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Minki shrugged and drained her glass, refilling it herself.
‘You do know what their plans are for Jewish people like me and Viktor, don’t you?’
Minki nodded, and bit her lip. ‘I read that article you wrote a few months ago. It’s quite wrong, I know. I wish they would stop demonising people.’
‘Have you challenged Goebbels about it? He always used to listen to you.’
Minki shook her head. ‘I’m not really in a position—’ she began.
‘I’m working on a new piece now,’ Leila interjected, her anger suddenly rising despite herself. ‘It’s about the Nazis’ obsession with creating a pure race of people – whatever that means. If it wasn’t so sick you’d say it was a kind of insanity.’ She wondered if Minki knew about Staemmler’s proposal to sterilise people with disabilities. Should she mention it now? ‘If people like us don’t fight back, Minki, these ideas about racial purity will become the law…do you understand the seriousness of the situation?’
At that moment Clara began to cry from the bedroom.
‘I’m sorry…’ Minki muttered, rising to her feet. ‘I must go to her.’
Viktor arrived home shortly afterwards, and no more was said about politics, but the division between the two friends lurked under the surface. Leila cooked supper, they ate together, drank wine, laughed a little, but all the while Leila wondered what Minki’s real opinion was about her National Socialist friends. She was grateful when Minki crept off to bed, professing a headache.
In bed that night, Viktor wrapped Leila in his arms. ‘What’s the matter, Leila? You were so looking forward to seeing Minki, but it’s obvious that all is not well between you.’
‘Yes, I was looking forward to seeing her, and the baby – who is adorable, by the way – but politics came between us. Did you know that Max is making propaganda films for Goebbels now?’
Viktor shook his head.
‘It means that Max, and by default Minki, have become the enemy. How can we possibly stay friends?’
‘That’s a bit harsh. What do you expect her to do? Leave her husband?’
‘I don’t know. Stand up to him, maybe. Show some courage…demand he stops what he’s doing. Something has to shake her awake. It’s as if she’s sleepwalking into disaster.’
‘Darling, you can’t hope to control the way she thinks, or acts. Just be a friend to her. She’ll do the right thing, when the time is right.’
‘You really think so?’ Leila shook her head. ‘I’m not so sure any more. Something has changed since the baby was born. She’s become weak and soft. She used to be such a rebel. When I was young, she was such an inspiration to me – she was independent and fearless. But now…It’s as if Max’s money and Goebbels’ influence is just too seductive, too easy. She used to say she was ‘above’ politics – was proud of the fact. “An observer,” she used to say. I believed her then – in fact I admired her for it – but now I think she’s just a coward…a coward who won’t face reality.’
Minki left early the following morning. On the surface, the friends were affectionate, promising to ‘see each other soon’, but, as she waved Minki goodbye, Leila was relieved. The last few hours together had opened up a wound that Leila feared would never heal.
Over the following weeks, an outpouring of revelations about the National Socialists’ policies was leaked to theMunich Post. The Party had a secret plan to set up ‘collection camps for people who were unwilling to work, or were politically unreliable’. Effectively, they intended to create a prison state.
But was there an outcry from the public? To Leila’s amazement there was not. Far from her countrymen rising up and denouncing the Party, the National Socialists instead grew in popularity.
Arriving home one evening, Viktor found Leila in the kitchen, close to tears. ‘What’s the matter, my love?’
‘I just don’t understand, Viktor…What’s wrong with people? Day after day, we’re publishing stories that make my blood run cold. And where’s the outcry? Where’s the fury? It’s as if everyone is asleep. They need to wake up!’
‘Most people are not asleep, my love, they are simply out of work,’ Viktor replied patiently. ‘Millions of people are without a job in this country. They would vote for the devil if he promised to put food on the table.’
‘I suppose you’re right. It’s just…I’m frightened, Viktor. For the first time, I’m really frightened.’
‘Come on now. We’ll survive.’
‘But how? The worse the economy gets, the more popular that evil man becomes. The terrible things he’s planning simply get brushed under the carpet. But one day we – and our children – could be imprisoned for merely existing.’
He held out his arms to her. ‘It won’t come to that.’
She allowed him to hold her, absorbing his strength. She loved him at that moment more than ever before. ‘Viktor, if anything ever happened to you I just don’t think I could survive.’
‘Of course you could,’ he said, kissing the top of her head. ‘Your strength will see you through anything, darling. Trust me… things will get better.’
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. ‘Will they? I wish I had your faith, Viktor, I really do.’
