The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-02
"A Boy Hero in Nazi Germany
True Story of the Hitler Terror

arm, but not before Fritz stuffed his
paper slip into his mouth.
"Scuml" two drunken voices Kissed
at him.
The two fabby Brown Shirts
hustled him along dark side street
They had not seen him stuff the
paper away or were too dull-witted
from drink to think what he was
doing. Fritz chewed hard and sWal-
lowed the paper lump with q g1lp.
He tried to squirm away from the
NaSis. They frightened their grip,
until he thought his arms were
broken.
THEY dragged him to a jail Fritz
wondered If 1t were the same jail
where his mother was. He doubled
up his fists at the thought. He vowed
he would not scream, so that he
would not hurt her, If she could by
any chance hear MIN.
Inside a cell, the Nazi police
jumped at him, trying to terrify him.
They searched him and seized the
money, dividing it between them
selves. They swung heavy leather
straps over his head.
TEL where you werel" they
shouted.
"Tch verde NIGHT sagen II will not
say)," quietly answered Fritz.
Were you at Hans Meinert's?" the
NaziS shouted.
Itch verde nicht sagen," replied
Fritz again.
Then the Nazis began hitting him
with their flsts as they questioned.
They named others whom they sus-
pscted Of being Communists They
asked Fritz who were his friends.
They asked him every kind of ques-
ton, with blows and insults between.
But always Fritz answered their
questions:
Itch verde NIGHT sagen."
Finally the boy tainted away and
knew nothing more till he found
himself lying in corner Of the cell
with mans coat thrown over him.
He fell asleep from exhaustion. In
the morning the Nazis turned him
out of the jail. Fritz was dazed and
StdIbCO ltt OitC WlO1AS OA CNSlOAi AGA
the home of his comrade Hans.
Then he came to a familiar Nazi
billboard and remembered where he
was and half turned to go in the
right direction. A block behind him
two Brown Shirts walked in the same
direction toward him.
maybe they're following me-
thought Fritz. So he lodged down
an alley and began zigzagging
through byways that he had learned
with his mother. 1t led him long
way from his friends home, in big
loop. When he was sure no Nazi
was following him and none seeing
where he was going, he ran into
Hans home.
There was his fatherl Fritz fell
into his arms, sobbing.
What happened, Fritzie?" asked
father and Hans and Hans mother,
all in one breath.
Fritz couldn't say a thing for a
long while. Then he gasped between
sobs:
"Oh, nothing"
Let him rest" said Hans mother,
leading him to the little dark bed
room. .
Later Hans mother called Fritz's
father to the door Of the room where
Fritz slept. =, ~ Is~.l5
Listen" she. said. a.
Itch verde NIGHT sagen. Tch verde
nicht sagen." Fritz said it over and
over In his sleep. "Tch verde NIGHT
sagen."
When Fritz woke up, no one asked
again what had happened. Father
took. Fritz away to an aunt who lived
near the mountains. Later mother
Joined them there, pale, too, from
jail. They rested for many days, 60
ing for long walks across the fields
and hills as they felt stronger. Father
found that Fritz could not run and
climb as he used to in the summers
before when they had come to visit
Aunt Freda. The little boys heart