you call your family and tell them you are staying here tonight? You can cry all you want. You can sleep in my bed, and Hilda and I will sleep here on the sofa.”

  Still sniffling, Kathe
rine asked, “Are you sure? I would really appreciate it.”

  “Yes. The telephone is on that table there next to the radio.” Radio, Hedwig thought. Gustav's radio.

  Katherine picked up the box from the floor and said, “I am sorry. I almost forgot. He once told me that if anything ever happened to him, I was supposed to give you this box.” Katherine went to the phone, then admitted, “It's been tempting not to open it. He gave it to me years ago when we first married. I guess he knew eventually this day would come.”

  Katherine picked up the phone and called her family as Hedwig opened the box. Inside was the engagement ring he presented to her years ago, along with a letter:

  Hello My Darling,

  Last farewells are always hard, and you have suffered through more than most. It isn't fair. From the bottom of my heart, you were the one true love I ever had. Heidi was a childish puppy dog type of love. My wife is the dutiful, good person but no real connection type of love. But you, My Darling? You are the one who I wanted to be with forever. I could never have given this ring to anyone else. Please forgive me for my faults, and look fondly upon me and our past. I will be watching over you and protecting you, as I always have.

  Love

  Gustav

  Great. Are you watching your wife faint in my living room? Hedwig thought.

  Heidi looked over the letter and ripped it from Hedwig's hands. “I was a puppy dog childish love? But you got that beautiful ring? How dare he.”

  Katherine's phone call was interrupted by Heidi's outburst. Suddenly seeing Hedwig with the ring in her hand ignited Katherine's pain further. “You? He gave you a ring? And he sent me to give it to you?” She slammed the phone receiver onto its base.

  Heidi then added, “Don't worry, Katherine. At least you were a mature and good love. I was just a childish puppy love.”

  Katherine's face turned red with anger, “You were involved with my husband too?” She went to the phone, “I'm calling for a ride home. I can't stay here.”

  Hedwig reached for Katherine, “Calm down. You said yourself he wrote this long ago. Before you made a life together, and before you had children, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Believe me when I tell you, he felt none of those feelings the last time we saw each other. Why would he bring you to my brother's funeral? It would have made things uncomfortable if he still had feelings for me? He even scolded me for not being cordial to you.”

  Katherine shrugged, “This is true.”

  Why am I consoling the wife of the only love I have ever known? Hedwig shook her head.

  Heidi turned to Katherine, “I'm so jealous of you.”

  The other two women looked at Heidi with such disdain at that moment.

  Her husband is dead Heidi, are you jealous of that?

  Heidi explained, “I would have given anything to have his children. The man was gorgeous. And truly a good person. You will be able to tell your children that their father was a genuinely good person who never wanted to hurt anyone.”

  Hedwig then invited her guest upstairs, “If you need anything, please ask. If you need help with the funeral arrangements, I will be there to help you with that as well.”

  Moving toward the dresser, Hedwig pulled out a nightgown and robe. “I am sure these will fit. Good night, Katherine.”

  When Hedwig returned to the living room, Heidi blasted off a round of questions, “He proposed to you? What happened? Why didn't you say yes?”

  “Hilda, I really do not want to speak of this now. We only have a few days before Christmas, and that woman upstairs must bury her husband and deal with two children.”

  Heidi twisted in her seat. “I didn't think of it like that. Good thing I'm Jewish now, huh? Is there a Jewish holiday like Christmas?”

  God, please tell me why I didn't drop her trunk in the river when I had the chance? Hedwig looked up and thought.

  Chapter 71

  June 1944

  Hedwig entered the confessional expecting a real confession. However, Father Becker initiated the deviation from the ceremony this time. “Frau Schultz, I have two packages of very delicate cloth that must be properly cared for. Would you be willing to handle donations unlike any you have in the past.”

  Hedwig thought, I have no clue what this old man is talking about. But saving lives is saving lives. I just wonder what “delicate” means. No matter what, I would be executed for treason. They can only execute me once.

  Once the confession was complete and absolution was granted, the priest stepped out of the confessional with a note that read, “Two American soldiers: lost contact with their command.”

  Hedwig nodded in the affirmative, and Father Becker tore up the paper. “Bless you my child. The donations will be delivered this afternoon. God be with you.”

  Heidi was so excited when she found that Americans were coming to the house. She ran around scrubbing the floors and making the house sparkle. Hedwig had to interject, “Hilda, you do realize they will be staying downstairs with the others?”

