The Runaway Family (30 page)

Edith, ever obedient to her mother-in-law’s wishes, stood up. “I’ll see you out, Ruth, and then I think I’ll read in bed, David. Goodnight, Opa.” Edith had always addressed her parents-in-law as Herr and Frau Bernstein until the children had arrived, and then she, too, had begun to use “Oma” and “Opa”. It had made them seem a little less frightening.

“You should go up, too, Paul,” she added, and shepherded her son out of the room.

At the front door, when Ruth kissed her sister on the cheek, Edith said, “Will everything change very much, do you think?”

Ruth sighed at Edith’s naivety. “I think it will,” she replied. “I think you should be prepared.”

But even Ruth hadn’t been prepared for the thousands and thousands of people flocking to the Heldenplatz to welcome Adolf Hitler. She had had no illusions either. When she’d got home that evening, she told Helga about the chancellor’s broadcast, repeating the solemn pronouncement, “God protect Austria.” She looked across at her mother and said, “It’s going to happen again, isn’t it, Mother? Just when we thought we were safe.”

Helga sat, pale-faced, in her chair. “The Anschluss may have been agreed,” she said wearily, “but it’s unlikely that anything will happen for a while. We’ll just have to keep going as we have been and hope for the best.”

When Vienna awoke the next morning, it was to the news that German troops had crossed the border and were already on their way to the city. A new chancellor, Dr Arthur Seyss-Inquart, an ally of the Nazis, had, on Schuschnigg’s resignation, immediately assumed office, announcing, “Any opposition to the German army, should it enter Austria, is completely out of the question.” He lost no time in being sworn in, and in naming his ministers… all of whom were Nazis.

As the day wore on, everyone listened to the wireless, to hear the latest news of what was happening. Ruth went to work as usual, and as she crossed the city, walking along the now-familiar streets, she could feel the difference in the atmosphere. Posters advertising the abandoned plebiscite for Monday, exhorting people to vote yes to an independent Austria, were still on walls and billboards, but many had been defaced. Austria’s chance to say no to Hitler had been lost. The streets were busy. People had come out of their homes, full of the news. There was an air of suppressed excitement as they gathered on street corners, talking, passing on news. Ruth heard snippets of their excited chatter as she hurried by. One tall man, holding forth to his friends just outside the haberdashery, was saying:

“General Himmler, you know of the SS? Well, he landed here, in Vienna this morning. Now we’ll get some action!”

Ruth froze. Could it be true? Could the monster, Himmler, architect of the terrifying SS, really be here already? She wanted to ask the man how he knew. If he was certain. But the smile of delight on his face as he passed on his piece of news made her move on, before he noticed her standing and listening to him. He was clearly a man who welcomed the Germans. He was not the only one. His words were greeted with a cheer. Ruth kept her head down and went into the shop.

Not the only one! Ruth thought now as she clung to the statue above the seething crowd. Was there an Austrian who was
not
here, crammed into the Heldenplatz, roaring his support? “Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!”

Eventually the harangue from the balcony came to an end and, when the band played “Deutschland, Deutschland, über Alles”, the words were taken up by 200,000 voices. Tanks and armoured cars rolled past the square, squadrons of cavalry clattered by, pennants and standards flapping in the breeze; columns of soldiers goose-stepped their way past the teeming crowd who stood, some madly cheering, others with arms raised in the rigid Nazi salute. The Germans had arrived and were here to stay, and let no one doubt the might of their armies. High above in the clear blue of the March sky, Luftwaffe planes flew past in close formation; Germany was master of the Austrian skies. Germany would be the master of Europe.

Ruth watched from her perch on the statue, unable to get down, unable to escape and slip away to the safety of her home. Trapped in the middle of the mass rally, she had to remain where she was until the parades were over and the crowd began to disperse. The young man who had hauled her up now made a space beside him, so that although she still clung on to the statue she was able to lean against its base.

“I think we’ll be here for some time,” he said, “so we may as well try and get more comfortable.”

Ruth smiled and thanked him. He held out his hand and said, “My name is Peter Walder.”

“Peter,” she repeated. “My son’s name.”

