Unyielding: Love and Resistance in WW2 Germany (World War II Trilogy)

by Marion Kummerow

  Q nodded. “This I believe. Not because I have knowledge like you do, but it’s a feeling in the air.”

  “One more reason to work for Loewe. You would be in a reserved profession. Protected somewhat even, as you’ve just seen.”

  “I need to speak to Hilde about this. I will be in touch, I promise.”

  Erhard gave him a hard look and then relaxed. “I understand. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

  Q took his time returning home from work later that day. The conversation with Erhard weighed heavily on his mind, and he’d thought through things a thousand times. Now he needed to speak with Hilde.

  As he entered the apartment, bursting with the urge to communicate, Hilde and Sophie were in the process of preparing dinner in the kitchen. He gritted his teeth and said hello. What followed was an endless chitter-chatter about their day as they ate, interrupted with a question here and there about his meeting with Erhard.

  Q bit his tongue. This wasn’t for teenage ears. After eating, he excused himself and retreated to his study. Pretending to work, he listened to the noises in the apartment until – finally – he heard the door of the guestroom close and steps approach his study.

  Hilde peaked inside. “Sophie is asleep.”

  “Good.” He all but jumped out of his chair.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Hilde asked, but Q shook his head and grabbed her hand. “Come for a walk with me.”

  Hilde grabbed an auburn cardigan from the hook by the door and pulled it over her short-sleeved summer blouse before following him outside. It was well after ten o’clock, and the moon was casting a dim light onto the deserted street. Q increased his pace, pulling her behind him until they came to a vacant bench.

  “Sit,” he told her but made no attempt to join her.

  “Q, you’re starting to worry me,” she said and stood again. “You’ve been anxious since you came home.”

  “I want you to send Sophie home. Tomorrow.”

  She took a step backwards, her hand going to her throat. “What? Why? We’re having so much fun together.”

  He pressed his lips together. “I need for you to trust me on this and send her home. First thing in the morning.”

  Hilde looked at her husband, crossed her arms over her chest, and shook her head. “Not unless you tell me why.”

  Q looked at her. “I don’t want to have to explain myself…”

  “Well, if you expect me to send my sister home tomorrow, you had better do so. I’m sick of your secretive behavior. You think I didn’t notice your sneaking out at night, the hushed phone calls, the hidden papers in your study, and your growing agitation? I’m not stupid, you know?”

  He sighed. “No, you’re not.” He wrapped her in his arms, kissing her hair. “I wanted to protect you. With you carrying our child and your sister here, I just wanted to give you a carefree summer.”

  Hilde leaned into his chest. “That’s sweet of you, my love, but how can I be carefree if I sense your anxiety? Tell me what’s wrong.”

  Q looked at her for several long moments before he pushed his breath out and said, “War is about to start.”

  “War?” She shook her head, looking confused. “We’ve been in one war or another since the annexation of Austria one and a half years ago.”

  “Yes. But something big is coming. A real war. Bad and ugly. My old friend Erhard Tohmfor confirmed my own suspicions today.”

  “When?” Hilde whispered.

  “Very soon. Sophie needs to go home. Immediately. Please?”

  Hilde nodded. “I’ll take her to the train station first thing in the morning. There’s a morning train to Hamburg…” Tears glistened, then spilled down her cheeks. “Oh, Q, it’s really going to happen?” It broke his heart to see the fear in her eyes.

  “I’m afraid so. Sophie will be much safer with her parents than she would be with us in the capital.”

  The next morning, they explained to a very disappointed Sophie that she had to cut her stay in Berlin short and return to Hamburg immediately. Hilde helped Sophie pack and Q drove them to the train station.

  As Hilde waved goodbye to her sister, Q saw the tears stream down her cheeks. “We’ll see her again,” he assured his wife.

  A few days later, on September 3, 1939, France and England declared war against Germany after Hitler’s invasion of Poland two days earlier.

