Post by Otto Wolff on Aug 28, 2009 21:22:39 GMT
Lights were being lit in the windows as the darkness slowly descended over Berlin and people were preparing their dinners in the comfort of their homes. War had taken it's toll on the civilians also and many homes most likely had a more or less melancholy mood. Sons, fathers and brothers were fighting on the front, supplies were scarce and people had to constantly watch their words and actions, even in the safety of their own home.
Just last week Otto had come upon a case where a daughter had filed an official denunciation against her own father. No doubt the word of such cases had spread over Germany before that, too. The tide of the war had changed and the officials of the Reich had to keep an iron grip of the people. This was not the time for a few cowards to undermine the morale of the people.
He was not sure if Claude could ever see things from the same perspective as Otto did, but he already knew he could not ever understand the Jew's side of things. He could try to understand what it was like to be hated and hunted as Claude had been, but he could never truly know what it was like. Someone had said that if the tables ever turned, the Germans would be in dire trouble indeed. Otto did not really want to think about it too closely. He knew that if the war ended badly and he was identified as a Gestapo officer, his life would end quite quickly. What else could they do? If Otto was in their stead, he would have surely sentenced the people involved in the suffering of his own kin to certain death, no questions asked.
But that would not happen. And it could not happen. If he lost his faith in his Fatherland like this, he surely deserved every bad thing that was coming for him. Otto Wolff would never be seen hanging his head down, beaten and broken down like cattle. He would hold his head high, come victory or defeat.
Finishing with his own inner inspirational speech, Otto felt slightly more secure with his own thoughts again. Showing some lenience to this man, Jew or not, did not make him a traitor. Besides, he wasn't doing it for the man himself, but for the little girl who so much cared for the Jew, bless her innocent little heart. Acting like a complete brute would do little to serve the Fatherland, but would work efficiently to destroy Otto himself. He was in control of his actions and thoughts now and would never let anything change that again.
Otto realized he had once again succumbed to his own thoughts and grown silent for a while. He already prepared to comment something about the courtyard and the work that still remained to be done, when a metallic groan interrupted him even before he had a chance to start. The guards had opened the gate to the courtyard and were making his way towards them. Realizing that Claude was already stumbling up to his feet, Otto pointed a finger at him.
"Auf, faule Juden!" he said in a sharp tone of voice, rolling his eyes at Claude and not sounding very enthusiastic. He had to keep up at least some kind of front to the guards and the men saluted him quickly as they approached.
"Gehen Sie weiter, nehmen Sie ihn zurück. Vielleicht sollten Sie ihn eine Stunde länger Morgen arbeiten lassen, ich will mehr Fortschritt nächstes Mal sehen," Otto noted and raised his eyebrow at the guards, who rapidly agreed with him. What else could they do?
Exchanging Heil Hitler's with the guards, Otto gave Claude one more glance before turning around and walking towards the door to the lobby. The conversation had made him thoughtful. His view of the world might not have changed completely, but he could see a few things in a different light now. He could now understand Claude's hatred and bitterness and maybe, just maybe see him a little bit more as a human being than just as a Jew. But thinking like that was surely an atrocity, was it not?
Various thoughts filling the Kriminalkommissar's head, his hand instinctively went inside his pocket to grasp the small metallic disc, his thumb tracing the powerful and assuring form of the swastika.
Translations:
"Auf, faule Juden!"
"Get up, you lazy Jew!"
"Gehen Sie weiter, nehmen Sie ihn zurück. Vielleicht sollten Sie ihn eine Stunde länger Morgen arbeiten lassen, ich will mehr Fortschritt nächstes Mal sehen."
"Go on, take him back. Maybe you should have him work one hour longer tomorrow, I want to see more progress next time."
Just last week Otto had come upon a case where a daughter had filed an official denunciation against her own father. No doubt the word of such cases had spread over Germany before that, too. The tide of the war had changed and the officials of the Reich had to keep an iron grip of the people. This was not the time for a few cowards to undermine the morale of the people.
He was not sure if Claude could ever see things from the same perspective as Otto did, but he already knew he could not ever understand the Jew's side of things. He could try to understand what it was like to be hated and hunted as Claude had been, but he could never truly know what it was like. Someone had said that if the tables ever turned, the Germans would be in dire trouble indeed. Otto did not really want to think about it too closely. He knew that if the war ended badly and he was identified as a Gestapo officer, his life would end quite quickly. What else could they do? If Otto was in their stead, he would have surely sentenced the people involved in the suffering of his own kin to certain death, no questions asked.
But that would not happen. And it could not happen. If he lost his faith in his Fatherland like this, he surely deserved every bad thing that was coming for him. Otto Wolff would never be seen hanging his head down, beaten and broken down like cattle. He would hold his head high, come victory or defeat.
Finishing with his own inner inspirational speech, Otto felt slightly more secure with his own thoughts again. Showing some lenience to this man, Jew or not, did not make him a traitor. Besides, he wasn't doing it for the man himself, but for the little girl who so much cared for the Jew, bless her innocent little heart. Acting like a complete brute would do little to serve the Fatherland, but would work efficiently to destroy Otto himself. He was in control of his actions and thoughts now and would never let anything change that again.
Otto realized he had once again succumbed to his own thoughts and grown silent for a while. He already prepared to comment something about the courtyard and the work that still remained to be done, when a metallic groan interrupted him even before he had a chance to start. The guards had opened the gate to the courtyard and were making his way towards them. Realizing that Claude was already stumbling up to his feet, Otto pointed a finger at him.
"Auf, faule Juden!" he said in a sharp tone of voice, rolling his eyes at Claude and not sounding very enthusiastic. He had to keep up at least some kind of front to the guards and the men saluted him quickly as they approached.
"Gehen Sie weiter, nehmen Sie ihn zurück. Vielleicht sollten Sie ihn eine Stunde länger Morgen arbeiten lassen, ich will mehr Fortschritt nächstes Mal sehen," Otto noted and raised his eyebrow at the guards, who rapidly agreed with him. What else could they do?
Exchanging Heil Hitler's with the guards, Otto gave Claude one more glance before turning around and walking towards the door to the lobby. The conversation had made him thoughtful. His view of the world might not have changed completely, but he could see a few things in a different light now. He could now understand Claude's hatred and bitterness and maybe, just maybe see him a little bit more as a human being than just as a Jew. But thinking like that was surely an atrocity, was it not?
Various thoughts filling the Kriminalkommissar's head, his hand instinctively went inside his pocket to grasp the small metallic disc, his thumb tracing the powerful and assuring form of the swastika.
Translations:
"Auf, faule Juden!"
"Get up, you lazy Jew!"
"Gehen Sie weiter, nehmen Sie ihn zurück. Vielleicht sollten Sie ihn eine Stunde länger Morgen arbeiten lassen, ich will mehr Fortschritt nächstes Mal sehen."
"Go on, take him back. Maybe you should have him work one hour longer tomorrow, I want to see more progress next time."
