Volk by Piers Anthony Page B

backwardness and given disciplinary duties.
    The next day when the call was made, only a quarter of the candidates took that step. Ernst remained among them.
    So it continued from day to day, until only a handful remained. Ernst knew it would be easier not to take the step, because he really did not care that much about the Church. But he still did not like being forced to renounce it.
    Then one day the other five candidates were put on adverse duty, but Ernst was excused. He went to the commander and inquired. “You are marked for better things,” the officer told him. “The others are hopeless.”
    Ernst realized that the string his father had pulled was having further effect. If the authorities bore down on him too hard, or tried to drive him out, there could be unpleasant consequences for them. So they were excepting him.
    But he refused to accept this. “If the others have done wrong, I have done the same,” Ernst said firmly. “I must be punished in the same manner they are.”
    The man gazed at him for a long moment. “It is not your prerogative to establish company policy,” he said. “Dismissed.”
    Ernst had to go, because he could not disobey a direct order. But instead of reporting back to his unit for regular activities, he went to the punishment detail. No one questioned this; it did not occur to the sergeant in charge that anyone would seek punishment he had not been assigned.
    The word must have spread, however, because next morning there was no call-out. The remaining church members were allowed to proceed with the regular program.
    Later, the sergeant who had been in charge of the punishment detail came to the barracks and paused at Ernst’s bunk. “You have courage,” he remarked, and moved on. But Ernst caught the momentary, tiny twitch of his lips. The man was pleased.
    No one else said anything to him. But the subtle respect with which Ernst was treated increased. He had won the day, in a certain fashion.
    On November 7 Ernst and the other candidates from all across Germany went south to Munich for the swearing in ceremony. But something strange and significant happened while they were traveling.
    â€œDid you hear?” another candidate on the train demanded breathlessly. “Ernst von Rath has been shot by a Jew!”
    Ernst thought at first that he was being teased, because of the first name. He had no idea who the victim was. But in the course of the following day, as they reached Munich and found their barracks, it came clear: he was the third secretary of the German Embassy in Paris. He was not a nationally known figure, but Goebbels, the minister of Propaganda, was spreading the word throughout Germany. A prominent leader had been treacherously murdered by the foul Jews!
    Ernst was neutral concerning the Jews. He knew that Hitler did not like them, and Hitler’s logic in
Mein Kampf
was persuasive. But Ernst had seen in America that Jews could be much like any other people. So it seemed best to move them out of Germany and have no further quarrel. But if they were now murdering government officials, that made the matter more serious. So he paid attention, and learned the background of this episode.
    It seemed that one Herschel Grynspan was a Jew whose parents had been forcibly relocated to the Polish border, in accordance with the program to move Jews elsewhere. Rather than accept the situation, it was suggested, he had assassinated the official who had made the decision. Of course Grynspan would be dealt with. Ernst knew that these things happened. But von Rath was in critical condition, and it was doubtful whether he would live. That was unfortunate for him.
    But why was Goebbels making so much of this? It was as if the Jews had bombed Berlin and killed the
Führer
! Anger was building up throughout Germany. What was Goebbels up to?
    However, Ernst had more important things to focus on. He had to be perfect for the ceremony on