  Chapter 19

  By November, normal life had become a distant memory. In hindsight, Q could easily identify the cornerstones of the carefully planned attack on Poland. Just three days prior to that date, the German government had put into motion ration cards.

  From then on, everything a person needed to survive – including food, textiles, and commodities – were being rationed. Each household, depending upon the number of people living there, was given a Lebensmitelkarte.

  Q had to give the government credit for that. It was a clever move to handle the panic they knew would ensue as Germany entered into total war, and at the same time, it prevented hoarding of food.

  As soon as Sophie left for Hamburg, Q told Hilde about the job offer from Erhard – and the subversive tasks coming with it. As always, she supported him in his fight against Hitler’s regime, but he could tell that she still wished they’d gotten their green cards for America.

  Armed with the employment contract from Loewe, Q entered the labor bureau and sat on one of the wooden benches in the long, empty hallway. A cleaning lady came along, mopping the floor until it sparkled.

  In stark contrast to five years ago, the hallways were empty. The Nazis had achieved full employment of the German workforce. But at what cost? Q fisted his hands. This charade was ridiculous!

  The door next to him opened, and a man with horn-rimmed glasses called him inside, gesturing for Q to take a seat after exchanging the obligatory Hitlergruss. The room was furnished with wooden desks, chairs, and cabinets that had seen better days. On the wall behind the desk hung a portrait of Hitler, flanked by two swastika flags. A shiver ran down Q’s spine, and he grabbed his briefcase tighter.

  “You’re looking for a job?” the official asked with a friendly smile.

  “No, sir. I came here to ask permission to quit my job at the Biological Reich Institute and–”

  The smile disappeared. “Papers!”

  Q retrieved the papers from his briefcase and handed them to the official, who studied them for a long time.

  “Doctor Quedlin, your request is highly unusual. Why do you want to quit your current position at the Institute?”

  “Sir, as you’ve seen from my papers, Loewe offered me a position to oversee research and development of radio technology–”

  “Yes, I can see that,” the middle-aged man snapped. “But if everyone in critical industries changed their positions whenever they wanted, we could never win the war.”

  Of course. Hard-boiled Nazi. “Sir, I understand your concern. The labor bureau has a much better knowledge about the needs of our Fatherland than the single worker. And I would never dream of quitting the job I have so wisely been assigned to. I came to you to gain clarity, whether the position at Loewe will allow me to make a better contribution to the war effort.”

  The smile returned to the official’s face. “It’s a rare occurrence for scientists like you to accept the superiority of knowledge of the labor bureau.”

  Q’s eye twitched, but he forced a pleasant smile on his lips. “Thank you.”

  “Now explain how your new position is of use for the Führer and Fatherland.” The official leaned back in his chair and folded his hands, watching Q attentively.

  “The position I have been offered from Loewe would enable me to work directly on projects to benefit the Wehrmacht and ultimately the safety of our soldiers. Now that we are at war, this should be my first concern and the – albeit important – work in plant protection must take second priority.”

  The official leaned forward, enthusiasm in his voice. “The war will soon be over. P
oland was conquered in four weeks. Next will be the French. They will be just as easy to defeat. And our Führer has plans for more.”

  Q didn’t happen to agree but nodded nonetheless. “Aren’t you worried about Stalin?”

  “No, of course not. Our governments signed the non-aggression treaty and the Soviet Union has served us well dividing Poland.”

  Bile rose in Q’s throat. The Soviet Union had been touted as an enemy of Germany for many years, and now suddenly they were best friends.

  While Q was dealing with his emotions, the official put the required stamps on his employment contract and handed it back with a smile. “Do well for the regime, Doctor Quedlin.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Q stuffed the papers into his briefcase and left the room, a sick feeling in his stomach.

  Back at the Biological Reich Institute, he handed his approved written notice to the director, and a huge weight fell from his shoulders. At Loewe, he would be able to do something more meaningful.

  Ever since Hilde had told him she was expecting their first child, an unexpected anxiety had taken hold of him. Money.

