A Journey From Germany 2

Chapter 50

Please note that any antisemitic terms used are used because it is what the character would say. This is also a disclaimer of mention of the holocaust and a (mild-ish) description of Dachau Concentration Camp and my own vision of a ghetto that did exist.

I understand that to some readers that this could be personal or emotional, or something you wish not to read, which I completely understand, and went into writing this, fully aware of. I try to avoid anything horribly gruesome or mention much of it, which is hard for bits since this, and the next couple chapters are to bring to light what is happening in Germany in the 1930s and to hopefully paint a semi-realistic picture of what some people went through. If this is something you wish not to read, stay limited to Gretchen's POV to avoid mention of it.

Daniel Pov

The next day we quickly got changed and caught a taxi to Dachau, after paying for a map of the area, "It'd be odd to show up in an automobile, and I know the way, kinda, on foot, which is why I have a map, I've also walked this twice, once in summer, once in March," I explained.

We walked to the old factory but didn't stay too close. I saw men in striped pyjamas? working, they had numbers on their shirts and looked awfully ill. We took notes of it and I saw smoke and smelt a horrible odour. I saw lots of SA men and took note of it. After maybe 15 or 20 minutes, we left, not knowing what was happening.

While we walked, I explained about the extermination of Jews Herr Hitler would often talk about in speeches, and that it could be anyone who Herr Hitler hated.

After two hours we reached the farmhouse that belonged to Gretchen's grandparents, no longer in ruins. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door and saw someone who resembled Gretchen and her mother, "Hallo, wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?" (Hello, how may I help you?) the woman asked, her voice laced with a more Bavarian accent than Gretchen and her mother.
"Ich weiß, das ist eine alte Frage, aber kennen sie die Frau, die vor ein paar jahren hier gelebt hat? Frau Liesel Müller?" I asked, (I know this is an old question, but do you know the woman who lived here a few years ago? Mrs Liesel Muller?)

The woman's face dropped, "Ja, sie ist meine ältere schwester, warum?" (Yes, she is my older sister, why?)
"Ich bin Daniel Schröder, oder Cohen, wählen sie, und ich bin Ihre nichte, Gretchen's freund, und ich war zufällig in der gegend, und um ihretwillen dachte ich, ich sollte ihr erzählen, was mit ihrer mutter passiert ist, da es schon ein paar jahre her ist," I said, using my real name, thinking I can trust her, (I'm Daniel Schröder, or Cohen, take your pick, and I'm your niece, Gretchen's, beau, and I happened to be in the area, and for her sake, I figured I should tell her what has happened to her mother, since it's been a few years)

Her eye's widened, "Du bist das, das, der junge, der sie uns genommen hat!" she snapped (You are that, that, that boy who took her from us!)
"Tut mir leid, Herr, bitte, kommen sie herein, ich habe Gretchen einfach nicht mehr gesehen, seit sie 15 war, also vermisse ich sie, und mit welchem namen möchten sie angesprochen werden?" She said, steping aside.
(Sorry, sir, please, come in, I just haven't seen Gretchen since she was 15, so I miss her, and what name do you wish to address by?)
"Herr Schröder," I said, motioning for my co-workers to follow.

"Did you and that woman argue?" Samuel asked.
I sighed, "I've never seen her before, but she is my fiancé's aunt, obviously she at least isn't fond of me, and hasn't seen her niece in six or seven years, so she just snapped at me," I explained quietly.

We were led to the parlour, and it looked to be in much better condition than when I came here with Gretchen almost three years ago.
We sat down and I told my co-workers that I'll ask personal questions, the ones I can relay to Gretchen before asking about the political state.