The general smiled. “Very good. Those are our main concerns. The rest of you have certain items we must collect prior to our start. Make sure we have everything on our list and then be ready on a moment’s notice to act,” he said forcefully. “Is there anything else tonight?”
No one said a word. “Good. Each of your sections has already met tonight and knows its orders. We meet again in two weeks and begin collecting all the materials,” he said as he stiffened and lifted his right arm in a Nazi salute. “Heil Hitler!” he yelled.
The rest of the men in the room jumped to their feet and joined the salute. Their shouts echoed through the room and down the outer passageway. After a moment, the general dropped his salute and left the room. The men relaxed and began leaving on their own. Their footsteps in the long passageway slowly lessened until the room was as quiet as a tomb.
On the way home, Fredrich Stadt sat in the seat next to his father. They had driven from Mittenwald, a small town near the Austrian Boarder, to attend the meeting. It was Fredrick’s sixth. Up until tonight the meetings were with just the youth of high school age and were more of a kind of political ideology meeting than anything of substance. Fredrich attended the meetings because his father expected him to and they did make him feel a little more important for being in some sort of exclusive “club.” But tonight they had been given a brown uniform shirt to wear to meetings and they had been told they would be taught how to use weapons. There was more talk about the “greater Germany” and then this last thing about getting the supplies together. It made him uneasy.
He still didn’t like the Nazi salute. In school, every person was taught about what happened in years past and how it must never happen again. Germany was embarrassed that it had allowed itself to be deluded by Hitler. It was also embarrassed that it was ridiculed for its actions. To the rest of the world the Germans were the bad guys.
Fredrich hated the embarrassment. Germany wasn’t a bad place. German people were not “bad.” True, Hitler had led Germany down a garden path until it was too late to do anything. But Germany couldn’t and wouldn’t go back to that. At the same time, these people were saying Germans were going to be leaders again. They said Germany would become the leader of the world. People would look up to them again. He liked that part. Unfortunately, the men in this “club” were saying some of the same things Hitler did before. Were they being deluded again, or was this the real answer? There were too many questions for his 16 year old mind.
“Father, I am concerned about something,” Fredrich said.
Herr Stadt stared straight ahead as he drove the car. “What is it?”
“I know you want me to attend these meetings, and I am learning a great many things. I want our nation to be great, but they are asking you to steal this fuel. You and mother have always taught us that stealing something is a very bad thing. How can we do this?” Fredrich asked.
“We do it because it is necessary,” he said tersely. “These are plans set down in stone years ago. It is our duty to our neighbors and to our Fatherland to make sure these plans are carried out in any way we can,” Stadt said.
“I understand that. But you said the organization had the funds to do almost anything we desire. Wouldn’t it be better to purchase the fuel they need and have it delivered wherever you need it?” Fredrich asked.
“Son, you must understand that this would be impossible. The things we do must be kept secret. If we purchased the fuel, someone would know what we are doing and try and stop us. If nothing else, questions would be raised. This is the right way and I trust our leaders’ judgment. It is the job of every member of the Party to follow the directions of its leaders without question. Our code is strict and it works well for us because we are German. As a new member of the Party you must learn the discipline that makes us a whole. For now, you just follow your orders and keep quiet about who we are and what we do,” Stadt instructed his son. “Verstehst du? (Do you understand?).”
“Ja,” said Fredrich. When his father got like this there was nothing to do but agree. But the shaddow of doubt was already in Fredrick’s mind. He was beginning to wish there was a way out of this without disappointing his father or getting into some big trouble. He stared out the windows as the cars passed each other along the highway. The rest of the ride was in silence.
Eric could not believe his good fortune. When Anna came to the door she was wearing a beautiful blue evening dress with a satin collar that perfectly matched her eyes. She was so stunning Eric simply stared until she broke his trance by kissing him on the cheek. After waving goodbye to her parents, the couple drove to a local supper club for a meal and some dancing.
Anna was equally impressed. Eric had worn a white dinner jacket with navy pants. There was a red carnation in his lapel. She had expected a coat and tie, but this was much nicer. She was glad to find someone who had some style and not just some everyman who just got by. There wasn’t much talking until they got to the club and were seated at their table.
Anna had never been inside this club. It was like what one saw in movies from the 1930s. Several levels of linen covered tables surrounded a large dance floor with an orchestra on one end. There were potted palms everywhere. The club was nearly full and people were having a good time. Eric noticed that several turned and stared as they entered the room and went to their table. He didn’t know if it was because they were strangers or if Anna was simply that beautiful. They both stared back in amazement at such a scene.
“This place is amazing,” Anna said after the waiter took their order. “Thank you for bringing me.”
Eric reached out and took her hand. “I was tired of sharing you all the time and wanted to have you all to myself for a while. I needed to make a lasting impression,” he said smiling.
Anna giggled. “Well you have. This would impress anyone,” she said looking around. Then her eyes met his. “Besides, I was hoping to have some time alone with you as well.” She began to blush.
Eric almost couldn’t help himself. “Anna, you are so beautiful tonight,” he said before he realized it.
Her blush got deeper, setting off her hair and eyes even more. “I had to be, since I was going to be with a very handsome guy.” The band struck up a slow tune in the background and people began to get up to dance. “Please tell me you know how to dance,” she almost pleaded.
Eric smiled and stood, taking her hand and leading her to the floor. Placing his arm around her waist, he led her gently around the floor in time to the music. Anna followed his lead, eventually resting her head on his shoulder. Eric thanked god for his mother’s insistence that he learn to dance as a teenager.
The music went on and on, neither wishing it to stop. By the time they got back to their table, their dinner was served. The meal was excellent. They talked about all kinds of things, from current events to things they did growing up. Eric was surprised at the many similarities they shared, from their love of the outdoors to their plans for the future. Anna was different from most American girls he had known. She wanted to be a professional and make a mark of her own on the future. She enjoyed the growing liberation women were achieving but valued the traditions from her past. Best of all, she wasn’t the cheerleader type, but a confident, self-assured individual who was not afraid to speak her mind or engage in conversation. She was smart. She knew it and didn’t flaunt it. He was captivated.