  If something happened to him, he wanted to have the assurance that Hilde and the baby could live comfortably without his income. She’d grown used to a modest amount of luxury, and he didn’t want her to have to skimp.

  With that in mind, he had intensified his effort to sell the commercial rights to another one of his patents. Surprisingly, it wasn’t all that hard because with the war in full mode, the companies lined up for the lucrative military contracts and some of his patents in the area of gas detection had become very sought after.

  As he returned home, Hilde awaited him with a letter in hand. She looked even more beautiful now with her rounded belly, rosy cheeks, and shiny hair. Q kissed her mouth and her stomach, saying hello to mother and child, then took the letter from her.

  Despite her protests, he retreated to his study to open it. He hesitated a few moments with a pounding heart before he meticulously slid open the envelope with the letter opener his mother had given him as a wedding gift.

  Moments later, he stormed into the living room and stopped short in front of Hilde, carefully lifting her up and twirling her one circle.

  Hilde giggled. “Good news?”

  “Yes, Liebling. Drägerwerke agreed to buy another one of my patents for the modest sum of…drum rolls… twenty-five thousand Reichsmark.”

  “Twenty-five?” Hilde furrowed her brows and mentally calculated, “That’s…wow! That’s more than a five-year salary for you.”

  Q puffed out his chest. “I know. It’s incredible, isn’t it? I’ll call your father to ask how to best invest the money. I want it to be there for you and the baby in case something happens to me.”

  Hilde’s eyes clouded over. “Nothing will happen to you, my love. Don’t jinx it.”

  “You’re right,” he said. “But I want this money to be our assets of last resort. With this war raging on, you never know.”

  After dinner, Hilde sat down to rest and knit a coat for the baby. Q retreated to his study and placed a phone call to his father-in-law.

  They exchanged a few pleasantries and then Q cut to the chase. “Carl, may I ask you a question about taxes?”

  “Sure. Although I’m more experienced in tax laws for companies and not for individuals.”

  “It seems I’ll receive a modest sum of money for one of my patents.”

  Carl chuckled into the phone. “How modest exactly? Small amounts are tax exempt.”

  “Twenty-five thousand,” Q said, and picked up the letter opener, rubbing the Amethyst stone with his thumb. According to his mother, Amethyst was his lucky stone.

  “Congratulations–” Carl said, but Q cut him short.

  “No, don’t. Not before I actually hold the money in my hands.”

  Carl laughed. “Fine. With that amount, you have to pay the complete additional war tax of five percent. Apart from that, I don’t think there are further tax implications.”

  Q shook his head. “I wonder what’s coming next? On top of extra taxes and food ration cards, you must ask for permission to change your job, and getting a travel permit is next to impossible.”

  “Everyone says it’ll soon be over,” Carl said.

  “That’s what they want us to believe.” Q rubbed the Amethyst again.

  “So, how do you plan to use that money?” his father-in-law asked.

  “Well, Hilde and I have discussed this. I think we should spend a small part of it buying high-quality things that will keep their value, even if we get another hyperinflation.”

  “Good idea. Like what?” Carl inquired.

  “Jewelry and antique furniture were the two things that have come to our minds.” Q grinned at the memory of the sparkle in Hilde’s eyes at the mention of jewelry.

  Carl exhaled loudly, and Q imagined him puffing out smoke. Carl probably had lit a cigarette as he settled in his chair to take the phone call. “Those are sound choices. You should also invest in gold coins. Now, mind you, you’ll need to purchase them as secretly as possible and keep them hidden in a very safe place. I would suggest burying them somewhere.”

  “We don’t have a garden, and I wouldn’t want to bury them anyplace where someone else might find them. Or we could bury them in your garden? In case something happens to Hilde and me.”

  Carl raised his voice. “Enough of that depressing talk. Nothing will happen to you. Neither of you is a Wehrmacht soldier.”

