The Luck of the Weissensteiners (The Three Nations Trilogy) by Christoph Fischer Page A

he is done with Czechoslovakia.”
    “Where do you think we stand the best chance to live in peace?” she asked.
    “Portugal, Spain and Italy are all dangerous places with their fascist governments. Sweden is trading with Hitler a lot, so Scandinavia seems risky too. That leaves Holland, France and England. The best place would be America but we don't have the kind of money to make that a realistic goal. Besides, when things improve politically in Europe it would be difficult to return from there. It is far too expensive travelling even in one direction.”
    “Do you think it will ever become safe for Jews in Europe?” she asked.
    “Yes, I think so,” he said. “Sometime in the future it will be safe again. Right now of c ourse that is hard to imagine but don't worry. You are not a Jew everywhere in the world.”
    “What about Wilma and the rest of my family?” she asked with concern.
    “They should think about escaping themselves. I hope they are making enquiries of their own,” he said coldly.
    “Couldn't we get away all together?” she suggested. “Couldn’t we help them?”
    “We stand a better chance on our own,” he said. “I am German. My passport is genuine. Every passport applicant in Germany has to prove their Aryan ancestry. It would be possible to get a forged one for you and Karl that won't identify you as Jews. We would cross the border as a regular German family. The fewer people in our group at the border the smaller is the risk of the patrol spotting a forgery. With Karl and me being blond I hope that we won't have any trouble.”
    “What about Wilma, Egon and my father? Do you think they could get false passports too?” she asked hopefully.
    “I can make enquiries for them but with their looks they might have more problems and be subjected to a thorough inspection. It would be far too risky in my view for them to travel,” he replied in a matter of fact manner.
    “Will they get out with their own passports?”
    “Officially yes,” he informed her, “but you know the Polish are not very keen on their Jews either and might stop le tting any more in at any time, especially as there are ever more of you these days. Every country fears being overrun if they let in just a few of you. For Germans travelling, it will be a lot easier.”
    “Are you suggesting that I should leave without them?” she said, realising what he was getting at.
    “Of course I am suggesting that. A larger group is much more suspicious. We would endanger Karl,” he explained.
    “But they are my family. I can't just abandon them.”
    “I am your family now,” came the curt reply.
    Soon after this conversation , Johanna came back from a trip to the market in town and took Greta aside.
    “I think you need to tell your famil y to get out of the country,” she said.
    “Why are you saying this? Has anything happened in town? What have you heard?” Greta asked worriedly.
    “I have heard nothing, calm down,” Johanna replied. “Nothing special has happened. Nothing needs to. The signs are all obvious. You don't see many Jews in the streets any more where there used to be so many of you. Now the ones that you do see don't seem to feel safe. The Germans are not even here yet and already it feels strange and dangerous in the streets. Don't your family tell you anything?”
    “They have said nothing about that,” Greta had to admit. “I am never in town, so I will have to trust your word. Wilhelm seems to feel the same as you. Maybe you are both right. I will speak to my father and ask him to consider it when they come here next.”
    “That is the other thing I was going to ask you,” Johanna added.  “I don't think it is wise for them to do that. They can no longer come here to visit at all. It is too dangerous for us and for them.”
    “Why?” Greta asked.
    “It is a long way from town to here,” Johanna pointed out. “They should stay indoors as much as they can. Bratislava is dangerous now. There