Page 36 of Library of Forbidden Books

“Hans and I were socialists,” Alice cut in. “Well, I only was for his sake.”

“I hope this letter doesn’t get him into any trouble,” Helene said.

Anna shook her head. “No, he went ahead and joined the Hitler Youth.”

“Of course.” Helene nodded, then turned back to the letter. “‘Our brave Führer will save Germany and give us all a bright future. Yours forever, Hans.’”

Alice started crying, and Helene wrapped her arms around the girl, no matter what the camp rules required.

“So how did you end up in here?” Helene asked. Alice seemed like such an innocent young thing.

“Well, one of my classmates, the daughter of an SS officer, denounced me. She was jealous and wanted Hans for herself. But her plan didn’t work. She said I’d insulted the Führer, but I never did. They sentenced me to six months, but that ended last week. So maybe I’ll get to go home soon.”

Just then three other prisoners came up, and Alice quickly pulled away from Helene.

“You’re the new one?” asked the tallest of the women.

“Yes, I’m Hele—”

“We know your name, you cocky little Berliner. You think you’re too good for the rest of us. Well, around here I’m the one in charge! Don’t you forget it. My name is Elke, got it? From here on out, you’re giving us half your ration.”

Helene frowned and got to her feet. She had never been in a fight before, but she closed her fists and raised her chin.

Just then Anna walked up. “Elke, kindly leave my protégé in peace.”

Elke bent over the old woman, her face just inches from Anna’s.

Anna did not flinch. “Helene is good stock, and she’s going to help us all.”

“Help us? How’s she going to do that?”

“She’s going to start a school. That way you won’t be such a foolish brute,” Anna said.

The rest of the prisoners burst out laughing. Elke stalked away with her bullies like a hurt lion. Her parting glance told Helene that vengeance would come in time.

Chapter 21

The Moringen Library

Moringen

March 12, 1935

Two months . . . Helene thought as she stared out the workshop window.

Spring was certainly on its way, but the cold was relentless, especially at night. During her weeks at Moringen she had learned several things. The first was the most important: She was pregnant. It worried her more and more. The first sign was that her period did not come as usual. When she noticed her stomach was swollen, the nausea that had been occasional became constant. Instead of gaining weight as she should have been, she was thinner than ever because of the poor nutrition at Moringen. Anna snuck her extra food from a friend who worked in the kitchen, but even that did nothing to calm Helene’s insatiable metabolism.

The second thing she had learned was that happiness was possible even in the worst place on earth. She had spent the past few weeks teaching some twenty women in the barrack how to read and write. Helene had been shocked to find that so many women did not know even the basics about the alphabet. Yet it filled her with joy to improve the lives of so many prisoners, who were learning to write their names and sound out the only two books in the barrack.

Helene’s favorite student was “Little Alice,” as she often called the young woman. They had become inseparable, and many referred to them as “the Berliners.”

The third thing Helene had discovered was the human capacity to withstand almost anything—and the nearly unlimited human capacity for evil.

Helene had always believed that education had the power to change society and that evil was a result of ignorance. Yet the Moringen guards were not ignorant or uneducated. Like many of the prisoners, they were fanatics.

The guard over the political prisoners’ barrack was Ludmilla Albrecht. She was also the prettiest, with long blond curls, green eyes, and perfect features. It was whispered that she and Hans Wehymeyer, the officer in charge of Moringen, were lovers. Morality in the camp, especially between male and female guards, left much to be desired. The Nazis no longer hid their vices or felt bound by the conventions of traditional society.

One day Helene was sent to a warehouse to get more fabric, and she came upon Ludmilla and Hans making out in a corner. She ducked and fled, but it was too late. Ludmilla had seen her.