  Q pressed his lips together. Even though the country was at war, most everyone pretended nothing had changed. Maybe people needed this form of denial to cope with the danger? “But people are worried. Some of my colleagues in Berlin spent their summer vacations and weekends helping out for free at the farms outside the city.”

  “Yes, same thing here in Hamburg. They want to secure connections if food becomes scarce,” Carl said, sounding pensive. “I can still feel the hunger years after the Great War in my bones. That was an experience I don’t want to repeat, and I sure don’t want my girls to have to live through it.”

  “One more reason to invest our money safely. Thank you for your advice. Hilde and I will certainly treat this blessing carefully, should it come to fruition.”

  “Is there a chance it might not?” Carl asked.

  “In these days and times, anything can happen.”

  “Well, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Are you still planning to come up for Christmas?”

  “Yes. I need to buy train tickets because of the fuel rationing.” Q grimaced and scribbled a note on a piece of paper.

  “Let us know what day and time you will be arriving, and we’ll meet you at the train station.”

  “We will. Thank you again. See you soon.”

  Chapter 20

  Hilde shifted in her seat, trying to find a comfortable position. The train rattled through the countryside towards Hamburg. The fields were dusted with white frost and wafts of mist gave the landscape a mysterious appearance.

  “I hope we’ll get snow for Christmas like we did last year,” she said and leaned against Q’s shoulder.

  “Statistically, Northern Germany has had a White Christmas every ten years over the past fifty years,” Q answered, and she boxed him in the chest. He chuckled at her and glanced at her immense belly. “See the positive side. In your current state, you wouldn’t want to shovel snow.”

  “No. But I would want to sit behind the window with a hot cup of tea, watching my husband do it.” She giggled and then pressed a hand to the side of her stomach.

  “What’s wrong, Liebling?” Q asked with a worried tone.

  “Nothing. Just the baby kicking me again.” Hilde breathed and took the hand off of her belly to reveal a protruding bump the size of a baby foot dancing across it. “Look, it’s moving.”

  Q chased the bump with his hand and chuckled.

  “I hope it’ll decide to be born sooner rather than later,” Hilde said with a tired voice. In her last mont
h of pregnancy, she felt like a walrus and every movement had become cumbersome.

  Q’s eyes took on a look of panic. “The baby isn’t due for two more weeks. I told you it wasn’t prudent to travel to Hamburg. What if you go into labor early? Here on the train?”

  Hilde laughed away his concern. “We’ve discussed this at length already. The journey takes only a couple of hours. And the midwives in Hamburg are as good as the ones in Berlin should our pumpkin decide to arrive early.”

  At the train station in Hamburg, they exited the train, and her father met them on the platform. He gave Hilde a big hug and an appreciative glance. “My little daughter has grown up. And soon you’ll be a mother yourself.”

  Her step-mother, Emma, had already prepared dinner for them. The next morning, everyone helped to decorate the tree for Christmas Eve. Mouth-blown glass bowls from the Ore Mountains. Hand-made straw stars in several forms and colors. As a finishing touch, Carl decorated the fir tree with real candles – used ones from last Christmas, but candles nonetheless.

  Even though Hilde’s half-sisters, Julia and Sophie, were much too old to believe in the Christ Child, the family still pretended it existed. It was one of the coveted traditions nobody wanted to give up.

  But this year it was difficult to get into the spirit of the season. The war hovered over the country like a black shadow, ready to swoop down and wreak havoc. Emma collected everyone’s ration cards, including the extra cards Hilde received because she was pregnant and managed to put together a veritable Christmas feast.

  “Full fat milk! This is a gift from heaven,” Emma exclaimed as she scrutinized Hilde’s extra rations.

  “That skim milk we mere mortals are allowed to buy is plain awful,” Q said in agreement. “I’m convinced they’ve watered it down in addition to removing the fat and cream.”

  Emma smiled. “Q, would you go to the pantry and fetch me a bar of chocolate that I’ve hidden on the top shelf.”