Peter grinned at her. “Good choice!” he said. “And you are?”

“Helga,” Ruth said after a moment’s hesitation, “Helga Heber.” In that split second of hesitation, she decided not to use her own, Jewish-sounding name. Her mother’s more Aryan name was safer. They shook hands, each of them hanging on to the statue with the other hand.

“Isn’t he amazing?” Peter demanded, his eyes still glowing with the excitement of the past hour. “Isn’t he just amazing?”

“Unbelievable,” Ruth agreed truthfully.

“What a leader! What a man to follow! And an Austrian! Can you believe it? An Austrian is the most powerful man in Europe?”

“Unbelievable,” Ruth murmured again.

“With the Führer leading us, we Germans from all over Europe will be united!” Peter asserted. “Won’t that be wonderful? All Germans equal citizens!”

“That would be a dream come true,” Ruth said carefully.

“Your Peter will grow up in a brand-new world,” Peter enthused. “He will be able to take his rightful place in the world! And we were here to see the start of it, you and I! Imagine! If I’d gone to my lecture at the university today as I should have done, I’d have missed all this!”

“What are you studying?” asked Ruth, anxious to turn the conversation away from the scene before her.

“Law,” he replied. “I’m nearly qualified as a lawyer.”

The parades continued around the square, the people continued to cheer, but gradually Ruth could make out a thinning in the ranks, and said, “I must try and get home. My… Peter will be wondering where I’ve got to.”

“You should have brought him with you,” Peter said. “This is an historic day! What did the Führer say? ‘Before the face of history…’ Today is the day in Austrian history that will never be forgotten.”

Ruth managed a smile. “I’m sure you’re right, Peter. Never forgotten.”

He helped her to slip down from the statue, and she eased her way quickly into the crowds, anxious to get away from the Heldenplatz as fast as she possibly could. Once she glanced back. She could see Peter Walder still standing on the statue. He had climbed higher and now stood, one arm round the horse’s leg, the other waving, shouting in furious joy as the mob saluted their beloved Führer yet again.

“Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!”

God help us, Ruth thought as she threaded her way through the masses round her, God help us if all the young Austrians think as he does… and he’s going to be a lawyer!

Once she was clear of the square and the surrounding streets, Ruth almost ran back to the apartment. What she had seen this day had made her realise just what she and all the other Jews in Vienna were up against, and it absolutely terrified her.

She thought of Kurt. It had been so wonderful to hear his voice on the phone. New hope had surged through her. She’d walked back to the flat after his call, her feet scarcely touching the ground. He was coming to her, to be with her and the children again, a proper family. She didn’t tell the children, or even Helga, she simply hugged the secret of his return to herself. She could almost feel his body against hers. For that one night, Ruth had been overflowing with happiness, her eyes alight with the joy of her secret. The next evening all her hopes had been dashed. Germany had grabbed Austria, dragging it into the new and ever-expanding German Empire. The Nazis had arrived, joining with those already carefully placed in the Austrian government. The Nazis had swept into power, backed by the German army that had marched across the border. Ruth and her family were no safer now than they had been in Kirnheim or Munich.

The evening of the rally in the Heldenplatz, David went to see his father. His parents were surprised to see him, but when he had drunk a cup of coffee with his mother, he said that he needed a word with his father, if she would excuse them.

Marta Bernstein, who was quite used to the men retiring to Friedrich’s study for a brandy, agreed readily enough and returned to her embroidery.

“Well, David? What’s this all about?” Friedrich dropped into his favourite chair in front of the fire. His study was his refuge, the place where he was never allowed to be disturbed by the rest of the household, and the fire was always made up and the room warm.

David poured them each a generous brandy and carried one of the glasses over to his father. Taking the other to a chair across the fire from him, he raised his glass, looking at the flames through the amber spirit.

“I’ll tell you what it’s about,” he said. “After what has happened today…”

“What has happened today?”

“This welcoming rally for Hitler in the Heldenplatz… I think we should seriously consider leaving.”

“Leaving?” Friedrich looked up in surprise. “Leaving Vienna?”

