Page 11 of The Last Safe Place
A few minutes later, he returned to the living room with two steaming mugs and placed them on the coffee table.
“That was my sister Edith earlier.”
“I know, you introduced us.”
“Sorry. I’m totally out of sorts.” Knut had completely forgotten that Bernd had been with him when Edith showed up so unexpectedly.
“You told me she emigrated. Why is she back in Berlin?” Bernd sipped at his toddy, looking at Knut with curiosity.
Knut ran his hand through his close-cropped hair. “They were turned away at the Swiss border. Because of the new edict.”
“Oh no. What happened?” Bernd was visibly shaken, even though he had only met Edith briefly for the first time that day.
“Apparently, they had trouble on the journey, and it took over a week before they finally reached the border. Once they got there, they were refused exit on the German side. They would have let Edith pass, but not her husband.”
“And she didn’t want to leave him alone.” Bernd twirled his moustache. “Because the only thing that protects him from deportation is his marriage to her.”
“Yes. You have no idea what they’ve had to endure so far. Life in Germany has become hell for them.”
“I can imagine.” Ever since Bernd had seen Dohnanyi’s dossier on the government’s anti-Semitic measures, he had told Knut one horror story after another.
“You know it’s only going to get worse. Hitler will never miraculously change his mind and regard Jews as human beings. What can I do?” Even though he knew nothing of Hitler’splans to solve the Jewish question, Knut was fully aware they didn’t bode well. Anyone who thought the current situation was bad would soon realize that it could get much worse.
Bernd took a deep breath. “Not much, I’m afraid. Apart from offering your sister moral support and putting groceries her way every now and then.”
“I gave her the office phone number just in case.” Admittedly, neither Edith nor Julius were under immediate threat of deportation. Nonetheless, he realized with frightening clarity the hopelessness of their situation. Julius was doomed and Edith with him. Neither of them was safe in the Reich.
“That’s a good first step. Keep an eye on her, meet up with her regularly, and help with little things like ration cards. Then you can only hope that this is all over soon.”
“That would be nice.” Knut had the impression Bernd knew more than he was telling. But he didn’t probe, even though they trusted one another completely. When dealing with secrets, best to have as few co-conspirators as possible.
They sat silently for a while, sipping their toddies, until Knut spoke again. “I told Edith to make the best of her situation.” He looked deep into Bernd’s eyes. “None of us knows how long we’ll be on this earth, especially not while there’s a war raging. We have to live every day to the fullest and enjoy the time we have left, no matter how much or little we’re given.”
“Well said. We’ll keep to that from now on.” Bernd took him in his arms and kissed him. Knut closed his eyes – all thoughts of war, suffering and horror washed away.
Love was the only thing in the world that mattered.
Hours later, as they snuggled next to each other, Knut mused, “I feel that I need to do more. It’s been weeks since I talked to Dohnanyi, but I have yet to do anything useful.”
“You have to be patient.” Bernd squeezed his hand. “Believe me, I know the feeling. Collecting information aboutthe atrocities committed against our Jewish compatriots isn’t exactly world-changing either.”
“Isn’t there anything more hands-on we could do?” The urgency to resist the regime burnt even brighter since Edith had returned to Germany.
“I’m not sure…” Bernd paused. “There are plenty of secretive meetings, planning and talking. Most of it is geared toward a possible coup, and how to secure power after the event.”
“Which is all fine, but it doesn’t help to alleviate the pain of the persecuted people right now.” A slow desperation seeped into Knut’s bones, since there was so much he wished to do and so little he actually did.
Bernd stroked his hand, but didn’t answer. After a long silence, he asked, “Do you have anything in mind?”
“Not really, except that I’ve heard the Abwehr has on occasions placed individual Jews under its protection and saved them from deportation.”
“That’s true. Mostly on Admiral Canaris’ request, some Jews have been labeled as essential workers and saved from the clutches of the Gestapo at the last moment.”
“Couldn’t we do this on a broader scale?”
Bernd looked at him. “I’ll need a glass of wine for this discussion.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Knut grinned. They dressed and he settled on the sofa, while Bernd climbed down into his father’s wine cellar and returned with a bottle of expensive French Bordeaux.