The Evil of Hitler

President Roosevelt was late returning to the Cabinet meeting after lunch; he had been engaged in an important telephone call. Those members of his Cabinet who knew him well could tell his demeanor had changed. He still spoke with confidence and authority.

"Prime Minister Chamberlain informed me that life for the Austrian Jewish people is awful. When the German Army arrived they brought with them a new order for police; a group named Gestapo and another with the initials SS were really a military force. Regardless of the name, both groups hated Jews.

"He even told me that the former Chancellor of Austria, Schuschnigg, was seen cleaning public toilets while Austrian Jews were made to get down on their hands and knees and scrub streets."

"Sir, this is not what any of us wanted to hear. Do you believe this will be in our local newspaper?"

"I'm not sure, Georg. Why do you ask?"

"There was a large population of Jewish people in Salzburg where we lived. My wife and the other two ladies were friends with many of them. My older children also had Jewish friends. This terrible news is going to distress them all."

"You're free to return home."

The three Austrian officers hurried home; hoping nothing about this terrible news had been in the newspaper.

Franz greeted them and told them this. "In the newspaper's editorial, the editor commented that news coming from Austria was horrendous. And that he would not be publishing any of it. Do you know what he's talking about?"

"Sadly we do. Do any of the children know this?"

"The older ones commented on not discussing any news today."

"Good, Kenneth must have alerted his teachers. Where are Maria and Connie?"

"Maria was hemming Louisa's Cheerleading skirt. And Connie is helping Carolyn with her homework."

"Good, we're going to hide in my study for awhile before we find them."

So the three men hid until the front door opened and they heard Max speak to Franz. "I heard on the radio all about the terrible way the Nazis are treating the Austrian people; it's absolutely appalling. I saw the navy car, are the men home from DC already."

"Yes, all of them are in Georg's study."

Max went there. And before he could speak, Georg did. "It's all true, Max. President Roosevelt sent us home early but Connie and Maria don't know we're here. We didn't want them to ask us why. Enough time has gone by, we can go find them."

The four of them did leave Georg's study and fortunately the children were there and spoke once again good things about school. The two ladies didn't notice anything different about their husbands.

The children's chatter at dinner kept the men in a good frame of mind. But as Georg expected, Maria noticed his demeanor that night in their room. He formed his words carefully.

"Maria, our president and the leader of Great Britain now know the evil intent of Hitler. He has a grandiose idea to give Germany more living space as he calls it. And in this space he only wants people who fit his definition of a pure German."

Maria quickly asked. "Who are these people?"

Georg thought carefully before answering. "Personally, I don't think they are real people; it may designate a supposed master race of non-Jewish Caucasians usually having Nordic features.

"It really doesn't matter. What we do know is that Jewish people will not be allowed in this living space."

"How terrible, Georg! What's going to happen to them?"

"I don't know. Hitler's mind is bizarre. Maybe the President will have good news tomorrow. We need hide our emotions in the morning; I don't want to alert Brigitta. Now it's our time."

"It certainly is."

When morning came the couple did their best to hide their emotions. The day proceeded normally. And the President had news for them that morning.