“Not leaving Vienna,” David said patiently. “I mean leaving Austria. You said yourself that it was a good thing Berta wasn’t here, that she was safely in England. Perhaps we should be getting the other children out, too.” He took a sip of his brandy, and then went on, “Ruth came to see me earlier this evening.”

“Ruth? And what has she to say to anything?”

“She was in the Heldenplatz this morning and…”

“More fool her!”

“Father, will you listen, please! I know you don’t think much of Edith’s family, but over the last few weeks I’ve grown to have a great deal of respect for Ruth.”

He thought again of the conversation he had had with his sister-in-law earlier in the evening. She had arrived at the house, and asked Anna if David was in. He had said he would call Edith, but Ruth had stopped him.

“No, David, don’t call Edith yet. It’s you I need to talk to.”

“I see. Well, I suppose you’d better come into my study then.” He had led her into the comfortable room off the hall where he, like his father, found refuge from his family. Despite the fact that spring was definitely in the air, there was a fire burning brightly in the grate, and Ruth went eagerly to warm her hands.

David closed the door behind them. She’s going to ask me for another loan, he thought sourly. He gave her a tight smile and said, “Well now, Ruth, what can I do for you?”

“Do for me?” Ruth echoed. “Nothing, David. I’ve not come to ask you for a favour, I’ve come to tell you what I saw today and to warn you…”

“Warn me? Warn me about what?” David waved her to a chair. “You’d better sit down and tell me what this is all about.”

Ruth sat, and still holding her hands out to the warmth of the fire, told him what had happened to her that morning.

“What I’ve come to tell you, David, is that you and Edith and the children should get out while you can. Your parents, too. You’ve got enough money to go anywhere in the world. You should leave Austria while you still can.”

“I see. Well, thank you for that bit of advice, Ruth,” David replied coolly. “I’ll bear it in mind.”

“Look, David,” Ruth didn’t trouble to hide her irritation at his tone, “I know you aren’t particularly fond of any of Edith’s family, but like it or not we are here. We’ve escaped from the Nazis once, we’ve lived through what they do to Jews. What I saw today terrified me. All Austria was welcoming Hitler, and what the Nazis have been doing in Germany is going to happen here. I tell you this, David, if
I
could afford to get my family away from Vienna, out of Austria, I would do it. I would do it tomorrow.” She got to her feet then, and walked to the door. “Life is going to change out of all recognition from now. You’re in a position to do something, if you act fast. That’s all I came to say. Good afternoon.”

She had left the room closing the door softly behind her, leaving David staring after her. He heard voices in the hall, Edith greeting Ruth with surprise, not knowing she was in the house, and then there was the sound of the front door closing. David moved to the window and saw Ruth striding off down the street, her coat held closely about her against the chill in the wind. He had to admit she had earned his respect the way she had brought her children out of Germany to the safety of Vienna, and how she had set herself to provide for her family since they had arrived. She had hardly called on his generosity at all, and the loans Edith had made her were all being paid back. Partly that irritated him, women in his circles did not take jobs in a haberdashery, but loath as he was to admit it, even to himself, it impressed him. He wished Edith showed as much spirit sometimes.

He sat down by the fire again and considered what she had told him. He realised things were not going to be easy from now, but as a well-established figure in Viennese society, he didn’t think he or his family were in danger… not in any real sense. And yet… Ruth had been serious about her warning, and she spoke from bitter experience.

“She’s a strong and determined woman,” David said to his father now.

“More than can be said for your wife,” Friedrich snorted.

“Father! For God’s sake let’s not go into all that again. Listen to what I am telling you now. Let’s face it, Father, we’ve seen the way things have been going these last few weeks. We shouldn’t have been surprised by Friday’s announcement. Schuschnigg had been gradually giving in to Nazi demands for the past two months. He was never strong enough to take on Hitler… or our own Nazis, for that matter.” David shook his head. “No, Father, it could well be time to get the children out, and fast.”

“You’d all have to go,” stated his father. “You could hardly send the children somewhere else on their own! Would you leave your home, your work, the rest of your family, just like that?”

“You and Mother could come as well. We’d all go.”