  “I know. But still, they are Americans. They should be in a clean house. That is the least we can do for the army that is going to free us from Hitler.”

  Who knew? It only took her a decade to see the man was infamous, not famous. Hedwig thought.

  The two American soldiers arrived and appeared skeptical at first. The church provided a large donation of clothing to help the families Hedwig hid. Hedwig offered the soldiers civilian clothes and introduced them to the other occupants of the basement.

  Heidi tried her best to make the lost soldiers feel at home. “Who are your favorite movie stars? Have you seen The Wizard of OZ? What music do you like?”

  Her questions went on and on. “Hilda, please leave these two men alone. I am sure they are tired and hungry. They need rest, not questions.”

  “Ma'am, I thank y'all for ya help. We just got lost and don't reckon we'll find our way back. If we knew how to contact our unit, we'd be fixin' to go.”

  Heidi's face lit up when she heard the southern accent, “Where are you from with an accent like that?”

  “I'm from Georgia, ma'am. And I am mighty thankful y'all understand my accent. The two guys back at the church looked at us like we wuz cray-zee.”

  Heidi batted her eyes, “I think it's attractive.”

  Hedwig squeezed Heidi's arm, “You are not 19 years old anymore, and they are. That was cute when you did it a decade ago, now it makes you look old and desperate.”

  Heidi stomped up the steps, taking the American uniforms with her. Hedwig reached the kitchen to find Heidi vigorously scrubbing the uniforms in the washtub with soap and water. Heidi placed one of the soldier's caps on the counter by the sink. The cap was covered with mud and some blood.

  Hedwig tried to calm her friend, “Please don't be angry. I simply meant that they are like scared children. They are far from home and do not speak German and know they are being hunted. Remember how you felt?”

  Heidi snapped back, “Yes, I remember how I felt. And for one moment down there, I forgot the craziness of the last five years or so. I felt normal, and you took that away.”

  Hedwig reached for her friend's shoulder, but the woman shrank from her. In silence, Heidi finished the laundry then took the uniforms downstairs to hang on a clothes line. She left the cap on the counter top.

  The two woman cooked meals for the family and soldiers below and ate their own meal in silence. Hedwig couldn't take it any longer. “Hilda, I am sorry I upset you.”

  Heidi raised her eyes to meet Hedwig's, “My name is Heidi. And I was once a young, beautiful Aryan with a future. Now I do not know who I am.” She broke down crying.

  I think I liked living alone better than this, Hedwig thought.

  CRASH. BANG. The windows and doors were bombarded.

  Glass shattered in all directions as a dozen soldiers filled the house. The pounding of the boots on the floor shook the entire house.

  Heidi fled to Hedwig's side as th
e soldiers shouted, overlapping their orders in unrecognizable words. Still crying, but now from fear, Heidi buried her head into Hedwig's shoulder and trembled.

  Hedwig walked to the living room as soldiers stomped up her stairs and spread throughout the house. “Are you Frau Schultz?” the leader demanded.

  “Yes, I am. Please tell me why you have violated my home.” Hedwig moved toward the fireplace.

  The leader stepped to within inches of her face, “I will tell you nothing. You will tell me where you are hiding the deviants.”

  One soldier entered the living room from the kitchen waving the American soldier's uniform cap in his hand. “Commander, we found this garment in the kitchen. This is part of an American uniform, sir.”

  The leader then barked, “Bring the axes. Tear up the floorboards. Check the attic. They must be here somewhere.”

  Standing nose to nose with Hedwig, the leader laughed. “How could you possibly defend yourself regarding this evidence?” He smacked the cap into her chest.

  Hedwig positioned herself in front of the small shrine she dedicated to Edmund and Gustav. The fireplace mantle displayed Edmund's memorial flag, pictures of both men and a candle Hedwig would light in their memory. “My brother sent me some items as souvenirs. He often sent me the possession of criminals he killed, knowing it would boost the morale of our friends and family. My brother was killed on the Russian front, defending the honor and future of the The Third Reich. My best friend was also in the SS, and he too died for the Fatherland.”

  The leader looked at the flag and pictures of Edmund and Gustav prominently displayed. Each wore his SS uniform proudly in the pictures. “So your brother and friend were good Aryans. That does not prove you are.” He raised his fist in the air by Hedwig's face as she flinched.

  Two soldiers entered from the outside with axes and hacked at the floorboards in the living room. Soldiers came from the upstairs, “Commander, the attic is empty. No one is here.”

  “Maybe I sewed them into the sofa cushion. You should check,” Hedwig snidely remarked.